Wind turbine one and a half times taller than the Eiffel Tower

The 500-meter-tall SUMR50 wind turbine can provide electricity to 50,000 households with just one rotation of its blades.

When completed, the SUMR50 wind turbine will be taller than the Empire State Building in New York, USA (381 m). Illustration photo: Reuters.

Six major institutes in the US, led by the University of Virginia, are collaborating to develop the project.The 500-meter-tall wind turbine named SUMR50 broke the record for the world's largest wind turbine, International Business Times reported on June 28.

Equipped with 200 m long propeller blades that can change shape according to wind direction,SUMR50 achieved50 megawatt electric capacity, highmore than 10 times more than most current systems which only produce 5-8 megawatts depending on size.

Larger wind turbines can harness more wind power, making electricity cheaper. Higher altitudes allow faster winds to be captured. It is estimated that a large wind turbine like the SUMR50 could power 50,000 homes with a single rotation of its blades.

SUMR50's height far surpasses the Eiffel Tower and the Statue of Liberty. Photo: Chao Qin.

Currently, the world's largest wind turbine in operation is called MHI Vestas, which is 195 m tall and has 80 m long blades. This turbine is used in Dong Energy's Burbo Bank project, located inLiverpool BayUK. Each turbine has a capacity of 8 megawatts, which can power a household for 29 hours.

The SUMR50 is also designed to operate offshore, capturing strong ocean winds and weathering storms thanks to its flexible column design, which can bend and adjust like a palm tree. When winds become too strong for normal operation (above 80 km/h), the turbine blades fold up to avoid damage. Researchers hope the advanced design will help the structure withstand winds of up to 285 km/h.

"Palm trees are really tall but they are super light structures. If the wind blows strongly, the trunk can bend. We are trying to use the same mechanism to design flexible wind turbines, allowing the structure to adjust to the wind," said Eric Loth, project leader.

Building a structure as large as the SUMR50, especially in the middle of the ocean, is no easy task. To solve the logistical problem, the researchers came up with the idea of ​​a segmented propeller, which would allow the construction team to transport and assemble individual sections of the 200-meter-long propeller.

A small test model of the structure is being built to help the construction team plan for construction. “This is a very new idea, so there is no guarantee that it will work. But such a structure would revolutionize offshore wind technology,” Loth said.

According to VNE