GE Renewable Energy has launched its newest onshore wind turbine platform, called Sierra, designed specifically for the North America region.
The 3.0-3.4MW turbine features a 140-metre rotor and is offered with a variety of hub heights.
Sierra also includes GE’s two-piece blade, designed to improve logistics, installation and serviceability.
GE said it has currently received more than 1GW of orders for the turbine platform.
The company has manufactured, installed and commissioned its first site of Sierra turbines, which exceeded 98% availability faster than GE’s previous onshore platform launches to date, and is operating with four points higher capacity factor, compared to GE’s 2MW platform.
The Sierra platform launched with two prototypes, one in Lubbock, Texas, and one in Kamataka, India, with more than a year of successful run time on each.
GE onshore wind business chief executive Pat Byrne said: “We are absolutely delighted to introduce our Sierra platform to the North America onshore wind industry – the most tested and validated turbine in GE’s history.
“This is a turbine that was designed specifically for the future needs and unique challenges of the region, taking into account significant feedback and insights from our customers and wind farm developers.
“From siting to execution and operation, Sierra offers our customers continued quality and stability.
“Our installed base of Sierra turbines has recorded the highest reliability and availability in a GE turbine launch to date, and we couldn’t be happier with its performance and customer reception.”
Sierra turbines will be manufactured at GE’s Pensacola, Florida, manufacturing facility, with a significant portion of its components manufactured in North America.
The 68.7-metre two-piece blades are manufactured by both LM Wind Power and TPI, enabling improved transportation logistics, installation and serviceability/upgrades, GE said.
GE onshore wind business North America chief executive Jason Cooper said: “GE’s Sierra platform will help our customers to capture even more wind energy while improving economics.
“We know that wind power is a key element of driving decarbonisation and a dependable and affordable energy option, and we’re confident that Sierra will be a key part of the future landscape of wind turbines installed in the US in the coming years.”