EDF Renewables has installed 3M technology on turbines at its Chestnut Flats wind farm in Pennsylvania, following a successful trial at the Bobcat Bluff project in Texas that boosted energy production by 1.6% a year.
The 3M wind vortex generators are small attachments that energise the flow around a turbine blade to reduce flow separation, EDF said.
Vortex generators were tested on six GE 1.5sle turbines at Bobcat Bluff for six months, yielding 1.6% increases in annual energy production.
Chestnut Flats, which features 18 Gamesa G90 and one G87 turbines with individual capacity of 2MW, is expected to produce 1.8% more energy production following installation of the vortex generators.
EDF Renewables vice president Dan Summa said: “For Chestnut Flats we are predicting even better results due to a wind regime that is better suited for (vortex generators).”
The predicted 1.8% increase for the project will be verified over the next four months, EDF said.
The company entered into an agreement last year with 3M to install vortex generators on wind turbines across the US.