GE Wind
GE Wind is a division of GE Vernova. The company manufactures and sells wind turbines to the international market. In 2018, GE Wind was the fourth largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world.[1] Vic Abate is the CEO of GE Vernova’s Wind businesses.[2]
Company type
Zond and Alstom Wind
1980
Worldwide
Wind turbines, sale and services of wind farms
US$10.4 billion (2020 Onshore Wind)
History[edit]
Enron Wind acquisition era (2002-2015)[edit]
The entity was created as developer (not manufacturer) Zond in 1980 by James G.P. Dehlsen, who also formed Clipper Windpower in 2001. Enron acquired Zond and the German manufacturer Tacke Windtechnik in 1997.
In 2002, while gas turbine sales were declining,[3] GE acquired the Enron Wind, the only surviving US manufacturer of large wind turbines at the time, during the bankruptcy proceedings of its parent, Enron. GE increased engineering and support for the Wind Division and doubled its annual sales to $1.2B in 2003.
By acquiring Zond, GE gained a very important patent for variable-speed systems (US 5083039),[4][5] which had a major impact on the North American market. Enron had continued production of the 1 MW and 1.5 MW wind turbines of Tacke Windtechnik and GE has expanded production in Germany.
GE acquired ScanWind in 2009,[6] and in 2011 Wind Tower Systems LLC, a manufacturer of space frame wind turbine towers.[7]
Growth and acquisition of Alstom Wind (2015-)[edit]
After the acquisition of Alstom's energy generating assets (2015) GE's wind portfolio was expanded to include the 6-megawatt 'Haliade' offshore turbine (at that time one of the world's most powerful turbines) from Alstom Wind. This became GE Offshore Wind. The same year, GE added Blade Dynamics Ltd., a designer and manufacturer of modular wind turbine blades with principal facilities on the Isle of Wight and in Southampton.
GE acquired LM Wind Power from Doughty Hanson & Co for an enterprise value of €1.5 billion in April 2017.[8]
Key projects[edit]
The 845-megawatt Shepherds Flat Wind Farm in Oregon is the first windpark in the United States to utilize permanent magnet design in its primary wind turbine.
Fântânele-Cogealac Wind Farm in Romania, constructed in 2008, uses 240 GE 2.5xl wind turbines capable of generating a total of 600 MW, powering a million Romanian households each year.[29]
The offshore GE 3.6 SL model was installed at the Arklow Bank Wind Park.
Through the provision of 179 GE 3.6-137 turbines to Markbygden Wind Farm in Sweden, GE will create the largest single onshore wind installation in Europe. Norsk Hydro will purchase the power via a 19-year fixed volume corporate PPA; understood to be the largest corporate wind energy PPA in the world.[30]
In April 2018, General Electric announced that it will begin testing the world's largest wind turbine – the Haliade-X – at its facilities in Blyth, England. General Electric's renewable energy department signed a five-year contract with the British government-funded Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult to begin trials of the 12-megawatt turbine.[31] A prototype was installed at Port of Rotterdam, producing 288 MWh in 24 hours in February 2020,[32] and a 14 MW prototype started there in October 2021.[33]
Plans in September 2020 called for a new upgraded version of 13 MW GE Haliade-X turbine to be installed at Dogger Bank Wind Farm by 2023,[34][35][36] and DNV-certified in late 2022.[37]