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18 June 2003 - GE Wind Energy and Airtricity, Ireland's largest renewable energy company, plan to develop a 25 MW wind farm in the Irish Sea to provide power for the Irish electricity grid using 3.6 MW wind turbines.
The project was announced by GE Tuesday at the European Wind Energy Conference and is to be located about 10 km off the coast of Arklow, Ireland. It will feature seven of GE Wind Energy's new, 3.6 MW wind turbines. This will be the first offshore application of this technology and the first offshore wind project with turbines above 3 MW rated capacity. The project is expected to generate enough electricity to serve approximately 16,000 Irish households.
"We are pleased to be part of a project that will significantly increase the supply of clean energy for Ireland," said Steve Zwolinski, President of GE Wind Energy. "We applaud Ireland's leadership in featuring alternative energy as part of its long-term energy plan."
Eddie O'Connor, Chief Executive of Airtricity, said: "Ireland is 90 per cent dependent on imported energy. Airtricity is working with others in the wind industry to demonstrate that the Arklow project is the first phase in energy self-sufficiency for this country. Teaming with GE, we plan to demonstrate the feasibility of constructing wind farms in the Irish Sea."
Final approval for the Arklow project is expected shortly from the Irish Minister of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. Installation of the wind turbines in the Irish Sea is proposed to begin this summer. Commercial service is anticipated by the end of the year.
Initially, GE Wind Energy will operate the facility as a demonstration site. Under the terms of the agreement, Airtricity will hold an option to purchase the project after its demonstration is complete, approximately two years after first operation.
GE unveiled the first commercial prototype 3.6 MW wind turbine during 2002. Installed on land in September 2002 as a test bed, this machine is currently producing power for Spanish energy supplier Iberdrola.
Expressly designed and optimized for offshore applications, the new GE 3.6 MW machine is one of the largest wind turbines developed to date, and represents some of the most advanced wind turbine technology available in the world. With its power electronics, variable speed rotor and specially designed offshore enhancements, it is cost-effective, highly reliable and offers ease of installation and maintenance at remote, offshore locations. The new machine features a rotor diameter of 104 meters and a hub height of 73.5 meters.
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