GE Reports » Wind

Western wind study: Grid can handle more renewables

GEreporter — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 21:07:58 +0000

As wind and solar power draw increased attention in the push for clean, renewable sources of energy, the question of how to integrate them into the power grid is also in the spotlight. GE Energy recently prepared a lengthy report for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory — the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study — that took an in-depth look at the grid in the Western U.S. The report, one of the largest regional wind and solar integration studies to date, found that the system could handle a significant percentage of both wind and solar — 30 percent wind and 5 percent solar — but only if some new practices are adopted, such as improved weather forecasting and better utilization and coordination of existing grid infrastructure.

Bring it on! Click the image to read the executive summary.

As goodcleantech.com observed: “The study suggests that even though winds are intermittent and sunlight does not perpetually shine, they’re no cause of concern on whether the renewable energy sources can provide the expected percentage of energy allotted for them. To be able to achieve the goal, the WestConnect group of utilities [which were the basis of the study] in the mountain and southwest states would have to be able to coordinate operations over a wider coverage area. They would need to be able to schedule the specific amount of power they can deliver within a period of time so that generators could adjust that power based on the current weather conditions. In the future, if such a change in operational procedures could be put into effect, the study says there would even be no need for back-up gas-burning power plants.”

Tech blog sunpluggers.com noted that the report — which considered grid operations in 2017 — “is one of a number of similar studies around the country that have been examining how significant amounts of renewable electricity could be seamlessly incorporated into the power stream that flows to U.S. homes, schools, hospitals and businesses… A related study for the eastern United States, the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study, found that ‘high penetrations of wind generation — 20 percent to 30 percent of the electrical energy requirements of the Eastern Interconnection — are technically feasible with significant expansion of the transmission infrastructure.’”

The new study found that the Western grid could handle as much as 20 percent of its power from wind with little impact, but that at higher levels the lack of precise wind and solar forecasting limits the gains. Improving those forecasts is one solution — and is an active area of current government research. The study also found that up to 20 percent of renewable penetration on the grid could be achieved with little or no new long distance, interstate transmission additions. The findings follow the Department of Energy’s “20 Percent Wind Energy by 2030” report, which did not find any technical barriers to reaching 20 percent wind energy in the continental United States by 2030.”

Meanwhile, supporters of wind power — and the jobs that are generated with it — will have a chance to add their names to GE’s well-traveled, 131-foot wind blade at the annual Congressional Baseball Game, in which members of Congress (Democrats vs. Republicans), play. More than 6,000 Americans across the country signed the blade, which is nearly half a football field long and carries the message: “I’m helping to build America’s energy future.”

It arrives tonight at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. and will be stationed outside the main gates for the game through Tuesday night. The public can add their names to the petition before the game and clean energy industry reps will be available to answer questions.

* Read coverage from RenewableEnergyWorld.com and EnergyBoom.com
* Read the report’s executive summary
* Go to the NREL website highlighting the report
* Read the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study
* Read Part 3 of our series: “Wind expo: 3,000 blade signatures & a Great Lakes 1^st”
* Watch Part 2 of our series: “‘Capture the Wind’ tour: At the fair & atop the tower”
* Watch Part 1: “Capture the Wind tour: Honk if you like green jobs!”

Wind expo: 3,000 blade signatures & a Great Lakes 1st

GEreporter — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:09:36 +0000

Wearable art! This design was created by artist Rodrigo Jimenez – who also works for GE in our IT department! Rodrigo came up with the 70’s vibe artwork on his own, and we liked it so much we asked if we could put it on thousands of t-shirts that were handed out at each wind blade stop.

The world’s largest wind energy conference is underway in Dallas, Texas, with the glitterati at the event including former President George W. Bush, singer Elvis Costello, “Seinfeld” star Jason Alexander — and GE’s giant wind blade, now covered with over 3,000 signatures. The 131-foot blade has been stopping in communities across the country to drum up support for a clean energy future as it makes it way to the conference, held by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). The big expo was also the forum for the announcement that GE will be providing what’s known as “direct-drive” turbines — the newest gearless technology — for the first offshore, freshwater wind farm in North America. The 20 megawatt wind project — which the developers hope to grow into a 1,000 MW farm — is in the Ohio waters of Lake Erie and marks a major step towards accelerating the deployment of offshore wind in the Great Lakes.

While the wind blade tour helped raise awareness about the immense possibilities that renewable energy has in the U.S., it also underscored just how big the clean energy economy is in this country – and how it, and the jobs that come with it, can grow exponentially in the near future. In the video below, Chaz Allen, Mayor of Newton, Iowa, talks about the impact in his town.

Echoing that jobs theme was Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. Describing the newly-announced offshore wind deal, which will use new technology specifically designed for harsh offshore conditions, he said: “Ohio’s greatest potential for creating wind energy is offshore in Lake Erie, and this partnership marks a significant step forward. In Ohio, we have all the right assets to make offshore wind energy successful, including an innovative workforce and the manufacturing strengths that would allow us to build all the component parts for wind turbines. This partnership will not only advance offshore wind technologies, it will also advance Ohio’s economy.”

A star is born: GE’s blade became a bit of a celebrity in front of the Dallas wind conference.

And in our final video, GE’s Reporter at Large, Vivek Kemp, caps the 2,436-mile journey with this report from Dallas — and as you can see midway in the video, he’s got a future as a TV weatherman!

* Read the Lake Erie offshore wind announcement
* Watch Part 2 of our series: “‘Capture the Wind’ tour: At the fair & atop the tower”
* Watch Part 1: “Capture the Wind tour: Honk if you like green jobs!” on GE Reports
* Learn more about the tour on http://www.facebook.com/ecomagination

Learn more in these GE Reports stories:
* “$450M manufacturing investment powers offshore wind”
* “Took a whole lot of trying, just to get up that hill”
* “Renewables study: 274,000 jobs can be added”
* “Builder of largest US wind farm inks $1.4B turbine deal”

You can still be a part of the tour by signing the blade virtually and showing your support for a clean energy future.

‘Capture the Wind’ tour: At the fair & atop the tower

GEreporter — Mon, 10 May 2010 15:26:06 +0000

GE’s giant wind blade just breezed into Columbus, Ohio for the city’s Clean Air Fair, which each year turns the spotlight on air pollution — and the clean energy alternatives that are available right in central Ohio to help fight it. Hundreds of people signed the 131-foot blade in support of wind energy and green jobs, including Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, as it makes its way to the industry’s big Windpower 2010 conference in Dallas as part of GE’s “Capture the wind” tour. As April Kasun of Watt Works, a local supplier of energy conserving products, says about wind in the video below: “I just feel like it’s the right thing to do, to try and look at other ways to power our lives. For me, it’s almost like if I can get you to save, and I’m saving, then eventually more people will save.”

While the Middle America highway view during the 2,436 mile blade tour is certainly stunning, it never hurts to get a different perspective — such as the one available in Ransom, Illinois at the Top Crop Windfarm, which has 68 running turbines and is currently constructing a second phase. Check out a blade’s-eye view — 280-feet high — as our Reporter at Large, Vivek Kemp, breathlessly (it’s a long climb) describes his meteoric rise to the top.

You can follow the progress of the “Capture the Wind” tour — and see Vivek’s daily photo and video updates from the road — on www.facebook.com/ecomagination. The blade’s next stop is Louisville, Kentucky, where it will be at GE’s Appliance Park on May 13 and the Louisville Zoo on May 15.

Find other “Capture the Wind” stops by clicking the “Events” tab on our facebook link. And if you can’t make it to one, you can still be a part of the tour by signing the blade virtually and showing your support for a clean energy future.

* Watch Part 1: “Capture the Wind tour: Honk if you like green jobs!” on GE Reports
* Read the launch announcement
* Track the blade’s journey on this map
* See daily updates on http://www.facebook.com/ecomagination
* Read coverage of the Columbus stop in Ohio State University’s The Lantern

Learn more in these GE Reports stories and videos:
* “Blade runners Part 1: How 134-foot wind blades are born”
* “Blade runners Part 2: Truckin’ down I-80 with GE’s wind blade”
* “Blade runners Part 3: GE’s wind blade breezes into town”
* “$450M manufacturing investment powers offshore wind”
* “Took a whole lot of trying, just to get up that hill”
* “Renewables study: 274,000 jobs can be added”
* “Builder of largest US wind farm inks $1.4B turbine deal”

‘Capture the Wind’ tour: Honk if you like green jobs!

GEreporter — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:54:50 +0000

Wind energy isn’t just clean, renewable and plentiful — it’s a major source of current and future jobs in the U.S. That wind-win situation is the message breezing into nine states over the next month as one of GE’s giant, 131-foot wind turbine blades — which is nearly half a football field long — travels 2,436 miles as part of our “Capture the Wind” tour that just kicked-off. Last year in our “Blade Runners” series on GE Reports, we traveled with driver Chris Lewis of Landstar Ranger trucking as he hauled one of the massive blades to GE’s Renewable Energy Global Headquarters in upstate New York. This year, we’re back with Chris at the wheel as the blade snakes its way to the huge Windpower 2010 conference in Dallas, Texas — with people all along the way signing the blade in support of clean energy. In the video below, it gets the marching band treatment as it leaves the factory of our supplier MFG, which stands for Molded Fiber Glass Companies, in Aberdeen, S.D.

As GE’s Vivek Kemp explains in the clip below, the signatures can mean support of more clean energy manufacturing in the U.S., more clean energy itself, or support for new government policies that will help juice the growing clean energy economy with stronger renewable energy standards. To highlight the personal role that everyone can play in making clean energy a reality, the blade will carry the message: “I’m helping to build America’s energy future.”

In the clip below, South Dakota Lt. Governor Dennis Daugaard explains the huge impact that green energy jobs are having on his state. But he notes there’s a catch: Despite being a net exporter of energy, there are huge missed opportunities in South Dakota as electricity transmission and distribution issues prevent them from exporting even more.

You can follow the progress of the “Capture the Wind” tour – and see daily updates from Vivek on the road — on www.facebook.com/ecomagination. Below are some of the photos shot during the first couple of days of the trip.

Gallery guide: Click on the small half-circles on the right and left side of the gallery to see more images. To magnify or reduce an image, either click on it or roll your mouse wheel.

GE Reports will also be providing updates over the next few weeks as the blade winds its way to Texas. If you’re in one of the cities below, stop by and put your John Hancock on it. And if you pass Chris on the highway, honk if you like wind!

Tour stops:

April 30: Top Crop Wind Farm – Ransom, Ill.
May 6: Center of Science and Industry Museum – Columbus, Ohio
May 7: Clean Air Fair – Columbus, Ohio
May 13: GE Appliance Park – Louisville, Ky.
May 15: Louisville Zoo – Louisville, Ky.
May 19: Molded Fiber Glass Companies – Gainesville, Texas
May 23: Windpower 2010 – Dallas, Texas

* Read the launch announcement
* Track the blade’s journey on this map
* See daily updates on http://www.facebook.com/ecomagination

$450M manufacturing investment powers offshore wind

GEreporter — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:31:56 +0000

The new gearless turbine technology that we’ve been writing about lately in our offshore wind stories is now on the fast track — with GE announcing today that it’s investing $450 million to produce it on a large scale. The plans call for development or expansion of wind manufacturing, engineering and service facilities in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and Germany — signaling GE’s commitment to the growing European offshore wind market. The European Wind Energy Association expects that Europe’s offshore wind sector will grow more than 70 percent in 2010, with continued growth forecast over the next several years.

Ready to make a splash: Offshore wind has a “bright future” in Europe, said Ferdinando (Nani) Beccalli-Falco, president and CEO of GE International. GE’s gearless technology is especially suited to the harsh environments offshore, where high maintenance costs can result when the only way to service turbines is by boat.

At the core of GE’s European expansion plans is the development of GE’s next generation wind turbine, a 4-megawatt machine designed specifically for offshore deployment. By comparison, GE’s most widely deployed turbine — with more than 13,000 in the field — is 1.5 megawatts. As the largest wind turbine in GE’s fleet, it will incorporate advanced drive train and control technologies gained through GE’s recent acquisition of ScanWind.

What’s under the hood? Click on the magazine pages to enlarge them. The two-page spread on GE’s next-generation offshore wind turbine is featured in the “How it Works” story in April’s issue of Popular Science. Photos courtesy of Popular Science

Offshore wind is expected to make a major contribution in helping the European Union reach its goal to have 20 percent of its energy produced from renewable resources by the year 2020. “These announcements lay the foundation for us to begin scaling our offshore business, technology and supply chain locally in Europe where we see the greatest growth opportunity,” said Victor Abate, vice president of GE Power & Water’s Renewable Energy business.

Fan club: This technology is already being demonstrated at a test site in Hundhammerfjellet, Norway where the first ScanWind direct drive unit has been operating for more than five years.

The expansion plans could equate to more than 2,200 jobs over the next decade. GE Energy plans to establish its offshore wind turbine manufacturing in the UK and will locate application and service engineering resources in the country. GE will also bring partners and suppliers of towers, blades, nacelles and other offshore wind components to the manufacturing facility.

In Norway, which is the planned site for the testing and demonstration of the first 4-megawatt wind turbines offshore, GE will add to its existing presence with development and service facilities and expanded research. In Sweden, GE will also expand its current offshore wind facilitates by developing a Conceptual and Systems Design Center in Karlstad, Sweden.

And in Germany, a new engineering center will feature product development, application engineering and advanced technology. GE also plans to expand its resources at its existing wind turbine manufacturing facility in Salzbergen, as well as the GE Global Research Center in Munich.

* Read today’s announcement

Learn more in these GE Reports stories and videos:
* “GE’s offshore technology expands with ScanWind buy”
* “Blade runners: How 134-foot wind blades are born”
* “Blade runners: GE’s wind blade breezes into town”
* “Took a whole lot of trying, just to get up that hill”
* “Renewables study: 274,000 jobs can be added”
* “Europe’s largest onshore wind farm expands with GE”
* “Builder of largest US wind farm inks $1.4B turbine deal”
* “GE’s giant wind turbines set to debut in Sweden”

Bolze at CERA: Driving toward a clean energy economy

GEreporter — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:38:53 +0000

Each year, senior energy policymakers and industry leaders from over 55 countries convene at CERAWeek — which concludes today — to gain insights into the future of energy. Yesterday, Steve Bolze, President and CEO of GE Power & Water, was part of the Climate Change, Environment and Technology panel at CERA — which is the acronym for the sponsor, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates. Stressing the need for strong policies to drive clean energy markets, Steve told the group there’s a clean energy technology economy that’s emerging — and that countries that move quickly to seize the opportunities will reap the rewards. In the video interview immediately below, Steve discusses the new economic environment.

The clean energy economy: Click on the image above to watch a video interview with Steve on CERA’s website.

As Steve says, right now China and the EU are leading the global race, because they have government policies and standards in place to promote the adoption of clean energy technology. These countries, he explained, have aligned policy with innovation to drive clean energy on a large scale — which in turn is helping to create jobs. The reason? Because strong policy targets help to signal the market that long-term investments in clean energy technologies are sound investments.

Steve — who also called in from the conference in Houston last night — also provides a recap of the meeting in the audio clip below:

The focus on clean energy is certainly timely — and a subject that lands GE on the coveted cover of the April issue of Popular Science magazine.

A gutsy view: Click on the cover image to see the two-page spread on GE’s next-generation offshore wind turbine that’s featured in the “How it Works” story in Popular Science. Photos courtesy of Popular Science

The magazine split open “13 amazing machines” to explain the technologies, which also include an electric bullet, a robotic moon rocket, “a drill to the center of the earth,” and GE’s new offshore wind turbine. The “gearless turbine” can “slash the need for costly repairs at sea,” the writers note. The technology is also combined with blades that are 176-feet long — which is over half the length of an American football field and about “40 percent longer than the average.”

Click on the cover image to see the detailed cutaways and explanations. You can read about the other 12 “amazing machines” when the issue hits newsstands on March 16.

* “Renewables study: 274,000 jobs can be added”
* “Europe’s largest onshore wind farm expands with GE”
* “Builder of largest US wind farm inks $1.4B turbine deal”
* “GE’s giant wind turbines set to debut in Sweden”
* Watch Steve Bolze’s talk at the “From Used to Useful” water summit
* Read more GE Reports stories about our energy business
* Read more renewable energy stories on GE Reports