NREL and Alstom Celebrate Wind Turbine Installation
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3 MW, 60 Hz Alstom ECO 100 Now Fully Operational at National Wind Technology Center
Boulder, Colorado Officials of Alstom, a world leader in equipment, technology and services for power generation, along with officials from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and DOEs National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), today celebrated the successful installation and full capacity operation of a 3 MW Alstom ECO 100 wind turbine at NRELs National Wind Technology Center (NWTC). This event signifies a crucial step forward in the long-term, collaborative research and development agreement between Alstom and NREL, which was launched in May of 2010.
Moving forward, a joint team of NREL and Alstom engineers will perform a series of analysis and tests on Alstoms PURE TORQUE technology, a vital feature of the ECO 100s design, which delivers higher gearbox reliability and operational availability through a unique drive train configuration. The NREL testing program includes additional measurements that will be added to the type certificate for the 60Hz ECO 100 configuration, which was achieved in 2010.
This is a very exciting day for all of us at Alstom and we are delighted to share the celebration with our deeply valued partners from NREL, said Andy Geissbuehler, Vice President and General Manager of Alstoms wind business in North America. Todays landmark event in the course of our ECO 100 - NREL partnership follows just a few short weeks after Alstoms first North American wind farms entered commercial operation. With the achievement of these two significant milestones, 2011 already is shaping up to be an exciting year for Alstom in this challenging and important market.
Following the completion of initial analysis and testing on the ECO 100 turbine installed at NREL, Alstom and NREL will continue pursuing research and development in advanced technology areas including controls and offshore wind energy.
We are thrilled to have Alstom working closely with NREL as an R&D partner, Fort Felker, Director of NRELs National Wind Technology Center, said. These types of collaborations demonstrate a commitment to crucial technology development and the public-private partnerships that will be necessary to ensure the continued momentum of the wind power industry. NREL is proud to be at the forefront of this important work.
Alstoms North American wind business, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, has expanded its market activity over the past 12 months. In May of 2010, the company broke ground on a new 115,000 square foot wind turbine nacelle assembly plant in Amarillo, Texas. That announcement was quickly followed by partnerships with both NREL and the National Institute of Renewable Energy (NIRE) aimed at bringing the companys proven wind generation systems into the North American power portfolio. Most recently, Alstom completed its first North American wind farms which were financed by JPM Capital Corporation, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Company. GL Garrad Hassan provided independent technical oversight for the Adams and Danielson wind farms, and Juhl Wind, Inc. served as the project developer. The two wind farms, located in Minnesota, consist of 24 Alstom ECO 86 turbines with a total generating capacity of 40 MW enough clean energy to power 40,000 American homes.
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About Alstom
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure, and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world, provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. The Group employs 93,00 people in more than 70 countries, and had sales of over 23 billion* in 2009/10. *Pro forma figures
About NREL
NREL is the US Department of Energys primary national laboratory for renewable energy and energy efficiency research and development. NREL is operated for DOE by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
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