When it comes to wind turbines, bigger is better. Bigger turbines harvest more energy, more steadily; the bigger they get, the less variable and more reliable they get, and the easier they are to integrate into the wind. The wind is already outcompeting other sources of the wholesale energy market. After a few more generations of growth, it won’t even be a contest anymore.
But how much bigger can wind turbines actually get? In Rotterdam, the Netherlands, GE Renewable Energy is developing a monster turbine that will stand at 853 feet tall. That’s twice as tall as the average onshore wind turbine in America, and not that much smaller than the Eiffel Tower. The giant wind turbine, which has been named the Haliade-X, will also feature blades longer than a football field. GE says the Haliade-X will begin generating electricity next April and will produce enough clean energy for up to 16,000 households.
