Wind turbine models have become much larger over time, reflecting technological advancements and the need for more efficient renewable energy. Starting from small, kilowatt-scale machines used historically for irrigation and grain grinding, modern commercial turbines now achieved power ratings up to 26 MW and rotor diameters exceeding 300 meters.

This growth is primarily driven by economies of scale, allowing for lower costs per unit of energy produced and the ability to capture stronger winds at higher altitudes. Data by the US Department of Energy shows that the average hub height for offshore wind turbines in the United States is projected to grow even taller by about 150 meters in 2035.

This blog explores the world's top 10 most powerful wind turbine models in 2025, highlighting their nameplate capacities, rotor diameters, and deployment statuses.

List of Most Powerful Wind Turbines in the World [2025]

Dongfang Electric 26 MW Turbine: Largest Wind Turbine in the World

In October 2024, Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) unveiled the largest wind turbine in the world, with a capacity of 26 MW. The wind turbine model has set a new benchmark in wind energy, which is the largest in the world in terms of both capacity and size. Manufactured at DEC’s factory in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, this turbine represents a major leap forward in offshore wind technology.

The wind turbine is designed for extreme conditions and features a dual anti-typhoon design, enabling it to withstand Category 17 super typhoons with wind speeds up to 137 mph (220 km/h). Its massive 1,107-ft rotor diameter is comparable in wingspan to twelve Boeing 747s.

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The wind turbine model has an annual energy generation of 100 GWh, and each unit can supply electricity to approximately 55,000 Chinese homes or 9,200 American homes. The turbine also contributes to lower carbon emissions by reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

Shanghai Electric: EW25.0-310

Shanghai Electric has introduced the EW25.0-310, a cutting-edge 25 MW offshore wind turbine, making it one of the most powerful turbines in the world. The turbine model was officially unveiled in October 2024 at the China Wind Power Exhibition in Beijing.

The wind generator features an impressive 310-meter rotor diameter and is designed to maximize wind energy capture, increasing efficiency and power output. The turbine can operate under average wind speeds of 10 m/s and is engineered to withstand extreme conditions, including wind speeds of up to 57 m/s. 

Shanghai Electric currently holds 55% of China's offshore wind market share and is poised to become one of the largest wind manufacturers in the world.

CSSC Haizhuang: H305-25MW

CSSC Haizhuang's H305-25 MW offshore wind turbine is one of the largest offshore wind turbine models in the world focused on nearshore to deep-sea installations. The wind turbine features a 305-meter rotor diameter and customizable towers, enabling flexible deployment in various seabed conditions.

The H305-25MW model, engineered with advanced aerodynamic and structural integration and reduced costs per kilowatt-hour, highlights its performance and cost-effectiveness. The turbine boosts wind power generation by 38%, enhances economic returns by over 10%, and reduces wind power plant development costs by more than 5%, making it a transformative addition to offshore wind technology.

Source: CSSC

The advanced grid support systems improve performance in weak grid conditions by over 80%. The turbine features a modular nacelle design, reducing downtime and servicing costs by 30%. Also, it has integrated sensing systems to lower structural vibrations by 30%, boost typhoon resistance by 10%, and improve annual energy output by 2%.

Mingyang Smart Energy: MySE 22MW

The MySE 22MW is one of the most powerful offshore wind turbines in the world. It was developed by Mingyang Smart Energy. The wind turbine generator has a rotor diameter exceeding 310 meters and designed for high-wind regions with average wind speeds of 8.5 to 10 m/s. Its carbon-fiber blades offer an optimal balance of strength, lightweight construction, and corrosion resistance, enhancing durability and efficiency.

The MySE 22MW can generate an impressive 80 GWh of electricity annually, significantly larger than its successors. Mingyang estimates that replacing 13 MW turbines with the MySE 22MW in a 1 GW offshore wind power plant would reduce the total number of turbines needed by 18 units. This leads to lower capital expenditures and streamlined operations in the offshore wind industry.

Goldwind: GWH300-20-25 MW

Goldwind Technology’s GWH300-20-25 MW turbine is a next-generation offshore wind turbine designed for deep-sea deployment. The turbine has a 300-meter rotor diameter and a power range of 20-25 MW. One of its standout features is its ability to withstand super typhoons with wind speeds exceeding 60 m/s.

Goldwind has incorporated a three-level anti-typhoon mode and a three-in-one emergency management mechanism, ensuring 100% typhoon scenario risk management. This turbine is engineered to maximize energy output while ensuring cost-effective operations in water depths of 50 to 70 meters.

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The GWH300-20-25 MW also integrates advanced satellite communication technology into its operational framework, providing real-time monitoring and enhanced backup power security. Goldwind also included artificial intelligence in its GWH300-20-25 MW series with 200+ advanced sensors to extract environmental data and reconstruct operating scenarios.

Dongfang Electric: H2X000-31X

Dongfang Electric introduced its second largest wind turbine model, Dongfang Electric: H2X000-31X, at the China Wind Power 2024 fair held in Beijing. The offshore wind turbine model has an unspecified capacity of around 20 to 25 MW and has a rotor diameter of 310 meters. 

According to the industrial specifications, the turbine is expected to have an estimated swept area of 75,500 square meters. 155-meter blades would maximize energy capture in offshore environments, contributing to higher efficiency and lower costs per megawatt. 

CRRC: Qihang 20 MW Offshore Turbine

Chinese state-owned manufacturing giant CRRC developed the world's largest offshore wind turbine, Qihang, with a rated capacity of 20 MW. The turbine was announced at the WindEnergy Hamburg conference in September 2024 and successfully rolled off the production line in Sheyang, Jiangsu, on October 10, 2024.

Source: CRRC

It has a 260-meter rotor diameter and a 320-meter maximum turbine blade tip height. Its swept area covers more than seven standard football fields, capable of generating 62 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. A single unit can power approximately 37,000 households while reducing coal consumption by 25,000 tonnes and cutting 62,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

The prototype was successfully transported and installed at Dongying Guangli Port in December 2024. Later, on January 11, 2025, it was installed at the Dongying Wind Power testing and certification innovation base in Shandong.

Mingyang Smart Energy: MySE 18.X-20 MW

MySE 18.X-20 MW wind turbine model is one of the world’s largest offshore wind turbines, designed for medium-to-high wind speed regions designed by Mingyang Smart Energy. The turbine installed in Hainan, China, features flexible power ratings between 18.X MW and 20 MW.

Manufactured at Mingyang’s Shanwei facility, the MySE 18.X-20 MW turbine has a rotor diameter ranging from 260 to 292 meters, covering a maximum swept area equivalent to nine soccer fields. The turbine can generate 80 million kWh of electricity annually, providing power for 96,000 households while offsetting 66,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions with an average wind speed of 8.5 m/s.

One of the turbine’s standout features is its active anti-typhoon technology, allowing it to withstand extreme wind speeds of up to 61.2 m/s (Category 17 typhoon). Mingyang Smart Energy’s hybrid drive technology in the MySE 18.X-20 MW aims to lower the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE), making offshore wind projects more economically viable.

Mingyang Smart Energy: MySE 18.X-28X

Mingyang Smart Energy introduced the MySE 18.X-28X back in 2023 as one of the two wind turbine manufacturers developing wind turbines with an individual capacity of 18 MW or more. The advanced offshore wind turbine is built to withstand extreme ocean conditions, including level-17 typhoons with wind speeds exceeding 56.1 m/s.

The turbine features 140-meter-long blades and a rotor diameter exceeding 280 meters. The MySE 18.X-28X can generate up to 80 GWh of electricity per year at an average wind speed of 8.5 m/s with a swept area of 66,052 square meters. It is capable of supplying power to approximately 96,000 residents while offsetting 66,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually.

The turbine is designed with modular and lightweight construction and incorporates holographic sensing MPC and digital twin DTC technology. The MySE 18.X-28X also offers significant cost savings for wind farm developers by reducing construction costs by approximately USD 120,000 to USD 150,000 per megawatt.

Dongfang Electric: DEW-18 MW-260

China’s Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) installed its DEW-18 MW-260 offshore wind turbine on June 5, 2024, at a coastal test base in Shantou, Guangdong Province. This is one of the most powerful offshore wind turbines developed by the Chinese original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

The DEW-18 MW-260 features a 260-meter rotor diameter and a swept area of 53,000 square meters. The turbine is capable of generating 72 GWh of electricity annually, which is sufficient to power approximately 36,000 households. The turbine significantly reduces environmental impact by offsetting 22,000 tons of coal and 59,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

At the heart of this turbine is DEC’s in-house 18.X MW permanent magnet semi-direct drive generator, designed to enhance efficiency, reliability, and grid adaptability. The generator’s low vibration, low noise, and uniform temperature rise contribute to its long-term operational stability. 

The turbine’s semi-direct drive transmission system integrates the shaft, gearbox, and generator using a modular design, improving energy conversion efficiency and ensuring smooth integration into power grids.

History of Wind Turbine Size Growth

The first recorded modern wind turbine was built in 1887 by James Blyth in Scotland and used to charge batteries for lighting his cottage. This marked the beginning of wind energy for electricity generation, followed by Charles F. Brush's 1888 turbine in Ohio for home use.

The oil crises of the 1970s and 1980s spurred significant interest in wind energy. Early modern turbines, such as the NASA/DOE Mod-0 (100 kW, 38m rotor, late 1970s), were small, but sizes began to increase. By the 1980s, Danish-designed turbines were common at 200-500 kW with rotor diameters of 20-30 meters.

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The 1990s saw turbines grow to 1 MW with rotor diameters around 50-60 meters, exemplified by Vestas' V47 (660 kW, 47m rotor). In the 2000s, 1.5-2 MW turbines became standard, with rotor diameters of 70-90 meters (e.g., Vestas V80, 2 MW, 80m rotor). By the 2010s, onshore turbines often exceeded 2 MW, and offshore models reached 15 MW, such as the Vestas V236-15.0 MW (236m rotor, 15 MW, operational by 2023). According to the latest data available, the average wind turbine size of newly-installed wind turbines is over 130 meters.

Current Status of Largest Wind Turbines

As of June 2024, the most powerful operational wind turbine model in the world is the DEW-18 MW-260 offshore wind turbine by Dongfang Electric Corporation. Another notable operational turbine is the MySE 16-260 by Mingyang Smart Energy, which was installed in July 2023 and has a 260-meter rotor diameter and 16 MW capacity.

The recent announcement in the wind turbine industry signals a push towards even larger sizes by original equipment manufacturers. In October 2024, the China Wind Power 2024 fair, held in Beijing, witnessed the introduction of 27 new wind turbine models by 12 manufacturers. The manufacturers include Goldwind, Envision, Mingyang, Windey, CRRC, CSSC, SANY, SEWPG, Dongfang Electric, Sinovel, SinoAzure WindPower (formerly Harbin Electric), and TZCO.

In that event, Dongfang unveiled a 26 MW offshore turbine with a 310-meter rotor diameter, currently in manufacturing but not yet operational. Similar models like Shanghai Electric EW25.0-310, CSSC Haizhuang H305-25M, and Goldwind GWH 300-20-25 MW, all at 25 MW with rotor diameters around 300-310 meters, were unveiled.

Reasons for the Growth in Wind Turbine Sizes

The growth in wind turbine sizes is driven by several key factors:

• Economies of Scale: Larger turbines produce more electricity per unit, reducing the levelized cost of energy (LCOE). 

• Space Efficiency: Larger turbines in fewer numbers reduce the number of installations and simplify operation and maintenance. In the case of offshore wind turbines, it reduces high installation costs.

• Wind Resource Access: Data by the American Department of Energy notes that increasing hub heights to 110-140 meters can increase capacity factors by 10 percentage points.

• Technological Advancements: Innovations in turbine material, design, and manufacturing processes enabled the construction of larger wind turbines. The rotor diameter of wind turbines has increased fivefold since the 1980s.

Conclusion

The growth in wind turbine sizes reflects a strategic response to the demand for efficient, cost-effective renewable energy. Siemens Gamesa is preparing to install a 21 MW offshore wind turbine prototype at Denmark’s Østerild test center, supported by EUR 30 million (USD 32.2 million) in EU funding. The trend towards larger offshore and onshore wind turbines is expected to continue, with more wind turbine manufacturers like Vestas and General Electric expected to join the race.

Further advancements are already underway, with China’s SANY Renewable Energy introducing a test rig for turbines up to 35 MW turbines. In October, SANY claimed that it had erected the world's largest onshore wind turbine prototype with a capacity of 15 MW. The turbine model named SI-270150 turbine features 430-ft-long blades (131 m), surpassing the previous largest onshore wind turbine on the planet, Goldwind's 12-MW.

As developers continue scaling up, the industry must address structural integrity, transportation, and environmental impacts. While practical limits may eventually emerge, the trend toward larger turbines signals a new era for wind energy.

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