4-MW offshore turbine

October 19, 2010 by Kathleen Zipp
Filed under Wind Turbine Design

After six years of working on the Irish Arklow offshore wind farm, General Electric felt it had gathered enough experience to develop a new model. The company’s 4-MW offshore wind turbine is built around a permanent magnet generator, delivering high efficiency at low wind speed. Two main bearings transfer axial and bending loads from the rotor to the bedplate, increasing reliability. Built around direct-drive technology, the 4-MW turbine removes one of the most costly failures in offshore turbines, gearboxes, and replaces it with slow speed components designed for the offshore environment.

GE has partnered with the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation to work on the Great Lakes Offshore Wind development.

The turbine has a full power converter, as well as continuous close wind tracking, no yaw breaks, and no hydraulics. The rotor has a 110-m dia., and with a spacious nacelle and internal hub access, the turbine offers safety and maintenance advantages.

General Electric