Portland, Ore.-based Iberdrola Renewables has chosen Prolec GE – a joint venture between Mexican consortium Xignux and General Electric – to supply high-efficiency transformers using amorphous metal for four of its wind farms.
Prolec GE's high-efficiency transformers are based on amorphous metal cores, which significantly lower no-load losses by 60% to 70%, as compared with high-efficiency silicon steels, according to the company.
‘Our amorphous metal transformers allow wind farm owners to maximize their profitability and productivity with proven technology,’ says Bob Gilligan, general manager of GE Energy's transmission and distribution business. ‘They allow for a very high return on a virtually risk-free incremental investment, while delivering energy efficiency benefits that are consistent with the wind industry's environmental image.’
The transformers are being installed at four of Iberdrola's wind farms, including MinnDakota, located on the border of Minnesota and South Dakota; Casselman, located near Pittsburgh; Klondike III, located near Wasco, Ore.; and Elm Creek, located near Trimont, Minn.
SOURCE: GE Energy
