The Danish manufacturer has fitted a bigger rotor to its 7.2MW EnVentus machine to squeeze more power from low and medium wind sites, and has already booked a first order in Sweden.
Vestas has launched the V182-7.2 MW, its largest onshore wind turbine to date. The Danish manufacturer unveiled the model on 21 September. It built the turbine on its EnVentus platform and kept the same 7.2MW rating as its V172 predecessor.
The difference lies in the rotor. At 182 metres across, it is ten metres wider than the V172’s. As a result, the blades sweep a larger area and catch more energy from each gust of wind.
More output from the same rating
Vestas says the new turbine can raise annual energy production by up to 6% compared with the V172-7.2 MW. It also says the design lowers the levelised cost of energy, depending on site conditions.
The key measure is specific rating, which divides a turbine’s power rating by its swept area. The V182 has a specific rating of 277 watts per square metre. A lower figure means a turbine reaches full output at lower wind speeds.
In turn, Vestas says capacity factor improves by up to 2%. Capacity factor measures how much a turbine produces against its maximum possible output over time.
Why capture prices count
The company also points to revenue. It says the V182 can lift capture prices by up to 3%. Capture price is the average price a generator earns for the power it sells.
When the wind blows hard, many turbines run at once and prices often fall. However, a turbine that performs well in lighter winds sells more power when prices tend to be higher. Vestas says that also helps ease grid congestion.
For developers, this shift is becoming important. As more wind and solar join the grid, the timing of output counts as much as its volume. So a turbine tuned for lower winds can earn more per megawatt-hour.
Built on a proven platform
Rather than design a new machine, Vestas has stretched an existing one. The EnVentus platform has more than 15GW installed in more than 25 countries.
The turbine “is designed to deliver consistent, high-performance output,” said Felix Henseler, Vestas’s chief technology and operations officer. He said that output “supports strong project economics and long-term bankability.” He added that it keeps “the reliability of a validated platform.”
Vestas is aiming the V182 at low to medium wind sites in Europe, Australia and South Africa. It also targets North and South America, and the company says the model suits a wider range of markets too. Each new onshore wind turbine in those regions has to compete for sites and grid capacity.
First order comes from Sweden
Days after the launch, Vestas announced its first order for the model. Swedish developer SR Energy will install four V182-7.2 MW turbines at the 29MW Staverhult wind farm in southern Sweden.
The deal includes a 35-year Active Output Management 5000 service agreement. Vestas expects to deliver the turbines in the second quarter of 2028, with commissioning in the third quarter. Series production of the model will ramp up from the end of 2027.
“We are delighted to take the next step and begin construction of the Staverhult wind farm,” said Peter Zachrisson, chief executive of SR Energy. Jens Kück, senior vice president for sales in Vestas Northern and Central Europe, welcomed the deal. “We are proud to secure the first order for our newly launched V182-7.2 MW turbine with our valued partners in SR Energy,” he said.
What the new onshore wind turbine means
Onshore wind in Europe has faced high costs and slow permits in recent years. Some markets are opening up again. For instance, England lifted its ban on new onshore wind farms in 2024.
In that setting, an onshore wind turbine that earns more at each site can tip marginal projects into profit. Meanwhile, building on a platform that already runs at scale lowers the risk for buyers and lenders.
