GEs 2.5 MW 2.5-100 wind turbine technology has entered commercial service in Poland, making its first appearance with the official opening of the Nekla windpark in September. With Poland’s high wind potential and large agricultural areas, wind technology is likely to play a key role to help the country meet its target to have 15% of its total energy supplied by renewable resources by the year 2020.
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 m, the 2.5-100 provides what GE says is 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 MW 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 complied more than one million operating hours. This machine is designed as an evolutionary product and built on GE’s 1.5 MW machine, the world’s most widely deployed megawatt-class wind turbine with nearly 14 000 units installed.