GE business fills order for turbines to power Western Hemisphere’s largest wind project

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — General Electric Co.’s spinoff is set to build hundreds of turbines in what will be the largest wind project in the Western Hemisphere, in a massive partnership with a global renewable energy company. This will be part of a long-term equipment order and long-term service agreement. – Energy giant Pattern Energy.

GE Bellnova officials announced the deal Tuesday, which represents the largest onshore contract the company has ever received, both in volume and in the amount of electricity that the 674 turbines will ultimately generate when the SunZia wind project comes online in 2026. He said this is the largest order for a wind turbine.

Construction is already underway on the SunZia wind farm and associated multibillion-dollar transmission line that will provide power to populous markets in the western United States. Pattern Energy announced just a few weeks ago that it had closed on $11 billion in financing for the project.

Supporters see Sangea as a vital project, described as a larger energy infrastructure project than the Hoover Dam. The project is attracting significant financial capital and will increase the share of the nation’s electricity from renewable sources as state and federal energy regulations increase.

Still, some Native American tribes and environmentalists are concerned about the location of a 50-mile (80-kilometer) section of the power line that runs through Arizona’s San Pedro Valley. The federal government had already approved the site, but tribal leaders said there should have been more consultation.

In December, the U.S. Department of Energy announced that the private sector has invested more than $180 billion in new or expanded clean energy manufacturing projects across the United States in the past three years, including spending on developing larger, higher-capacity wind turbines. It was reported that it was announced. GE is one of the companies taking advantage of tax credits included in the federal Inflation Control Act.

But after years of record growth, industry group American Clean Power expects less onshore wind power to be added in the U.S. by the end of the year, with the amount at 2.7 million to 3 million. Enough to power a household.

Companies are currently taking advantage of government incentives, but it could take years to bring projects online, the industry group said.

The SunZia wind project will span three rural New Mexico counties. Workers have already built a concrete platform to support the turbines, and developers expect the first turbines to be operational this fall.

Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy, said the project will serve as the backbone of a cleaner, more reliable power grid for customers across the western United States. • the amount of electricity generated by North America and certain long-term power purchase agreements with the University of California;

“Construction is in full swing at Sangea, using American-made turbine components and creating thousands of new, high-paying jobs,” Armistead said in a statement. “This is a huge win for our growing clean energy economy. ” he said.

GE Vernova will utilize its Pensacola, Fla., facility for large orders, as well as its tower manufacturing operations in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. Overall, he has 15 suppliers participating to provide the parts needed to manufacture each turbine.

Vic Abate, president and CEO of the company’s wind division, called the venture historic.

“This project demonstrates GE Vernova’s ability to execute on our flagship strategy in onshore wind, mass producing fewer variations at scale to deliver entire fleets for customers,” he said in a statement. “We will improve the quality and reliability of our products.”

In total, the company has installed more than 55,000 turbines worldwide.

For the past 18 months, the company has been working with Pattern Energy on a site layout designed to maximize turbine performance in central New Mexico and ensure the supply chain can meet manufacturing demands. Ta.

GE Vernova consultants are also working on the transmission line interconnection, and the company’s finance department provided a tax equity loan commitment to help shore up the project’s financing.

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This article has been updated to correct that GE Vernova will be spun off by General Electric, not GE.