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New Technologies for a Very Ambitious ‘Clean’ (Energy) Project Dec 20, 2003, Il Sole 24 Ore GE Wind Energy, one of the world’s leading wind power companies and a unit of GE Power Systems, has highlighted its latest technology for the global wind energy industry at the BWEA 25 trade show and conference. The newest developments for GE’s 2.x series of wind turbines introduced earlier this year has been featured at the show. The 2.x platform includes 2.3, 2.5 and 2.7 megawatt machines designed for a broad spectrum of onshore applications. The 2.x series features variable speed operation and variable blade pitch. It offers both the company’s WindVAR electronics which deliver dynamic, reactive support to the local grid at the time it is needed, and Low Voltage Ride-Through (LVRT) capability which enables wind turbines to remain on line through major line disturbances. With three power classes and rotor diameters, the 2.x class is designed for all commercial wind sites, including IEC classes I, II and III. The 2.x series platform geometry consists of a main frame and main bearing housing with two independent rotor bearings for easy assembly of the gearbox. The synchronous generator utilizes a full-size power conversion system with optimized grid connection properties and improvements in modularity, including one drive train design for both 50 and 60 hertz applications. GE Wind Energy has also showcased its 3.6-megawatt wind turbine, the first wind turbine over three megawatts specifically designed for offshore applications. It is one of the largest wind turbines developed to date, and represents some of the most advanced wind turbine technology available in the world. During BWEA 25, GE Wind Energy has also introduced the Arklow Bank Wind Park project: the erection of the project’s seven GE 3.6-megawatt machines, the world’s first commercial application of offshore wind turbines more than three megawatts in size, was completed in only nine weeks. Commissioning of the units is currently in progress and the project is expected to begin producing power before the end of this year. The wind turbine erection process commenced with the project’s seven monopile foundations which were driven into the seabed using the same process found in bridge building. A transition piece which provides access for cables and maintenance workers was fitted over each monopile. Two tower sections were added to the top of each transition piece and bolted into place. Each nacelle, which holds the main working components was lifted to the top of each structure. Due to sea and wind conditions and the size of the turbines, GE’s engineering team devised special lifting devices to enable the safest and quickest means of lifting the various components. Additionally, the working barge was fitted with a 1200-ton crane to enable it to reach the heights required for the placement of the uppermost parts of the turbine, and to deal with the weight involved. The Arklow Bank Wind Plant is expected to produce enough clean wind energy to serve the annual electricity needs of approximately 16,000 Irish households. The 25-megeawatt Arklow project was first introduced as phase one of a much larger development which Airtricity proposes to build over the coming years. |