GE Renewable Energy (NYSE: GE) is presenting the brand new 4.8-158 wind turbine, the largest onshore wind turbine ever built by GE, at the HUSUM Wind show. With GE’s largest rotor and innovative blade design, the 4.8-158 onshore facility significantly improves annual energy yield and reduces the cost of electricity for customers at low to medium wind speeds.
“The design of the 4.8-158 represents a major advancement in technology and efficiency, and we are pleased to be able to showcase the system at HUSUM Wind,” said Pete McCabe, global president and CEO of GE’s Onshore Wind division. “The wind turbine is ideal for regions with low to medium wind speeds, especially in Germany, but also in Australia and Turkey, as well as for auction systems. Many countries around the world are pushing ahead with their call for a reduction in electricity production costs.”
The new 4.8 MW wind turbine, which marks GE’s onshore entry into the 4MW power class, has a rotor diameter of 158 meters and various tower options up to a total height of 240 metres. The combination of a larger rotor and a high tower allows the system to use higher wind speeds and generate more energy.
GE’s latest wind turbine features high-tech rotor blades, improved load management, intelligent control systems, and higher and more economical towers. These innovative features have been developed in close collaboration with LM Wind Power, Blade Dynamics and GE’s Global Research Centers.
The 77-metre-long carbon rotor blades are LM Wind Power’s longest onshore blades to date and leverage the company’s many years of expertise and latest material development. The flexibility of carbon leaves enables GE to offer its customers a highly efficient product while further reducing their cost of electricity. The rotor blades also have one of the smallest blade bolt diameters in the industry, which reduces manufacturing and logistics costs.
“This wind turbine is a great example of what we can achieve through the GE Store by combining our technology and development potential with the innovative design and expertise of LM Wind Power, Blade Dynamics and GE’s global research centers,” said Pete McCabe continues. “We have addressed the needs of more than 30 customers around the world to ensure we meet their specific needs with this highly efficient product and support their efforts to deliver lower cost electricity from renewable energy sources.”
The 4.8-158 benefits from the best features of GE’s 2 and 3 MW platforms, including the proven Double Feed Asynchronous Generator (DFIG) and a rugged powertrain design. By maintaining a noise level of 104 dB in normal operation, the wind turbine satisfies the requirement for low noise emissions. The newly developed machine head was designed to reduce the use of large cranes and allow repairs in the machine head. The integrated electrical system simplifies troubleshooting.
GE’s most powerful onshore wind turbine draws from the experience and analysis of data from over 30,000 installed wind turbines and is equipped with next-generation GE control systems. Leveraging GE’s Predix applications, with Asset Performance Management (APM), Cybersecurity and Business Optimisation (BO) solutions, our customers achieve operational results, including extended life and improved wind farm economics.
