In October 2017, LM Wind Power’s factory in Castellon undertook an extraordinary operation to move the largest wind turbine blade ever to be constructed in Spain.
At four times the length of a bowling lane, LM Wind Power’s latest 241-Foot wind turbine blade, the largest to be manufactured in Spain, took to the road back in October to begin its journey to the Merkur wind farm in the North Sea.
Departing from LM’s Castellón factory, the blade had to undertake a 29-mile road trip to the port, located on Spain’s Mediterranean coast north of Valencia. Months of preparation were required, involving input from state and local governments and the port authority to figure out how to simplify the journey. Lamp posts were removed and throughways were paved across roundabouts - all designed to keep the route as efficient as possible.
Here is the video released by LM showing the epic road trip made by the wind turbine blade to the Castellón port:
Longer blades = more power
When it comes to wind turbines, bigger is better. Due to the extra height, taller turbines with longer blades are able to reach higher up into the sky and benefit from the stronger, steadier winds. Where height and noise is less restricted by governments, these taller turbines are ideally suited for offshore wind farms.
Turbines with longer blades can generate around 100 times more energy compared with their predecessors made during the 1980s, whose blades were on average four times shorter in length.
Currently wind power accounts for 11% of Europe's electricity mix, with forecasts expecting this to increase to 25% by 2030 as renewables become more efficient and lower in cost to produce.
