Haliade-X stands tall in Rotterdam

The prototype of the Haliade-X is to be tested in Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

An initial phase of testing the prototype is designed to allow GE Renewable Energy to obtain the data required to receive type certification for the turbine – which it expects to do in 2020 – an important milestone on the way to commercialisation.

The tower sections for the turbine, nacelle and blades were shipped to Rotterdam to the test site in the Maasvlakte area earlier this year.

The prototype is being installed onshore to provide easier access for testing. The company expects to enter series production in 2021.

The massive turbine, the world’s largest, has already been selected by Dogger Bank Wind Farms in the UK – which is developing what will be the world’s largest offshore windfarm when built – as its preferred turbine.

Ørsted has selected GE Renewable Energy as its preferred turbine supplier for two of its offshore windfarms in the US, projects that are currently expected to be the first commercial deployment of GE’s Haliade-X 12MW unit.

In May 2019, offshore wind developer Vattenfall and GE Renewable Energy announced plans to join forces to deploy GE’s new offshore wind turbine.

Vattenfall senior vice president and head of wind Gunnar Groebler said, “Co-operation with GE Renewable Energy enables us to remain one step ahead in wind turbine technology developments. The size and performance of Haliade-X 12MW will help us further improve the competitiveness of offshore wind energy.”

Development and production of the new 12-MW turbine will mostly take place in France. As previously highlighted by OWJ, the nacelle will be assembled at GE’s factory in Saint Nazaire and the blades will be manufactured at the LM Wind Power factory in Cherbourg.

The 12-MW turbine has a 220 m rotor and 107 m blades, which are the longest ever manufactured.

Having installed all of the blades on the prototype, GE said it would continue to undertake commissioning activity on site, in preparation to collect the data needed to obtain type certification next year.