Chief technology officer Torben Hvid Larsen told the Windforce 2014 conference in Bremen the prototype will be tested for lightning protection.
The company, a joint venture between Japanese engineering firm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Danish manufacturer Vestas, also hopes to obtain a type certification in the early part of next year.
Series production of the turbine is expected to begin in 2015.
MHI Vestas chief strategy officer, Masato Yamada, told Windpower Monthly at last week's Global Offshore Wind 2014 conference that MHI's experience in wind, as well as other fields such as aerospace, would be used to hone the new 8MW turbine.
The 8MW turbine has been selected by Dong Energy to be used at the 258MW extension of the Burbo Bank offshore project of the UK's west coast.
