GE Renewable Energy has won a contract from Holmen, a Swedish forestry and paper corporation, to supply 26 of its Cypress class wind turbines for the Blåbergsliden wind farm. The turbines should be installed and ready for operation by the end of 2021.
The total output of those turbines will be 143 MW, enough to power 135,000 homes, according to the Swedish Energy Agency and the Swedish Bureau of Statistics.
This marks the second time that GE Renewable Energy has been selected to provide onshore wind turbines for use in Sweden. The contract includes a provision making GE Renewables responsible for maintenance for 25 years after the turbines are installed.
A unique feature of the Cypress turbines is their two-piece blade design which allows them to be transported to and erected in places that are usually inaccessible to conventional wind power equipment.
The two-part blades allow for taller pylons that can produce more power which helps lower costs. When operational, the Blåbergsliden wind farm is expected to save more than 13,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, according to a GE Renewables press release.
“The benefits of the Cypress platform make it the perfect fit for the Nordics region. That’s why we’re confident that this deal with Holmen can be one of many in the market,” Peter Wells, CEO of onshore wind in Europe for GE Renewables, said.
The Cypress onshore wind platform enables significant Annual Energy Production (AEP) improvements, increased efficiency in serviceability, improved logistics and siting potential, and ultimately more value for customers.
The two-piece blade design enables blades to be manufactured at even longer lengths and improves logistics to drive costs down and offer siting options in locations that were previously inaccessible, according to the company.
GE has taken it on the chin lately as its steam generation business, once a staple of the company’s portfolio, collapsed. But the Renewables division is fighting to take up some of the slack in GE’s earnings with cutting edge wind power technology like the two-piece blade design for its Cypress wind turbines.