Lake Erie Energy Development Corp. (LEEDCo) of Northern Ohio has announced a long-term partnership beginning with the development of an offshore wind farm in the U.S. Under the new partnership GE will provide direct-drive wind turbines to LEEDCo's 20 MW wind project in Ohio in Lake Erie.
"In Ohio, we have all the right assets to make offshore wind energy successful, including an innovative workforce and the manufacturing strengths that would allow us to build all the component parts for wind turbines," says Gov. Ted Strickland, D-Ohio.
GE has committed to providing offshore wind turbines and maintenance services for an initial 20MW wind farm. The projected would be located off the shores of Lake Erie, near Cleveland, and is targeted for completion 2012.
The 20 MW project would be followed by subsequent projects with a long-term goal of 1,000 MW in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie by 2020.
GE's 4 MW machine, which is designed specifically for offshore projects, will be utilized. The turbines will incorporate direct-drive technology gained through GE's acquisition of ScanWind. The 4 MW turbine will feature GE's advanced loads controls and aeroelastically tailored blade technology.
In addition to collaborating on the initial 20 MW project, GE and LEEDCo will create a plan to identify opportunities for cost reduction to make offshore wind energy in the Great Lakes economically viable. GE and LEEDCo will also work jointly on advocacy and public policy issues to support for offshore wind energy and accelerate its growth in the U.S.
GE also says it will give strong consideration to establishing an offshore wind facility in northern Ohio one a sizeable market has been developed and a sufficient number of orders are contained in the pipeline.
SOURCE: LEEDCo
