Offshore Turbine from GE Proves High Reliability, Availability Following First Trial Run
o Sweden's Largest Wind Turbine in Gothenburg Harbor Reaches Important Milestone
o Reliability Run with 99.05 Percent Availability
o 4.1-113 Offshore Wind Turbine will Produce Electricity for 3,000+ Swedish Homes per Year
COPENHAGEN, DENMARK--GE (NYSE: GE) announced today that its 4.1-113 offshore wind turbine, nicknamed "Big Glenn" and located in Sweden's Gothenburg harbor, passed its initial trial run. This announcement was made at the European Wind Energy Association's EWEA 2012 in Copenhagen.
Beginning February 29, the trial lasted 200 hours. GE's first direct-drive offshore wind turbine passed this reliability run on its first attempt with 99.05 percent availability. Wind speed varied during the trial run from zero to rated wind, resulting in a capacity factor of 35.3 percent.
"The variation in wind speed gives the team confidence that the turbine performs reliably under all wind conditions," says Vincent Schellings, offshore product manager for GE Energy. "Now we will begin validating the design and obtain initial results before summer. Our initial focus will be on the power curve and loads validation as evidence that our simulations meet the measurements of the two performance characteristics that matter most to our customers."
The test run was successfully completed in March. "We are very proud to support our city and our country towards the goal of producing more green energy. Due to our great teamwork with GE and Chalmers University we can celebrate this important milestone," said Jonas Cognell, director of Renewable Electricity at Göteborg Energi.
About GE's 4.1-113
GE's 4.1-113 is intended specifically for the offshore environment, with reliability and availability as the primary design drivers and builds on the experience with over 17,500 units globally. With fewer moving parts, the direct-drive technology provides a simple, reliable design with built-in redundancy and partial operation for major components, all focused on keeping turbines operating reliably at sea. The direct-drive technology eliminates costly gearbox parts and lowers operating expenses.
The 4.1-113 blade design is optimized to maximize energy capture at sites suitable for monopile applications. Based on five years of operating history of the installed fleet of GE 3.5-megawatt turbines, the platform is well proven.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.
GE Energy works connecting people and ideas everywhere to create advanced technologies for powering a cleaner, more productive world. With more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries, our diverse portfolio of product and service solutions and deep industry expertise help our customers solve their challenges locally. We serve the energy sector with technologies in such areas as natural gas, oil, coal and nuclear energy; wind, solar, biogas and water processing; energy management; and grid modernization. We also offer integrated solutions to serve energy- and water-intensive industries such as mining, metals, marine, petrochemical, food & beverage and unconventional fuels.
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About Göteborg Energi
Göteborg Energi is one of the most exciting workplaces for the future. With our electricity, district heating and natural gas systems we shape an important part of the infrastructure in western Sweden. One of the products of the future is energy services that help our customers to use the right energy in the right quantity at the right time - for the benefit of both environment and economy. We also stride towards creating sustainable energy solutions. Efficient energy supply is one of the most important foundation stones of a well-functioning society. Gothenburg Energy is one of Sweden's most committed environmental energy companies. Gothenburg Energy AB is a wholly owned subsidiary of Göteborg Kommunala Förvaltning AB. (Gothenburg Municipality Holding Company).
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