GE 4.1MW passes first test

EUROPE: GE has announced its prototype GE 4.1-113 offshore turbine has passed initial testing, with more than 99% reliability

by James Quilter 1 May 2012

In November last year, GE announced it would be installing the first 4.1-113 in Sweden's Gothenburg harbour.

GE offshore product manager Vincent Schillings said: "Now we will begin validating the design and obtain initial results before the summer wind season. Our initial focus will be on the power curve and loads validation as evidence that our simulations meet measurements of the two most important characteristics that matter to our customers."

The 4.1-113 is a scaled-up version of ScanWind's 3.5MW turbine, which has operated for the past five years on Norway's coast. ScanWind was acquired by GE nearly three years ago.

However, there is still no news on where the turbine will be manufactured. In 2010, GE announced a €110 million plan to manufacture the turbine in the UK, saying this could result in up to 2000 jobs by 2020. However, last year it appeared to have pulled back on the move.

GE's general manager for renewable energy in Europe, Stephan Ritter, said there were still "no specific manufacturing plans. The next thing is to validate the turbine".