GE Renewable Energy has been selected by renewable independent power producer ReNew Power to provide 120 GE 2.5-132 turbines for the Gadhsisa wind farm in Gujarat. The wind farm will have a total installed capacity of 300 mw, making it the largest full turnkey EPC project by GE Renewable Energy in India, GE said in a statement.
The project will power the equivalent of 11 lakh homes with clean and reliable electricity. ReNew Power successfully bid for this project in the third round of auctions conducted by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in February 2018. The contract also includes a 10-year maintenance contract of the wind farm that is expected to commission progressively by end of 2019.
The 2.5-132 turbines have been designed primarily at GE’s Technology Centre in Bangalore, and built on learnings from more than 22,000 GE wind turbines around the world. This turbine is a significant improvement over previous version, with improved rotor diameter, wind capture and 30 per cent more annual energy production (AEP) than GE’s 2.3-116 turbine.
In India, GE’s footprint today expands across 37 wind farms and 1.8 GW of capacity, across the country. The company is also continuing to drive innovations specific to the region, and recently introduced its 2.7-mw low-wind speed machine turbine which included the largest rotor ever installed in India and is currently being tested in Gujarat. GE India currently manufactures its wind turbines for the India market at the multi-modal manufacturing facility in Pune.
Mahesh Palashikar, Region Leader for GE Renewable Energy’s Onshore Wind business in Asia, said, “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with ReNew Power on this project. This is an important milestone for GE in India and this relationship with ReNew will help us expand our turnkey capabilities across Asia. ReNew Power is the industry leader in the renewable energy sector in India, and it is a privilege for our turbines to have been selected for this project. GE’s 2.5-132 wind turbine was designed in India specifically for India’s low wind speed conditions, lowering the cost of wind energy compared to similar turbines. We’re excited to bring this wind turbine, as well as other new turbines such as the 2.7, to the India region.”
(Source of featured photograph: GE)
