Alstom has received the formal notice to proceed (NTP) from Deepwater Wind for the construction of five Haliade 150 6 MW offshore wind turbines.
Last week, Deepwater Wind said the Block Island Wind Farm, located about three miles off the coast of Rhode Island, was fully financed and, therefore, construction-ready. The NTP represents final contractual authorization for Alstom to proceed with engineering and manufacturing.
Wind turbine, foundation and electrical interface engineering is advancing on schedule to meet Deepwater Wind's project specifications, including installing the five foundations this summer. Deepwater Wind's Block Island Wind Farm is scheduled for commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2016, which would make it the first offshore wind project to operate in the U.S.
Alstom will supply, install and commission the five Haliade 150 turbines for the project and provide 15 years of operations and maintenance support. The turbines, capable of producing approximately 125,000 MWh of electricity annually, will provide about 90% of Block Island's power needs.
The Haliade machine is a permanent-magnet, direct-drive wind turbine that operates without any gearbox. The machine features Alstom's proprietary technology, which protects the generator by diverting unwanted mechanical stress towards the tower, therefore optimizing performance and reliability.
The 150-meter rotor diameter provides an energy yield that is 15% more efficient than that of existing offshore turbines, Alstom notes, and supports the offshore wind industry's effort to drive down the cost of energy.
