GE appoints company veteran to lead offshore wind growth

GE Renewable Energy has put John Lavelle, a 33-year GE veteran, in charge of its offshore wind business with an aim of making it one of the top three players in the global offshore wind industry.

Lavelle has been appointed chief executive of offshore wind effective November 1, the US conglomerate said yesterday. He has led GE businesses, such as Digital Energy and Gasification, as well as GE Energy Project Operations where he oversaw a USD-75-billion (EUR 68bn) project portfolio.

GE Renewable Energy president and chief executive Jerome Pecresse said Lavelle‘s global experience and knowledge of the company will help the offshore business benefit from "entire GE store, while also instilling new digital capabilities into the growing offshore segment."

Lavelle replaces Anders Soe-Jensen, who will become offshore wind’s Commercial and Business Development leader.

General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) created the GE Renewable Energy unit in November last year following the acquisition of Alstom’s power and grid businesses, including the French company’s 6-MW Haliade offshore wind turbine. Five Haliade turbines were installed this summer at Deepwater Wind’s 30-MW Block Island wind park off the coast of Rhode Island, thus forming America's first offshore wind farm. GE will also supply 66 Haliade turbines for the 396-MW Merkur wind farm in the North Sea that reached financial close in August.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.902)

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