MAROKO133 Breaking ai: World’s largest offshore solar farm could meet power needs of 2.6 m

📌 MAROKO133 Hot ai: World’s largest offshore solar farm could meet power needs of

China has commissioned the world’s largest open-sea offshore solar power plant, bringing a 1-gigawatt (GW) photovoltaic (PV) installation fully online off the coast of Dongying in Shandong province.

Developed by Guohua Investment, a unit of China Energy Investment Corp (CHN Energy), a state-owned energy firm, the offshore solar farm achieved full-capacity grid connection in late December 2025.

Located nearly 4.9 miles (eight kilometers) from shore the HG14 installation spans about 1,223 hectares of shallow coastal waters, with depths ranging from 3.2 to 13.1 feet (one to four meters).

The farm is the first gigawatt-scale fixed-pile offshore PV project ever completed. It features a total of 2,934 platforms anchored by offshore steel truss structures.

Supplying the grid

According to CHN Energy, the Dongying project‘s fixed-pile design is engineered to withstand waves, tides, strong winds and seasonal sea ice. It is supported by a total of 11,736 steel steel piles.

“This not only withstands a strong gale of force 11 and winter ice conditions but also reduces steel usage by over 10 percent, providing valuable experience for future offshore solar farm construction,” Zhang Bo, Guohua Energy Investment deputy manager of the Kenli project, said.

Each of its platforms measures about 196 feet (60 meters) in length and 114 feet (35 meters) in width. Additionally, the project marks the nation’s first use of a 66-kilovolt (kV) offshore cable. It is combined with an onshore cable for high-capacity, long-distance PV power transmission.

The massive farm uses more than 2.3 million high-power 710-watt (W) n-type bifacial solar panels mounted at a 15-degree tilt. Its offshore location improves performance, with cooler air and reflected sunlight increasing power generation.

“The structure features a ‘four-pile foundation plus solar platform’ design, with panels tilted at a precisely calibrated 15 degrees,” Bo explained.

According to project data, electricity generation efficiency is five to 15 percent higher than comparable onshore solar plants. The 66-kV subsea cable network carries power generated offshore to land. An onshore substation then steps the power up to 220 kV.

Engineering at sea

HG14 also integrates a 100-megawatt (MW)/200-megawatt-hour (MWh) energy storage system. This improves grid stability and enables smoother power delivery.

The solar farm’s combined transmission and storage design increases effective capacity by around 20 percent. It also cuts unit costs by about 15 percent. Once fully operational, the farm will generate around 1.78 terawatt-hours (TWh) of power per year.

This output could meet the needs of approximately 2.67 million urban residents in China. “This is equivalent to saving an estimated 503,800 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.3447 million tons,” the company revealed in a press release.

As per the firm, the project strengthens regional energy security and supports China’s low-carbon transition. “Additionally, the project utilizes an integrated fishing and PV development model, combining fish farming with PV power generation to enhance the comprehensive utilization of the marine area,” CHN Energy concluded.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com

📌 MAROKO133 Eksklusif ai: New US Navy destroyers to be powered by GE Aerospace’s m

GE Aerospace has secured a new contract to supply engines for two upcoming US Navy warships, reinforcing its long-standing role in naval propulsion.

The company’s Marine Engines & Systems division will deliver eight LM2500 gas turbine engines for the next Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, USS Intrepid and USS Robert Kerrey.

Each ship will use four engines to generate the power needed for high-speed operations at sea. The Arleigh Burke class has served as the backbone of the Navy’s surface fleet for more than 30 years.

In September, GE Aerospace completed supersonic captive-carry flight tests of its ATLAS vehicle at Kennedy Space Center, marking a key milestone in advancing solid-fuel ramjet propulsion technology.

Naval turbine mainstay

As of January 2025, 74 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are in active service, all powered by GE Aerospace’s LM2500 marine gas turbine engines as their primary propulsion system.

Each ship operates four engines, bringing the total to 296 LM2500 units across the class. With the latest orders, the LM2500 now equips every active Arleigh Burke destroyer, underscoring its central role in what is widely regarded as the US Navy’s most successful surface combatant program.

According to GE Aerospace, the LM2500 has been a cornerstone of naval propulsion for decades, valued for its high power density, fuel efficiency, and operational reliability. These characteristics allow destroyers to sustain demanding global missions while minimizing downtime and maintenance complexity. Continuous production and incremental upgrades have enabled the engine platform to keep pace with evolving fleet requirements.

More than 700 LM2500 gas turbines have been delivered to the US Navy to date, operating across destroyers and other surface combatants. Since entering naval service in 1969, the engine family has undergone numerous technical refinements, resulting in advanced variants such as the LM2500+, LM2500+G4, and related configurations. These upgrades have improved output, efficiency, and durability while maintaining compatibility with existing ship systems.

GE Aerospace claims that with over five decades of operational data and refinement, the LM2500 family has achieved reliability rates approaching 99 percent. Its widespread adoption across multiple navies worldwide reflects its proven performance in mission-critical maritime environments.

AI fighter propulsion

Recently, GE Aerospace signed a memorandum of understanding with Shield AI to provide propulsion for Shield AI’s upcoming autonomous fighter aircraft, X-BAT.

Under the agreement, X-BAT will be powered by the F110-GE-129 engine, a combat-proven fighter engine with more than four decades of operational history. X-BAT is an AI-piloted vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter designed to operate from confined spaces and in environments where communications are degraded or denied.

The aircraft is controlled by Shield AI’s Hivemind autonomy software, enabling fully independent operations or coordinated missions alongside crewed fighter jets. Shield AI states that X-BAT combines VTOL capability with a range exceeding 2,000 nautical miles while carrying a full mission payload, and that multiple aircraft can be deployed within the footprint of a single legacy fighter or helicopter.

The F110-GE-129 engine brings high thrust output and a long service record, with more than 11 million flight hours since its introduction in the 1980s. A key feature for X-BAT is the engine’s Axisymmetric Vectoring Exhaust Nozzle, which provides thrust vectoring to support vertical takeoff, landing, and precise maneuvering.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com