Record-breaking Haliade-X 12 MW obtains full type certificate

Full type certification follows a provisional type certification announced in June 2020 and provides independent verification that the new turbine will operate safely, reliably and according to design specifications. It is a key step in enabling customers to obtain financing when purchasing the turbines.

The process of certifying the Haliade-X involved a series of tests on a 12-MW prototype located in Rotterdam in the Netherlands and tests of the turbine’s 107-m blades at the UK’s Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult in Blyth and the Massachusetts Wind Technology Testing Center in Boston.

GE Renewable Energy chief technology officer offshore wind Vincent Schellings said, “This is a key milestone for us as it gives our customers the ability to obtain financing when purchasing the Haliade-X.”

Launched in 2018, the Haliade-X has been selected as the preferred wind turbine for the 120-MW Skipjack and 1.1-GW Ocean Wind projects in the US. It has also been selected for the first two phases of the UK’s Dogger Bank Wind Farm, with 190 units to be installed starting in 2023.

GE Renewable Energy recently announced that the prototype has been optimised and is now operating at a 13-MW power output. Testing will continue and the company expects to obtain a type certificate for the Haliade-X at 13 MW in H1 2021.

In October 2020, the Haliade-X prototype set a world record by generating 312 MWh of continuous power in one day.