It’s a monster, world’s largest wind turbine means business
The cost of renewable energy is beginning to fall as the technologies mature, now the world's largest wind turbine wants to step out from solar power's shadow
Key takeaways
- Standing at 220 meters (722 feet) in height, the V164 offshore wind turbine is the biggest in the world.
- Each of the propellers on the turbine is 80 meters (263 feet) in length and weighs about 38 tons.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2017) 'It’s a monster, world’s largest wind turbine means business', 311 Institute, 10 February. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/its-a-monster-worlds-largest-wind-turbine-means-business/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Wind energy is one of the most promising renewable energy resources in the world, right after solar which last year took the crown in 58 countries for being the cheapest form of energy, and now it's about to get another boost thanks to a behemoth of a turbine built by MHI Vestas Offshore Wind that can generate enough electricity in 24 hours to power a home for two decades.
I'll take two!
The wind turbine in question is the V164-8.0Mw, which can generate a whopping 216,000 kWh of energy every 24 hours and if there were a thousand of them, out at sea for example like the farm that's being built off the coast of New York, then they could support several thousand homes with the energy that they generate in a single day.
Standing at 220 meters (722 feet) in height, the V164 offshore wind turbine is the biggest in the world. Each of the propellers on the turbine is 80 meters (263 feet) in length and weighs about 38 tons. As a result, the total area that is covered by the wind turbine when spinning is larger than the famous London Eye in the UK.
As for what the existence of this monster means for renewable energy, it will have a considerable impact on the number of turbines needed in order to produce the level of power that any given region requires, and that could then lead to an increase in energy production and a reduction in the cost per KwH households have to pay so watch this space - or the coastline - and in the meantime I'm off to make some space in the garden.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
The cost of renewable energy is beginning to fall as the technologies mature, now the world's largest wind turbine wants to step out from solar power's shadow
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
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Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 15-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
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Sources and further reading
- MHI Vestas Offshore Wind mhivestasoffshore.com
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 10 February 2017. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2017). It’s a monster, world’s largest wind turbine means business. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/its-a-monster-worlds-largest-wind-turbine-means-business/
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