GE’s (NYSE: GE) multi-megawatt wind turbine technology has entered commercial service in Poland and is helping the country meet its renewable energy requirements, GE announced at the official opening of the Nekla windpark. With Poland’s high wind potential and large agricultural areas, wind technology will play a key role to help the country meet its target to have 15 percent of its total energy supplied by renewable resources by the year 2020.
Marking the debut of GE’s 2.5-100 technology in Poland, the Nekla project is owned by the Polish affiliate company of E.ON Climate and Renewables and consists of 21 turbines installed at seven sites in the Wielkopolska Region. All turbines have been successfully installed, commissioned and connected to the grid.
With a rotor diameter of 100 meters, the 2.5-100 provides customers with increased annual energy production while maintaining efficiency, reliability and grid connection capabilities. “The increased output of each unit, the qualities and track record of GE technology have been key factors in our turbine choice for this project, with which E.ON will produce more than 50 megawatts of clean, wind-generated electricity for the Polish market,” said Sven Utermöhlen, regional director, Central Europe for E.ON Climate & Renewables.
Nearly 200 of GE’s 2.5-100 onshore wind turbines have been shipped, primarily for projects in European countries including Romania, France, Holland, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Italy and have compiled more than 1 million operating hours. This machine is designed as an evolutionary product and built upon the success of GE’s 1.5-megawatt wind turbine, the world’s most widely deployed megawatt-class wind turbine with nearly 14,000 units installed.
“With its excellent wind conditions and favorable regulations, Poland is one of the most promising wind energy countries in Europe,” said Ricardo Cordoba, president of GE Energy Western Europe & North Africa. “We are pleased that the first application of our 2.5-100 technology in Poland is helping the country meet its clean energy targets.”