GE Renewable Energy has launched a new onshore wind turbine platform, dubbed Cypress, and the next model from the Cypress platform, the 5.3-158 turbine.
The platform advances the technology of GE’s 2 MW and 3 MW fleets, which serve an installed base of nearly 20 GW, and uses architecture from the 4.8-158 turbine, introduced in 2017.
According to GE, Cypress is designed to scale over time, enabling GE to offer a wider array of power ratings and hub heights to meet customer needs throughout the 5 MW range. The platform also offers up to a 50% increase in annual energy production (AEP) over the life of the platform versus GE’s 3 MW turbines. It is the second major technology platform launch of the year for GE, which introduced the Haliade-X offshore turbine platform in March.
The Cypress platform, which also includes the 4.8-158, will be powered by a two-piece blade design, enabling the blades to be manufactured at even longer lengths and improving logistics to offer more siting options, says GE. Longer blades can also improve AEP and help drive down the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), the company adds.
According to GE, the proprietary design will allow these larger turbines to be installed in locations that were previously inaccessible. It also significantly drives down logistical costs by enabling blade assembly on-site and reducing the costs for permitting equipment and road work required for transporting longer blades. Equally importantly, it features blade tips that offer customers greater flexibility to address site wind conditions and requirements, explains GE. The carbon blades were developed through a long-time partnership between GE’s onshore wind business, GE’s global research center and GE’s LM Wind Power.
The Cypress platform, designed for IEC (S) wind speeds, offers enhancements to help with facilitating up-tower repairs and troubleshooting with its up-tower electrical system. The combination of planned, condition-based and predictive services is designed to help ensure more reliability, uptime and production while ultimately lowering lifecycle costs for the customer, says GE.
“Our mission is to enable our customers to set the pace for lowering the LCOE around the world as their needs continue to evolve,” comments Pete McCabe, CEO of GE’s onshore wind business. “The Cypress platform builds on our track record of success and positions our technology for scalability and flexibility for the coming years. The prototype Cypress 4.8-158 is currently under production at our Salzbergen, Germany, facility, and we are looking forward to deploying and commissioning it by the end of the year. This platform, which reflects our relentless focus on quality, will enable our customers to achieve a new level of competitiveness in the power generation marketplace.”
Duncan Berry, CEO of GE’s LM Wind Power, adds, “This exciting blade enhancement is revolutionizing the offerings that we can provide for GE’s customers. Our team used a disruptive design methodology and customer feedback to re-examine our entire design and manufacturing process. By looking at this blade in an entirely new way, we achieved a technology breakthrough that will allow us to bring the new blades to market even faster for our customers.”
