GE 1.5 MW wind turbine
| Industry | Wind power |
|---|---|
| Predecessor | Zond |
| Founded | 1980 |
| Founder | James G.P. Dehlsen |
| Headquarters | Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
|
Area served
|
Worldwide |
| Products | Wind turbines |
| Owner | General Electric |
| Website | https://www.gerenewableenergy.com/wind-energy.html/ |
GE Wind Energy was a branch of GE Energy, a subsidiary of General Electric. The company manufactures and sells wind turbines to the international market. In 2009, GE was the second largest wind turbine manufacturer in the world.
The entity was created as developer (not manufacturer) Zond in 1980 by James G.P. Dehlsen, who also formed Clipper Windpower in 2001.Enron acquired Zond and the German manufacturer Tacke in 1997.
In 2002 GE acquired the wind power assets of Enron during its bankruptcy proceedings while gas turbine sales slumped. Enron Wind was the only surviving US manufacturer of large wind turbines at the time, and GE increased engineering and supplies for the Wind Division and doubled the annual sales to $1.2B in 2003. It acquired ScanWind in 2009.
In February 2011, GE also acquired Wind Tower Systems LLC, a manufacturer of space frame wind turbine towers.
As of 2016[update], GE has a nacelle production capacity of 4.8 GW, some of which is in Florida.
After the acquisition of Alstom's energy generating assets (2015) GE's wind portfolio was expanded to include the 6MW 'Haliade' offshore turbine from Alstom Wind, which became GE Wind (offshore).
The GE 1.5 megawatt series of wind turbines was developed with the cooperation of the United States Department of Energy. It consists of three fibreglass blades attached to a horizontal axis hub. The hub is connected to the main shaft which turns a multi-stage system of gears. The gears increase the rotational rate and send the kinetic energy obtained from the wind to a doubly fed electric machine, where it is converted into electrical energy. The angle of the blades and the direction which the turbine faces are controlled by an active, all electric pitch and yaw system. The generator has a maximum output of 1.5 megawatts (1,500 kW). The generator and gearbox are contained in the nacelle which is further insulated to minimize noise emissions.
...
Wikipedia