Spanish turbine tower manufacturer GRI has shipped out the four tower sections that will be part of GE’s Haliade-X 12 MW prototype to be installed later this summer in Maasvlakte-Rotterdam.
The four segments at GRI’s site in Seville will be arriving in the Netherlands before the end of the month, GE Renewable Energy said.
Upon arrival in Rotterdam, a series of pre-assembly works will take place, including the installation of some tower segments. After the nacelle and blade components arrive later in the summer, local teams will complete the prototype installation.
John Lavelle , President & CEO of Offshore Wind at GE Renewable Energy said: “The shipping of tower sections is another important milestone in the development of our Haliade-X 12MW prototype in Maasvlakte-Rotterdam. Our teams in Cherbourg and Saint-Nazaire are rapidly progressing on Haliade-X assembly, and we are working to get the unit fully installed before the end of the summer.”
The Haliade-X 12 MW nacelle is currently being assembled in Saint-Nazaire, France, while its 107-meter long blades are being manufactured at LM Wind Power site in Cherbourg, France. The nacelle and blades will be shipped to Maasvlakte-Rotterdam and installed before the end of the summer.
This prototype will be installed onshore to provide easier access for testing. During the initial period of operations, it will allow GE Renewable Energy to collect data needed to obtain a Type Certificate, a key step to go into serial production in 2021, the company said.