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GE Haliade-X 12MW Blade Arrives in US
The blade for GE's Haliade-X 12MW offshore wind turbine has
arrived at MassCEC's Wind Technology Testing Center (WTTC) in
Boston, U.S.
The 107-meter blade will undergo a series of fatigue tests that
involve moving it millions of times over the period of a few
months to validate that it can withstand more than 25 years of
operation at sea. The testing is part of the process of
commercializing GE's Haliade-X 12 MW turbine -- the most powerful
in the industry -- by 2021, strengthening the company's ability
to compete in a market steadily gaining momentum in the U.S. and
globally.
"This has really been a collaborative effort on the part of the
company to be part of solving the challenges associated with the
energy transition," said GE Chairman and CEO H. Lawrence Culp,
Jr. "We think the Haliade-X is the right turbine at the right
time as the offshore industry globally and particularly here in
the U.S. is poised to take off. We're proud Boston is part of
this effort, and we appreciate the work the Commonwealth has put
forth in laying out the roadmap by which Massachusetts can be a
leading developer and user of offshore wind technology."
"The arrival of General Electric's innovative wind blade
technology in the Commonwealth signals Massachusetts' continued
leadership in the emerging U.S. offshore wind industry," said
Governor Charlie Baker. "Offshore wind represents an important
energy source as the Commonwealth works to meet ambitious
greenhouse gas reduction targets, and we look forward to working
with the industry to drive down costs, improve efficiency and
develop of a hub of activity here in Massachusetts."
John Lavelle, CEO of GE Renewable Energy's Offshore Wind
business, said, "We believe the Haliade-X has a key role to play
in driving the growth of the offshore wind market in the U.S. and
globally. Because it is the most powerful machine in the
industry, it allows our customers to drive down the cost of wind
energy and speed the adoption of clean, renewable energy. We look
forward to working with our partners at the Massachusetts Clean
Energy Center's WTTC to put the blade through rigorous testing
that will help ensure that it will perform as designed."
The WTTC offers a full suite of certification tests for turbine
blade sections up to 90 meters in length. WTTC also offers the
latest wind turbine blade testing and prototype development
methodologies to help the wind industry deploy the next
generation of offshore and land-based wind turbine technologies.
Since opening in 2011, WTTC has run 35 distinct blade testing
programs entailing hundreds of individual blade tests. WTTC is an
ISO/IEC 17025 accredited Laboratory and a RETL (Renewable Energy
Testing Laboratory) per the IECRE rules and procedures to test
wind turbine blades. The WTTC's technical team includes
experienced blade test engineers and technicians.
On October 22, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a slate of
awards to support wind energy research, development, and
demonstration projects, which included a grant to MassCEC for
equipment upgrades at the WTTC to enable structural testing of 85
to 120-meter long blades.
"With nation-leading policies, a comprehensive approach to
prepare the Commonwealth's workforce, and one-of-a-kind
facilities like the Wind Technology Testing Center, Massachusetts
has established itself as a hub for this new industry in North
America," said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. "By providing a
laboratory to test and validate the latest innovations in wind
blade technology, our Administration is working to ensure that as
the offshore wind industry advances in the U.S. market, residents
in cities and towns across the Commonwealth will reap the
benefits of improved air quality, better public health, and lower
energy costs."
"Massachusetts is proud to have an important piece of
infrastructure in the Wind Technology Testing Center that
provides the offshore wind industry with an essential tool for
groundbreaking innovations in technology," said Energy and
Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. "As the
only location in North America to offer blade testing and
certification at this size and scale, the Commonwealth looks
forward to continued collaboration with wind turbine developers
to help this industry meet its full potential in the U.S.
market."
GE Renewable Energy recently announced that the company has been
selected as the preferred turbine supplier by Ørsted and the
owners of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm to provide the Haliade-X for
4.8 GWs of projects in the U.S. and the U.K.
The Haliade-X 12MW is a multi-million dollar investment that will
help reduce offshore wind's cost of energy in order to make it a
more competitive source of clean and renewable energy, with each
Haliade-X turbine being capable of powering over 5,000 U.S.
homes.
Nov 6, 2019
