Visit Suffolk’s First Wind Turbine in Lowestoft: Gulliver

One the most iconic sights in the town, Lowestoft’s first wind turbine is a must-see!

A very large wind turbine, built in December 2004, is located by the sea on the edge of town. Well worth a closer look, certainly to appreciate the magnitude of the monstrous electricity generating machine.

The construction of the wind turbine began on Tuesday 7 December 2004 with a 108 m high crane lifting the 71 tonne Tower Lower Section. The 65 tonne Tower Middle Section, 46 tonne Tower Top Section, 83 tonne nacelle and 54 tonne, 92 m diameter Rotor Blade Assembly were erected on Friday 10 December 2004.

The new turbine began generating electricity in January 2005 and has a generating capacity of up to 2.75 MW, although the original proposal was for an even bigger 3.2 MW turbine.

The hub height is 80 m (262 ft). The blade tip height is 126 m (413 ft). The nacelle assembly weighs 83 tonnes and is 11.2 m (37 ft) long, 3.3 m (11 ft) wide, 3.8 m (12.5 ft) high, making it the biggest wind turbine on mainland UK as of April 2005.

Each of the 3 blades weighs 10 tonnes and is 44.8 m (147 ft) long. The overall diameter of the rotor assembly is 92 m (301 ft).

The blade tips slice through the air at about 150 miles per hour. The turbulence this generates accounts for the pulsating “whooshing” noise audible when you stand underneath.

A real landmark to see on your visits! Lastly a big thanks to Tony Smith from flickr for this great photo.

How to find Suffolk’s First Wind Turbine in Lowestoft:

Wind Turbine,
Lowestoft,
Suffolk,
UK,
NR32 1JG

Find Gulliver Wind Turbine in Lowestoft