Goldwind Americas, a unit of Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology, has installed a 3MW smart prototype wind turbine at the UL Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility site at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, US.
Image: Goldwind Americas’ GW 3MW(S) test turbine. Photo: courtesy of PR Newswire/ Goldwind Americas.
The onshore GW 3MW(S) prototype, which features a hub height of 130m, rotor diameter of 136m and a blade tip height of 199.2m, is claimed to be the tallest of its kind in the US. It has a scalable rated capacity of up to 3.57MW.
Additionally, the prototype uses Goldwind’s Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) turbine technology and features attributes from the GW 1.5 and GW 2.5MW platforms.
Goldwind Americas CEO David Sale said: “The installation of Goldwind’s 3S prototype serves as an important milestone for Goldwind Americas and its global strategy to commercialize Goldwind’s turbine technology in the U.S. and abroad.
“The scalable 3-megawatt wind turbine, named Best in Class by Windpower Monthly, underscores Goldwind’s dedication to the continuous innovation of its product offerings.”
For the prototype turbines, Goldwind utilized LM Windpower’s blades and Broadwind Energy’s tower components. These components were transported by Anderson Trucking Service while the project has been led by Wanzek Construction.
Goldwind initially launched the GW 3MW(S) model in China in October 2016 following which the first prototype was installed and commissioned in Hebei province in January 2017.
Goldwind Americas engineering and technology vice-president Reinhard Sander said: “The newest model in Goldwind’s portfolio of turbines continues to push the technology envelope and define what is possible in the wind industry.
“This allows our customers to maximize project economics with a larger nameplate design at a greater hub height, while benefiting from the scalability and adaptability of the 3 MW-plus platform.”
Goldwind plans to fully commission and test the first prototype in the US by May 2018.