The new offshore wind turbine boasts use of advanced technologies making it the world's most powerful offshore wind turbine. 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 12 MW prototype to be tested there. The prototype will be installed on land to simplify access for testing. This initial phase is designed to allow GE Renewable Energy to obtain the data required to receive its type certification - a key component prior to commercialising the product in 2021.
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.
GE is continuing development of its offshore wind turbine segment, with the Saint-Nazaire production site dedicated to manufacturing offshore wind turbine generators and nacelles, having already assembled over 80 Haliade 150-6MW 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 US, the Xinghua Gulf project in China, and the Merkur offshore wind farm in Germany.
The Haliade-X 12 MW’s nacelle and 107 metre long blades will allow GE Renewable Energy customers to 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.
“Today's presentation of the first ever Haliade-X 12 MW nacelle at Saint-Nazaire is the start of a key new phase in our ongoing commitment to structuring the offshore wind turbine segment” said Jérôme Pécresse, GE Renewable Energy CEO. “This project clearly reflects our ability to invest and innovate, supporting our customers on an ultra-competitive market in exponential growth. 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.”
John Lavelle, GE Renewable Energy Offshore Wind CEO, added that the company is on track to start commercialising the new product very shortly and that once it has received the type certificate in 2020 it will be ready to start mass production. The aim is to send out the first commercial units by mid-2021.
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