Renewable

April 2 (Renewables Now) - GE Renewable Energy today unveiled the first turbine supply agreement for its Cypress onshore wind platform, coming from German firm Prowind GmbH.

The announcement comes less than a month after the manufacturer installed a prototype for a 5.3-MW onshore wind turbine from the Cypress platform in the Netherlands.

Under the order from Prowind, the renewables unit of US conglomerate General Electric Co (NYSE:GE) will deliver three of the two-piece blade machines with capacities of 4.8 MW each, 158-metre (518.4 ft) rotor diametres and hub heights of up to 150 and 161 metres. A 20-year full-service agreement is also part of the deal.

The turbines will be powering Prowind’s Elfershausen wind farm in Bavaria, scheduled for completion by end-2019. GE’s Danish subsidiary LM Wind Power will make the split blades in Spain, while the blade tips will be installed on site.

"It's our first commercial order for Cypress, with multiple commitments in queue to follow, and a future of technology evolution and leadership ahead of us," said Peter Wells, onshore wind CEO for Europe and Sub-Saharan Africa at GE Renewable Energy.

GE introduced the Cypress platform in September 2018. The two-piece blade design makes it possible to use larger rotors and at the same time enables installations in a wider variety of locations by offering flexible transportation and installation options, the company said at the time.