GE to ship world’s biggest offshore wind turbine to UK for testing

• 5 years ago (2019-06-27)
• David Flin

Europe 1068 Offshore wind 119

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GE Renewable Energy has announced that the Haliade-X 12MW nacelle and 107m long blade will be shipped to the UK as part of an advanced technology testing programme before it enters serial production in 2021. The nacelle and blades will be transported from GE’s production facilities in Saint-Nazaire and Cherbourg in France to ORE Catapult’s testing facilities in Blyth in the north-east of England.

The Haliade-X 12MW nacelle will undergo a testing programme that will replicate real-world operational conditions to reduce the time required to validate performance and reliability. In addition, the 107m LM Wind Power blade will undergo a full range of advanced testing procedures, including static and fatigue, to fully demonstrate the blade’s ability to withstand peak wind conditions and to simulate the blade’s readiness for years of operation at sea.

GE Renewable Energy is investing nearly £15 million in testing and R&D activities on Haliade-X, mostly in the UK. In addition to the nacelle and blade testing programme, GE Renewable Energy and ORE Catapult are also developing the “Stay Ashore!” programme, which aims to reduce the time people spend at sea, increasing safety and contributing to energy cost reduction by focusing on developing technology in robotics, digital, and remote operations.

John Lavelle, President and CEO of GE’s Offshore Wind business, said: “We want to bring the most powerful offshore wind turbine to the world’s largest offshore wind market and contribute with our technology to support the UK’s Offshore Wind Sector Deal goal of 30GW by 2030, and the UK Government’s ambition to work for greenhouse emission reduction to net-zero by 2050. The extensive experience across the UK offshore wind industry provides us with the opportunity to partner with various institutions, such as ORE Catapult, that allow us to test our technology while fostering competitiveness and partner with local supply chain players that want to innovate with us and be part of the UK’s offshore wind momentum.”