Goldwind Americas has completed the installation of its GW 3MW(S) Smart Wind Turbine test unit at the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility at West Texas A&M University.
The scalable, 3 MW test turbine has an assembled hub height of 130 meters and a blade tip height of 199.2 meters, making it the tallest wind turbine in the U.S., Goldwind claims.
Developed by Goldwind, the onshore GW 3MW(S) prototype features a rated capacity of up to 3.57 MW and a rotor diameter of 136 meters. The platform’s structured design maintains Goldwind’s permanent-magnet direct-drive turbine technology and incorporates attributes from the GW 1.5 and GW 2.5 MW platforms.
Goldwind employed LM Windpower for the supply of the blades and Broadwind Energy for the supply of tower components, all of which were transported by Anderson Trucking Service. Wanzek Construction led the project’s construction.
“The installation of Goldwind’s 3S prototype serves as an important milestone for Goldwind Americas and its global strategy to commercialize Goldwind’s turbine technology in the U.S. and abroad,” notes David Sale, CEO of Goldwind Americas.
The turbine was officially launched in October 2016 at the China Windpower Exhibition, and a prototype was grid-connected in China in January 2017. The Texas installation is the first prototype Goldwind has installed and tested outside of China. The U.S.-based prototype will be fully commissioned this month, when testing will also begin.
Reinhard Sander, vice president of engineering and technology for Goldwind Americas, adds, “The newest model in Goldwind’s portfolio of turbines continues to push the technology envelope and define what is possible in the wind industry. This allows our customers to maximize project economics with a larger nameplate design at a greater hub height, while benefiting from the scalability and adaptability of the 3 MW-plus platform.”
