Goldwind has completed the installation of its first wind project in Thailand, the Chinese turbine manufacturer said.
Bangkok-based independent power producer Egco has connected three of Goldwind’s 2.5MW turbines to the national grid at the 7.5MW Theppana Wind Power Project, northeast of the Thai capital.
Goldwind agreed to supply wind turbines for the wind farm, its first such project in Southeast Asia.
The site is also the first commercial wind project to be connected to Thailand’s grid, Goldwind said.
In June, Goldwind secured an A$250m ($233m) project financing facility for its 165.5MW Gullen Range Wind Farm in Australia.
Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd. (“Goldwind” or the “Company”, Shenzhen stock code 002202, Hong Kong stock code 2208) today announced that the Thailand national electricity grid is now being served by three Goldwind turbines in the Theppana Wind Power Project owned by Electricity Generating Public Company Limited (EGCO Group) in Thailand.
Goldwind International Holdings (HK) Ltd signed the wind turbine supply contract with Theppana Wind Farm Company Limited, a subsidiary of Electricity Generating Public Company Limited (EGCO Group), in 2012.
EGCO Group has selected Goldwind gearless permanent magnet direct drive (PMDD) GW109/2500 turbines based on lower lifetime maintenance costs and shorter planned service cycles than traditional doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) configurations from the absence of a gearbox with elimination of down-time and replacements associated with gearboxes.
After Goldwind supplied three sets of PMDD turbines with SCADA to Theppana wind farm, the first wind farm of EGCO Group in Thailand, Goldwind successfully completed the construction and connected the wind farm with the grid of Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) in July 2013 according to the contract.
The turbine installed in the Theppana wind farm is the biggest wind turbine capacity per unit in Thailand, meanwhile, the project is the first commercial operational wind farm connecting with the PEA grid in Thailand.
GW109/2500 turbine passed the electrical quality and performance test of PEA (Protection and Control requirements for PEA Interface of Inverter based Generation Systems). After grid connection of wind farm, the turbine passed the power quality test of PEA which lasted one week, this test ensured that project owner can sale the electricity to PEA on time according to the PPA
EGCO Group Domestic Business Senior Executive Vice President, Mr. Voravit Potisuk, said, “That Theppana wind farm is the first wind project of EGCO Group as well as the first commercial operational wind project connected with PEA grid, which proved the friendly grid connection performance of permanent magnet direct drive technology, meanwhile, this success grid connection increased our confidence for wind energy projects connect to PEA grid. Moreover, according to the current field data of the wind farm, the actual power curve is even better than the warranty values.”
Theppana wind farm locates in the Chaiyaphum province, north-east part of Thailand, which is about 250 km away from Bangkok.
Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Co., Ltd., is the largest manufacturer of wind turbines in China, and among the largest in the world. With strong R&D capabilities, the Company is the world’s largest manufacturer of permanent magnet direct-drive wind turbines, representing the industry’s next generation technology. Goldwind is listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (stock code 002202) and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong (stock code 2208).
As of December 31, 2012, Goldwind’s accumulated wind power installations exceeded 15 gigawatts, and it has installed more than 12,000 wind turbine units around the world. That wind power generation capacity is equivalent to 12 million tons of coal saved per year or 29.91 million tons of carbon emissions reduced per year or 16.4 million cubic meters of newly planted forest.