GE Renewable Energy has revealed the first manufactured components of the Haliade-X 12 MW offshore wind turbine at its production site in Saint-Nazaire, France.
The first nacelle will be shipped from Saint-Nazaire to Rotterdam-Maasvlakte in the Netherlands over the coming weeks, where its components will be assembled into the Haliade-X 12 MW prototype for testing. The prototype will be installed on land to simplify access for testing, notes GE. This initial phase is designed to allow GE Renewable Energy to obtain data required to receive type certification – a key component prior to commercializing the product in 2021.
“Today’s presentation of the first-ever Haliade-X 12 MW nacelle at Saint-Nazaire is the start of a key new phase in our ongoing commitment to structuring the offshore wind turbine segment,” comments Jérôme Pécresse, CEO of GE Renewable Energy. “This project clearly reflects our ability to invest and innovate, supporting our customers on an ultra-competitive market in exponential growth. Thanks to the Haliade-X 12 MW, we are proud to prepare for the future of the offshore wind industry from Saint-Nazaire, a benchmark production site for offshore wind international projects.”
In parallel, a second Haliade-X 12 MW nacelle is currently being assembled at Saint-Nazaire, prior to dispatch to the ORE Catapult test center at Blyth in the U.K. in the coming months. This nacelle will be tested in actual operational conditions to reduce the time required to confirm its performance levels and reliability.
“We are on track to start commercializing this new product very shortly,” says John Lavelle, CEO of offshore wind at GE Renewable Energy. “Once we have received the type certificate (2020), we will be ready to start mass production and send out the first commercial units by mid-2021. Haliade-X 12 MW is an outstanding and strategic project for GE. We aim to meet the requirements of our customers by providing a more affordable and competitive energy source.”
GE Renewable Energy first announced the Haliade-X 12 MW giant in March 2018.
