The Elfershausen project, to be operated by the Prowind, is expected to comprise three 4.8MW Cypress turbines, with a rotor diameter of 158m and hub heights of up to 150 and 161mts. GE’s Cypress platform is the company’s largest onshore wind turbine in the field.
LM Wind Power will manufacture the split blades in Spain and the blade tips are expected to be installed on site. The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2019.
The company said that its Cypress platform has a revolutionary two-piece blade design that suits to reduce transportation costs and makes the maneuvering easy across the forest of Bavaria, where the turbines will be installed.
Under the present order, GE Renewable Energy will also provide full service agreement for 20 years, offering data-driven insights, expert recommendations, and advanced field services.
GE Renewable Energy Europe and SSA onshore wind CEO Peter Wells said: “we are proud to share this milestone on our new Cypress platform with Prowind, built on a shared commitment to innovation, quality performance, partnership and trust.
“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. Wind continues to compete and win, it’s an exciting time, and we look forward to the ongoing journey.”
Prowind, a major producer of clean energy in Germany, already has more than 55MW of installed capacity using GE Renewable Energy equipment.
Prowind founder CEO and owner Johannes Busmann said: “the Cypress platform is a great fit for the unique characteristics of the Elfershausen project, thanks to the flexibility it offers in the transportation and the installation of its components and blades.
“We are happy to be the first ones to install a Cypress with GE and we are excited about this technology and where it can take us in our path towards driving down the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) together.”
