The 7MW is the same design as the 6MW turbine. Siemens said the 7MWs components had already been produced and the turbine was about to be installed at a test centre in Denmark.
Speaking about the 7MW machine at Ewea Offshore Siemens Offshore CEO Michael Hannibal described it as "the same generator, we've just put in some other magnets." Changes were also made to the transformer.
Siemens has a tradition of slowly uprating its turbines. The 3.2MW and 4MW were originally 3MW and 3.6MW respectively.
When Windpower Monthly asked former Siemens CTO Henrik Stiesdal in 2013 whether the 6MW would be upgraded, he hinted it was being worked on.
"In our company life, turbines are always getting upgraded. So I would be a little surprised if there's not an uprated version in the pipeline."
Speaking about future turbine developments, Hannibal hinted there would be larger turbines to come from Siemens. In June last year, Stiesdal indicated the company was looking at a 10MW machine.
The 6MW turbine was only certified by DNV GL in July last year and the first turbine was installed at Dong Energy's 210MW Westermost Rough project off the UK's east coast with first power being produced in September.
The turbine will also include an enhanced blade design.
Siemens seem to be answering the call from many at this year's EWEA Offshore conference to build larger turbines to reduce the cost of offshore wind.
Ernst and Young issued a report yesterday highlighting larger turbines could reduce the levelised cost of energy by 9%.
