GE launches next-gen wind turbine
The 5.3-158 Cypress turbine produces over 20 GWh per year, a 50 percent increase in Annual Energy Production (AEP) over life of the turbine versus the current 3 MW platform. It is being built in Salzbergen, Germany, with shipments starting by the end of the year.
This uses a new two-piece blade design, enabling blades to be manufactured at even longer lengths and improving logistics to offer more siting options, along with a doubly-fed induction generator and a robust drivetrain architecture. Longer blades improve AEP and help drive down Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE), and the proprietary design will allow these larger turbines to be installed in locations that were previously inaccessible. It significantly drives down logistical costs by enabling blade assembly onsite and reducing the costs for permitting equipment and road work required for transporting longer blades.
The high-tech carbon blades were developed through the longtime partnership between GE’s Onshore Wind business, Global Research Center and LM Wind Power, take advantage of the research, design and large-scale manufacturing expertise of these teams to bring the blades from concept to a tested and proven reality.
The machine is specifically designed for easier servicing, with enhancements to help with tower repairs and troubleshooting with its tower electrical system, while also pushing the limits of traditional reliability levels on major components, through increased systems level hardware testing and more robust manufacturing processes.
“Our mission is to enable our customers to set the pace for lowering the LCOE around the world, as their needs continue to evolve,” said Pete McCabe, CEO of GE Onshore Wind. “The Cypress platform builds on our track record of success and positions our technology for scalability and flexibility for the coming years.”
“The prototype Cypress 4.8-158 is currently under production at our Salzbergen, Germany facility and we are looking forward to deploying and commissioning it by the end of the year. This platform, which reflects our relentless focus on quality, will enable our customers to achieve a new level of competitiveness in the power generation marketplace.”
“Our team used a disruptive design methodology and customer feedback to re-examine our entire design and manufacturing process. By looking at this blade in an entirely new way, we achieved a technology breakthrough that will allow us to bring the new blades to market even faster for our customers,” said Duncan Berry, CEO of GE’s LM Wind Power.
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