GE Renewable Energy has signed an agreement with German company Max Bogl Wind to deliver world’s tallest wind turbine for integration with pumped storage hydro-electric plant in the country.

As per the deal, GE will supply 4 units of GE’s new 3.4-137 wind turbines with a tip height of 246.5m for installation at the 16MW pumped storage hydro-electric power plant.

GE said that the integrated Gaildorf project represents a step ahead in balancing power demand and supply fluctuations using renewable energy sources.

In addition to providing balancing power for fast-response stabilization of the grid, the combined wind and hydro power plant is expected to maintain a low cost of electricity for German residents.

The hydro project is planned to be built under a separate agreement between Max Bögl, Naturspeicher and Voith.

GE Onshore Wind business President and CEO Anne McEntee said: “We are committed to exploring innovative renewable energy technologies that have the potential to improve grid flexibility in Europe and around the world.”

The GE’s 3.4-137 machine features software and analytics capabilities that are compatible with the company’s Digital Wind Farm ecosystem, powered by the Predix software platform.

Each of the turbine towers’ base and surrounding area will be used as a water reservoir to effectively increase tower height by 40m, the company said.

During peak demand and high electricity prices, the hydro plant will be in production mode. 

However, during times of low electricity demand the facility will pump and store water and in the upper reservoir for later use.

GE said in a statement: “While the actual electricity produced by the wind turbines and the pumped storage unit will feed the wider grid, the net effect will be to use the stored hydro capacity to balance the intermittent nature of wind power through the optimal use of energy at different times of the day.”

GE plans to commission the four wind turbines by the end of 2017 while the full Gaildorf power plant is likely to enter service by the end of 2018.

Image: A GE-built wind turbine. Photo: courtesy of General Electric.