Spanish contractor GRI Renewable Industries has started manufacturing a tower for GE’s Haliade-X 12MW offshore wind turbine prototype at its Seville factory.
Production of the tower started at the end of 2018, according to GRI Renewable Industries.
The company says the opportunity to manufacture the tower will enable it to collaborate with GE Renewable Energy in optimising the turbine’s design ahead of commercial production.
GE Renewable Energy unveiled the Haliade-X in March 2018.
The company says the direct drive model will produce 45% more power than any machine currently on the market.
The turbine will feature a 220-metre rotor with LM Wind Power-made blades of 107 metres, able to achieve a gross capacity factor of 63%.
GE has committed to spending more than $400 million to develop and deploy the Haliade-X.
The company aims to ship the first units in 2021.
It has already offered the machine to several European offshore wind farms that are due online after 2020, which was revealed in January 2018 by reNEWS.
“The Haliade-X 12 MW will help our customers in an increasingly competitive offshore environment and through its size and digital functionality provide important value across manufacturing, installation and operation,” said GE offshore wind chief executive John Lavelle.