GE Renewable Energy revealed the first manufactured components of the Haliade-X 12-MW offshore wind turbine at its production site in Saint-Nazaire, France.
The Haliade-X nacelle will be tested in actual operational conditions to reduce the time required to confirm its performance levels and reliability.
The first nacelle will be shipped from Saint-Nazaire to Rotterdam-Maasvlakte in the Netherlands over the coming weeks, where its components will be assembled into the Haliade-X prototype and be tested there. The prototype will be installed on land to simplify access for testing.
This initial phase is designed to allow to obtain the data required to receive its type certification — a key component prior to commercializing the product in 2021.
“This project clearly reflects our ability to invest and innovate, supporting our customers on an ultra-competitive market in exponential growth,” said Jérôme Pécresse, GE Renewable Energy CEO. “Thanks to the Haliade-X 12 MW, we are proud to prepare for the future of the offshore wind industry from Saint-Nazaire, a benchmark production site for offshore wind international projects.”
The Haliade-X 12 MW’s market-leading nacelle and 107-m long blades will le GE customers generate more power more effectively, in an environment in which they face increased competition. The turbine can generate 67 GWh in gross annual energy, providing enough clean energy to power 16,000* European households and save up to 42 million metric tons of CO2, which is the equivalent of the emissions generated by 9,000 vehicles in one year alone.
In parallel, a second Haliade-X 12-MW nacelle is currently being assembled at Saint-Nazaire, prior to dispatch to the ORE Catapult test centre at Blyth, in the United Kingdom, in the coming months. The nacelle will be testing in actual operational conditions to reduce the time required to confirm its performance levels and reliability.
The Saint-Nazaire production site is dedicated to manufacturing offshore wind-turbine generators and nacelles and has already assembled over 80 Haliade 150 – 6-MW wind turbines since opening in December 2014. Significant projects include the development of turbines for Block Island, the first ever offshore wind farm in the U.S., the Xinghua Gulf project in China, and the Merkur offshore wind farm in Germany.
“We are on track to start commercializing this new product very shortly,” said John Lavelle, GE Renewable Energy Offshore Wind CEO. “Once we have received the type certificate (2020), we will be ready to start mass production and send out the first commercial units by mid-2021. Haliade-X 12MW is an outstanding and strategic project for GE. We aim to meet the requirements of our customers by providing a more affordable and competitive energy source.”
A few figures for the Haliade-X 12 MW
- 12-MW capacity
- 220m rotor
- Height: 260m
- Blade length: 107m
- Gross annual energy: 67 GWh
- Wind exposure: 38,000 m2
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Turbines
