Home > About Us > Press Center > 2003 Press Releases : Press Release
|
Home > About Us > Press Center > 2003 Press Releases : Press Release |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Construction Under Way for Arklow Bank, Ireland’s First Offshore Wind Park LONDON, ENGLAND (August 21, 2003) — GE Wind Energy and Airtricity report that construction is under way for the Arklow Bank offshore wind park, Ireland’s first offshore wind power project, and is expected to be completed by the end of October. Located about 10 kilometers off the coast of Arklow, Ireland, the project’s seven GE 3.6-megawatt machines will be the world’s first commercial application of offshore wind turbines over three megawatts in size. Co-developed by GE Wind Energy and Airtricity, the Arklow wind park will be owned and operated by GE Wind Energy as a platform for demonstrating its new 3.6-megawatt technology. Airtricity, Ireland’s largest renewable energy company, holds an option to purchase the project after the demonstration is complete, approximately two years after first operation. “We’re confident that the Arklow Bank wind project will provide a showcase demonstration of how abundant offshore winds can play a greater role in contributing to the world’s ever-growing energy needs” said Steve Zwolinski, president of GE Wind Energy. “We are pleased to be working with Airtricity toward completion of Ireland’s first offshore project and are committed to its long-term success.” Airtricity Chief Executive Eddie O’Connor said, “This is a landmark demonstration project for Airtricity, GE Wind Energy and Ireland in general. We are pleased to be working with GE Wind Energy to facilitate the commercial installation of some of the world’s most advanced and powerful wind turbines at the Arklow Bank. This first phase of the project is expected to produce enough clean wind energy to serve the annual needs of about 16,000 average Irish households.” The 25-megawatt Arklow Bank project was first introduced by Airtricity as phase one of a much larger offshore project which Airtricity proposes to build over the coming years. Airtricity’s offshore wind project proposals have been made possible under a foreshore lease which can provide for more than 520 megawatts of offshore wind power on the Arklow Bank. “When fully completed, the project promises to be a considerable source of renewable energy for Ireland while also making a positive contribution to Ireland’s renewable clean energy policies,” O’Connor added. Components for the 25-megawatt project’s wind turbines are currently arriving at the Port of Rosslare, Ireland, where coordination of the offshore installation is taking place. The project’s nacelles and hubs were among the first components to begin arriving at the site. The remaining components are arriving at Rosslare harbor directly from GE’s suppliers. The wind park will be connected to the public grid in Arklow where GE Wind Energy will also establish a permanent station to facilitate operation and maintenance of the wind turbines. The first commercial prototype 3.6-megawatt wind turbine was unveiled by GE during 2002. Installed on land as a test bed, this machine is currently producing power for Spanish energy supplier Iberdrola. Expressly designed for offshore applications, the 3.6-megawatt machine is one of the largest wind turbines developed to date, and represents some of the most advanced wind turbine technology available in the world. About GE Wind Energy GE Wind Energy, a unit of GE Power Systems, is one of the world’s leading wind power companies. It designs and manufactures wind turbines with rated outputs ranging from 900 to 3,600 kilowatts, and offers services ranging from project development support to operation and maintenance. Worldwide, the company has developed and/or sold more than 5,900 wind turbines with a rated capacity exceeding 3,600 megawatts. GE Wind Energy employs more than 1,700 people worldwide with design, manufacturing and assembly facilities located in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the U.S. About Airtricity Airtricity was established in 1997 to develop wind energy in Ireland and abroad, and is currently is developing wind farms in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland. As an integrated utility, the company is both a generator and a supplier of electricity. About GE Power Systems GE Power Systems (www.gepower.com) is one of the world’s leading suppliers of power generation technology, energy services and management systems with 2002 revenues of nearly $23 billion. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, GE Power Systems provides equipment, service and management solutions across the power generation, oil and gas, distributed power and energy rental industries. > Press Contacts > More 2003 Press Releases |