Published on 08th June 2023
An offshore wind turbine is a turbine that generates electricity from wind blowing across the sea. Fixed-support and floating are the two main types of offshore wind turbines.
Due to the higher wind-harnessing capability, horizontal-axis wind turbines are preferred over vertical-axis wind turbines for offshore wind harnessing.
The global operational offshore wind capacity was reported to be around 64 GW in 2022. In the coming years, offshore wind power is expected to grow significantly to meet climate and energy targets, as well as ensure energy independence.
Wind turbine makers have been adopting powerful technologies to make offshore wind turbines with larger rotors to lower risk and increase energy production for projects at sea.
Furthermore, a robust supply chain and standardized processes are enabling wind turbine companies to reduce the time to market of offshore wind turbines.
Do you want to know the top 10 players in the offshore wind industry? Read on.
Table of Contents
Global Top 10 Offshore Wind Turbine Manufacturers [2023]
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A.
GE Renewable Energy (General Electric)
Vestas Wind Systems A/S
Mingyang Smart Energy Group Co., Ltd.
Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd.
Doosan Enerbility Co., Ltd. (formerly known as “Doosan Heavy Industries”)
Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC)
Shanghai Electric Wind Power Equipment Co., Ltd.
CSSC Haizhuang Windpower Co., Ltd.
Envision Energy
Blackridge Research & Consulting – Global Offshore Wind Turbines Market Report
Wrapping Up
Here are the world’s leading offshore wind turbine manufacturers (listed by turbine OEM capacity):
Founded: 1976
Location: Zamudio, Spain
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, S.A. (SGRE) is a subsidiary of Siemens Energy and an industry-leading renewable energy company that provides offshore and onshore wind turbines and services.
In 1991, Bonus Energy (later acquired by Siemens AG) built the world’s first offshore wind farm at Vindeby, with a capacity of 4.95 MW.
SGRE is a wind power pioneer—from establishing a new-age wind turbine blade factory to major R&D facilities for wind turbine technology, the company has forged a powerful presence in the wind industry.
SGRE’s offshore wind power portfolio (with patented Direct Drive technology) includes:
SG 8.0-167 DD (8.0 MW): This offshore wind turbine is designed for the most challenging offshore sites and delivers higher energy yields at all wind speeds.
SG 11.0-200 DD (11.0 MW): The 11 MW offshore wind turbine is known for low risk and strong performance in demanding offshore wind projects.
SG 14-222 DD (14 MW) and SG 14-236 DD (14 MW): Designed for all wind speeds, these offshore wind turbines ensure high profitability alongside reduced risk and have up to 15 MW capacity with Power Boost.
As a global market leader in offshore wind turbines, SGRE’s powerful wind turbines and a well-defined offshore growth strategy continue to support its successful execution of offshore wind projects across the world.
According to a Siemens Energy press release (2023), 98.43% of SGRE shareholders voted in favor of the motion to delist the company.
Founded: 2015
Location: Boulogne-Billancourt, France
GE Renewable Energy is an industry-leading wind power company providing energy products, grid solutions, and digital services to harness nature’s most abundant resources—sun, water, and wind.
GE Renewable Energy is a manufacturing and services division of General Electric (GE)—a 130-year-old energy pioneer and a muti-billion-dollar global brand.
According to a press release in 2022, GE announced that its portfolio of energy businesses, including GE Renewable Energy, GE Power, GE Digital, and GE Energy Financial Services, would come together under the brand name “GE Vernova.”
GE Renewable Energy is a major wind turbine supplier, with over 49,000 wind turbines installed, generating wind electricity globally.
GE Renewable Energy’s offshore wind turbines range from 6 MW to 14 MW and are known for proven performance, availability, and reliability.
Haliade-X offshore wind turbine
Haliade-X is one of the world’s most powerful offshore wind turbines with an industry-leading capacity factor and advanced digital capabilities.
The Haliade-X offshore wind turbine features a 107-meter blade, 220-meter rotor, and a 12 MW, 13 MW, or 14 MW capacity, and is independently certified for Typhoon conditions. The turbine also has digital capabilities to improve time management and optimize operations.
According to GE, the Haliade-X was “the industry’s first 14 MW offshore wind turbine to operate.”
Haliade 150-6 MW offshore wind turbine
The Haliade 150-6 MW offshore wind turbine is designed for all offshore conditions and provides high yield and reliability while lowering energy costs.
Currently, this 6MW direct-drive wind turbine powers thousands of homes in Germany (Merkur offshore wind farm) and Rhode Island (Block Island offshore wind farm).
GE services and digital solutions for wind assets
GE enhances the availability of offshore turbine equipment and optimizes offshore wind operations with a global network of local service centers and a full range of packages and services, including predictive and preventive services and a digital product portfolio.
As a trusted offshore wind energy and service provider, GE Renewable Energy continues to add increased value to customers with cutting-edge offshore wind farm technology and comprehensive offshore wind services.
Founded: 1945
Location: Aarhus, Denmark
Vestas Wind Systems A/S (Vestas) is known as “the world’s largest wind turbine manufacturer” with an extensive footprint across the world, including R&D centers in Asia and Europe and international offices worldwide.
Vestas specializes in manufacturing, installing, and servicing onshore and offshore wind turbines. The Danish wind turbine maker holds over 16% of the world wind turbine market—Vestas’ track record as of March 31, 2023, puts total Vestas installed base at over 166 GW.
Vestas is the offshore partner of choice for global wind projects with 40+ years of turbine development expertise, 25+ years of offshore installation and service experience, and over 8 GW of globally installed capacity across 48 projects.
Vestas has expertise in fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind, and its offshore wind turbines are based on proven system designs.
In addition, Vestas follows stringent testing protocols to identify potential failure modes early on in the development of wind turbines and ensure safety throughout project lifetimes.
Vestas’ comprehensive product portfolio includes the following offshore wind turbines:
V236-15.0 MW™: Based on world-class technology, this offshore wind turbine is engineered for peak performance in diverse offshore environments and comes with a design lifetime of 30 years.
V174-9.5 MW™: This offshore wind turbine is stated to have “the industry’s largest commercially proven rotor size and most powerful output.”
Customized solutions, a wide geographic diversification strategy, and the unique Active Output Management® (AOM) service concept are some key differentiators that have helped Vestas achieve the highest energy output at the lowest cost and value chain optimization in the wind energy sector.
In 2014, Vestas also established a joint venture named “MHI Vestas Offshore Wind (MVOW)” with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), Ltd.—one of the world’s largest industrial conglomerates. The JV was formed to create a global energy company dedicated to providing products and services for the offshore wind industry.
Founded: 2006
Location: Zhongshan, China
Mingyang Smart Energy Group Co., Ltd. (Mingyang or MingYang) is a globally leading wind turbine manufacturer and clean energy integrated solution provider.
Mingyang specializes in designing and developing megawatt wind turbines and undertakes R&D in advanced technologies, such as deep-sea floating technology and high-power offshore wind turbine technology.
Mingyang’s wind turbine products are based on the wind turbine generator system (WTGS) platform that runs on an advanced semi-direct drive compact transmission technology.
Mingyang’s product portfolio includes:
According to an industry news source, Mingyang introduced the MySE11-203 offshore wind turbine in 2020, followed by its first MySE 12 MW hybrid drive offshore wind turbine (2022) designed to withstand super typhoons of 78.82 m/s.
The news source reported the launch of Mingyang’s new offshore wind turbine in 2023—the MySE 18.X-28X—said to be a comprehensive hybrid drive technology upgrade that can withstand the most extreme ocean conditions.
Mingyang’s offshore wind power integrated solutions help increase generation capacity while reducing overall wind farm investment and the kilowatt-hour costs.
In addition, Mingyang has developed an intelligent full lifecycle machine position optimization strategy to solve the challenging problem of power generation loss.
Mingyang also designed the blade, electrical and control system, transmission chain, and yaw system to suit the unique natural environmental characteristics of the sea.
Here are some significant advantages of Mingyang intelligent offshore units:
Founded: 1998
Location: Beijing, China
Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (commonly known as “Goldwind”) is a world-leading wind turbine OEM that not only manufactures and markets wind turbines but also constructs and operates wind power plants.
Apart from global R&D institutions, Goldwind has international centers worldwide, including Africa, Asia, Australia, Central Asia, Europe, MENA, North America, and South America.
As a provider of complete wind power solutions, Goldwind offers safer and more reliable wind turbines with better environment adaptability and higher power generation.
Goldwind’s expertise in offshore wind farm development and capacity evaluation encompasses the following:
iDO (Integrated Design Offshore Platform)
Goldwind’s integrated offshore support structure design platform aids in the design process and outcome optimization.
iGO (Intelligent Goldwind Offshore Platform)
Based on lean delivery and lean O&M of offshore wind farms, Goldwind’s offshore wind power smart asset management system is an all-in-one transportation and installation solution that helps in realizing higher efficiency and lower costs.
According to an industry news source, Goldwind is “the first Chinese turbine manufacturer to reach the 100 GW milestone of global installed capacity.”
Goldwind also marked the milestone with the launch of two new turbine models—the GWH221-8.X-10 and GWH24X-12.X—which help address challenges, such as unpredictable grid fluctuations and unstable wind resources.
Furthermore, Goldwind’s “Goldwind Wind Power Training Center” creates a safe offshore environment by improving the practical skills and safety awareness of the wind power workforce.
Founded: 1962
Location: Changwon, South Korea
Formerly known as “Doosan Heavy Industries,” Doosan Enerbility Co., Ltd. (Doosan) is a world-renowned heavy industrial company producing core equipment for power plants, such as boilers, generators, and turbines.
Doosan Enerbility entered the wind power business in 2005. Over the years, the company grew into Korea’s leading wind power company with extensive capabilities—from manufacturing, installation, and construction of offshore wind turbines to long-term maintenance services and wind farm development.
As an established EPC player and an OEM for the wind power industry, Doosan provides a full range of reliable wind turbines suitable for diverse and highly volatile environments.
Doosan’s wind turbine portfolio includes the following models:
On/Offshore
The following wind turbines are more suitable for low-wind areas, with WinDS3000 said to be “the first 3 MW Class on/offshore wind turbine generator in Korea.”
Offshore
While WinDS5500 is a high-efficiency model suitable for areas with strong wind, DS205-8MW is a large-capacity model designed for offshore wind farms in low-wind areas.
According to a press release, Doosan Enerbility signed a framework agreement in 2023 for a strategic partnership aimed at the Korean offshore wind power market.
In 2022, Doosan Enerbility also obtained an international certification for its offshore wind turbine, “DS205-8MW,” stated to be the largest capacity model in Korea to date.
Founded: 1984
Location: Chengdu, China
Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) is known as one of the world’s largest energy equipment manufacturing enterprise groups. The company traces its history to “Dongfang Electric Machinery Plant” established in 1958.
DEC is active in six major industrial sectors with a presence in nearly 80 countries and regions across five continents. In addition, DEC has extensive experience in large-scale project management and has consistently set export records in China’s energy and transportation sectors.
DEC is credited with obtaining China’s “first 10 MW class offshore wind turbine design certificate” (2018). In addition, DEC’s 10 MW offshore wind power (stated to be “the largest single-unit capacity in Asia”) was connected to the grid for power (2020).
With top-ranking R&D expertise in the power equipment industry, DEC has built a unique technological innovation system framework.
DEC offers products under the following categories:
DEC offers a complete range of solutions for wind power projects, including:
DEC’s offshore portfolio includes:
Founded: 2006
Location: Shanghai, China
Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Electric) is a major player in the wind power industry specializing in wind resource evaluation, wind turbine generator design and manufacturing, wind farm O&M, wind farm asset management, and more.
The company has also developed an anti-typhoon strategy to minimize wind turbine risk. Shanghai Electric has 12 manufacturing factories, 8 regional service centers, and 6 R&D centers.
Among other products, Shanghai Electric offers the following offshore wind turbines:
Asynchronous wind turbine: Shanghai Electric independently developed the megawatt-level asynchronous wind turbine characterized by high efficiency, high power quality ratio, high reliability, and small volume.
The asynchronous wind turbine series includes doubly fed asynchronous wind turbines (1.25 MW, 1.5 MW, 2 MW, 2.5 MW, 3.6 MW, 4.16 MW, and other specifications) and squirrel cage full power wind turbines (2.5 MW, 4 MW, 5 MW, and other specifications).
2.X MW SERIES: The tailor-made series for low and ultra-low wind speed areas provides excellent power generation efficiency with low LCOE.
The 2 MW platform is based on mature technology and features lightweight and high-efficiency long blades, as well as a reliable transmission system for power generation.
2.5 MW SERIES: This series signifies green energy and grid friendliness by incorporating noise reduction, pollution protection, and a full power converter in the design concept.
The wind turbines in the series have varied rotor diameters compatible with different tower solutions.
Other significant features include lower unit noise, more even load distribution, and more stable operation.
3.X MW SERIES: This series features customized wind turbines for low and medium wind speed areas.
The 3.X platform is built to optimize dynamic power generation efficiency and maximize performance under various operating conditions.
Moreover, the 3.X series wind turbines are equipped with advanced technologies, such as feed forward control, optical fiber sensor blade monitoring, and radar wind measurement.
4.X MW SERIES: The 4.X high-capacity wind turbine achieves the goal of reliable high-power generation with low LCOE and intelligent monitoring technology of core components.
The wind turbine has large rotors to meet the changing needs of low and medium wind speed areas. In addition, the 4.X platform supports various modes of split transportation and other demands, such as single-leaf lifting and small platform hoisting.
Founded: 2004
Location: Chongqing, China
Also known as “CSSC Haizhuang,” CSSC Haizhuang Windpower Co., Ltd. (CSSC stands for China State Shipbuilding Corporation) is a world-renowned industrial manufacturing giant that has won many awards for its contribution to the development of the wind power industry, including onshore and offshore wind power projects.
CSSC Haizhuang’s capabilities include:
CSSC Haizhuang’s offshore wind turbines are customizable according to the wind area and have a long lifespan. In addition, these wind turbines come with adjustable flexibility and carry a low construction cost.
Let’s look at CSSC Haizhuang’s offshore wind turbine portfolio:
Offshore H5.X/H6.X
Offshore H8.X/H10.X
According to a company news release, CSSC Haizhuang independently researched and designed “Fu Yao”—the first Chinese deep-sea FOWT (Floating Offshore Wind Turbine) that was successfully towed in 2022.
An industry news source also reported a new global milestone of CSSC Haizhuang developing a prototype of “the world’s largest offshore wind turbine” (the H260-18 MW turbine) in 2023.
Founded: 2007
Location: Shanghai, China
Envision Energy (Envision) is one of the world’s largest wind turbine technology companies with 12,500 turbines deployed globally.
As a leading wind turbine and energy management service provider, Envision’s footprint spans Argentina, China, France, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Montenegro, Vietnam, and other countries and regions across the world.
Envision has highly experienced offshore wind turbine R&D and engineering teams and has also established R&D centers in Denmark, Germany, and the U.S.
According to Envision, it has “the largest market share in low wind speed turbines in China.” Envision pioneered the development and innovation of smart wind turbines with its integrated design, engineering construction, and O&M capabilities.
These smart wind turbines are based on a “software-defined approach” that extends from design through deployment to create a wind turbine with increased effectiveness and longer service life.
Envision’s offshore smart wind turbine portfolio includes:
2.X MW Platform Wind Turbines: These wind turbines are designed to increase energy yield, maximize performance, and minimize downtime.
3.X MW Platform Wind Turbines: These wind turbines are built with a state-of-the-art control system and engineered for efficiency, high reliability, and optimal performance.
4.X MW Platform Wind Turbines: Higher power generation and larger unit sweep area make these wind turbines ideal for low-mid wind speed areas.
5.X MW Platform Wind Turbines: These wind turbines are known for greater power rating, optimal LCOE, and stronger environment adaptability.
6.X MW Platform Wind Turbines: These wind turbines with higher adaptive wind speed and larger rotor diameter are crucial to developing global medium-high wind power.
Blackridge Research & Consulting’s Global Offshore Wind Turbines Market report provides a comprehensive market analysis, including the drivers, restraints, and regional trends influencing market demand and growth, as well as the offshore wind turbine industry’s state of competition and profitability.
In addition, the report provides deep insights into the competitive landscape, market share of key players, present and future market opportunities, government policies and regulations, important commercial developments, and more.
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Offshore wind development is on the rise with the rapid growth of offshore wind projects in diverse geographic areas. Research indicates that the number of countries engaged in power generation from offshore wind energy is expected to double over the next decade.
Offshore wind turbine companies are leveraging advanced load reduction, monitoring, power generation, and other technologies to craft intelligent and resilient wind turbines suitable for various application scenarios and wind speed conditions.
Furthermore, efficient transmission systems ensure the integration of large offshore wind farms into the grid system. For example, Sunrise Wind is one of the largest U.S. offshore wind farms expected to use HVDC transmission technology to power nearly 600,000 New York homes with clean energy.
As offshore wind gains prominence as a principal energy source, offshore wind turbine manufacturers are helping countries worldwide access clean energy and supporting the best utilization of wind resources for a sustainable future.
*LCOE – Levelized Cost of Energy/Electricity
