GE’s (NYSE: GE) broad and competitive portfolio of advanced technology wind turbines will power a new wind project in the province of Ontario, Canada that will add 100 megawatts of clean energy to the region’s electricity grid. The Dufferin Wind Farm, located in Ontario’s Melanchthon County, is being developed by Longyuan Canada Renewables Ltd., a subsidiary of China Long Yuan Power Generation (CLYPG), China’s largest wind power developer.
GE will supply 31 of its 1.6-100 wind turbines and 18 of its 2.75-103 wind turbines for the project, which supports Ontario’s Green Energy Act. Created by the Ontario government, the act is designed to expand renewable energy production, encourage energy conservation and create green jobs. It features a feed-in tariff to ensure that renewable energy developers are able to achieve a reasonable return on their investments.
Under the Green Energy Act, renewable energy developers are required to demonstrate 50 percent local content for their projects. GE’s longstanding commitment to provide local manufacturing content and sophisticated application engineering support aligns with the Green Energy Act’s requirements.
“The Dufferin Wind Farm marks our first global wind project outside of China,” said Wu Hao, president of Long Yuan Canada. “With rich wind power resources and strong supporting policies for its wind industry, Canada has created an excellent investment and operational environment for wind farms. For this very important project, we are glad to work with GE, a technology supplier with an outstanding global reputation and experience.”
CLYPG will be the first customer in Ontario to receive GE’s 1.6-100 wind turbine, which is the world’s most efficient wind turbine in its class. Featuring a 100-meter rotor diameter, the 1.6-100 wind turbine offers a 47 percent increase in swept area, which results in a 19 percent increase in annual energy production (AEP) at 7.5 m/s, compared to the previous 1.6-82.5 model.
The newest member of GE’s 2.5-megawatt class of wind turbines, the 2.75-103 wind turbine offers high efficiency, even at low wind speeds. This new turbine features electrical system uprates and GE’s 50.2 proprietary blade design that offers a 9 percent AEP increase over the 2.5-100.
“Both of these wind turbines demonstrate our continuing commitment to innovation, with new efficiency and productivity features that lead to improved project economics for our customers,” said Vic Abate, vice president of renewable energy for GE. “As the competition grows across the global wind industry, the most cost effective projects with the best technology will win.” The GE wind turbines will be shipped to the project site in 2013, with commercial operation expected in 2014.
Spurred by projects like Dufferin, the province of Ontario continues to lead Canada in installed wind energy capacity, accounting for about one-third of the nation’s wind energy development, according to the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA). Overall, Canada has increased its wind power capacity nearly tenfold in the last six years, as provincial governments seek ways to meet rising energy demand, reduce environmental impact of electricity generation, and stimulate rural and industrial economic development. The CanWEA expects that wind energy’s rapid growth in Canada will continue, with production tripling over the next five years.