A Chinese company has launched the world’s largest wind turbines that can generate power even during major category 5 hurricanes.

The huge Ocean X platform, developed by MingYang Smart Energy, consists of two wind turbines in a V-shaped arrangement that together deliver a capacity of more than 16 MW.

The turbine platform, launched in the southern Chinese port city of Guangzhou, can produce 54,000 MWh of energy annually, enough to power 30,000 Chinese households per year, the company said in a LinkedIn post.

The company first tested a smaller 1:10 scale prototype in 2020 and completed installation of the original size OceanX platform in April this year.

It consists of counter-rotating rotors, each with giant turbine blades 182 metres (597 ft) in diameter, set atop a V-shaped structure.

This structure is held together by high-voltage cables and mounted on a Y-shaped floating platform to ensure maximum stability.

The mega platform, built of ultra-high-strength concrete, weighs about 16,500 tons and can operate in waters deeper than 35 meters (115 feet), the company said.

MingYang says the turbine platform can generate power even during Category 5 hurricane conditions, withstanding winds of up to 260 km/h (161 mph) and waves of up to 30 m (98 ft).

“Robust typhoon resistance, capable of withstanding wind speeds up to 79.8 mps,” the company says on its website.

These types of hurricanes can cause tremendous damage, destroying most homes, trees and power poles as they pass over residential areas.

Normal wind turbines struggle under such harsh conditions, causing power fluctuations and premature wear of generator components.

The company calls its new design “an adaptive system that ensures stability and safety even in extreme typhoon conditions,” which it hopes will usher in “a new era in maritime energy.”

This could be crucial for power generation in China’s coastal areas such as Guangzhou, which are regularly hit by major typhoons, especially in an era of climate change.

It is also a boost for China’s goal of obtaining a third of its national energy consumption from renewable sources by 2025.

By supplying thousands of households with green energy, the wind turbine platform can also contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions by approximately 56,000 tonnes.