GE’s Power Conversion business has signed an agreement with EDF EN to provide support services for the converters used at EDF EN’s wind parks throughout Europe.
Under the contract, GE engineers will assist the staff of EDF EN Services in gaining the required skills to maintain and troubleshoot converters either over the phone or on-site dependig upon the issue.
GE said this will allow EDF EN to decrease downtime to maximize production of the wind turbine.
The services offered by GE under the agreement include remote service with hotline support, a short departure guarantee for on-site repairs, strategic spare parts and obsolescence management, single contract/single entry point, personnel training and contract management.
EDF EN Services is subsidiary EDF Energies Nouvelles dedicated to the operation and maintenance in Europe.
Currently, the agreement involves several European wind farms.
GE Power Conversion services commercial leader John Chatwin said, "Wind turbine converters are complex pieces of technology that are critical to the efficient transmission of energy produced to the grid, and maintaining them has traditionally been very costly.
"Our aim is to provide customers with the tools and information they need to reduce their operation costs by empowering them to undertake fault remediation internally."
"In addition, with GE’s global scope, we can offer utilities support virtually anywhere in the world, covering their entire fleet, both onshore and offshore, across Europe and the United States," Chatwin said.
Image: GE inks turbine converter support contract with EDF EN. Photo: courtesy of GE.