That was possible with improvements in the permanent magnets, generator segments, converter and transformer in the previous offshore wind turbine 

Siemens has introduced a generator turbine design, SWT-7.0-154, that delivers nearly 10 per cent more energy production than its predecessor under offshore wind conditions while retaining the same proven reliability. Development engineers have refined solely those turbine components needed to increase electrical output. The new model is already set to go into series production by 2017.

Earlier, the company’s flagship offshore wind turbine, the SWT-6.0-154, had already set new standards in gearless turbine design.

In the new version, stronger permanent magnets and generator segments in the permanent magnet generator provide the key to harvesting a higher yield. Additionally, the converter and transformer have been upgraded, in line with the higher electrical output: All other components remain the same tried and proven engineering of the 6-MW wind turbine, giving Siemens’ customers the assurance of relying on proven technology and supply chain while significantly increasing energy production. The 6-MW-version will continue to be available for sales but following the improvements, Siemens has renamed the product platform to D7.

Siemens presented its new SWT-7.0-154 to the world’s experts at the international wind power conference and exhibition EWEA Offshore 2015 last month in Copenhagen. The product is yet another innovative step by the company to lower the cost of generating electricity on the high seas. “Our new wind turbine offers our customers an investment as reliable as our proven G4 and D6 product platforms,” notes Offshore CEO Michael Hannibal of Siemens Wind Power and Renewables. “Yet it also answers market demands to achieve greater energy yield at lower cost and effort.”

Cost reduction through innovation is the key factor of the new turbine and also of new Siemens grid access solutions. The turbine’s long structural design lifetime of 25 years and increased power rating create a remarkable cost of energy benefit. In transmission, Siemens is pursuing the same goal with its distributed power transmission technology, enabling grid connection of offshore wind turbines without the need for high-voltage alternating-current (HVAC) offshore substations. The conventional platform can be substituted by the new Siemens Grid Access Solution in AC-technology which acts as a distributed transmission asset and can be mounted together with a turbine on the same foundation or independently. This environmentally-friendly solution offers substantially reduced size, weight, and costs, while improving the customer’s flexibility.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse known for its engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 165 years. The company is active in more than 200 countries, focusing on the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation. One of the world’s largest producers of energy-efficient, resource-saving technologies, Siemens is No 1 in offshore wind turbine construction, a leading supplier of combined cycle turbines for power generation, a major provider of power transmission solutions and a pioneer in infrastructure solutions as well as automation, drive and software solutions for industry.

In fiscal 2014, which ended on September 30, 2014, Siemens generated revenue from continuing operations of €71.9 billion ($75.4) and net income of €5.5 billion. At the end of September 2014, the company had around 357,000 employees.