GE’s 2.5-120 wind turbine is larger and more efficient than earlier models, offering unparalleled Internet connectivity and self-monitoring capabilities.
The Canadian Wind Energy Association predicts that Canada can achieve 55,000 megawatts (MW) of domestic wind power capacity by 2025. WindVision 2025: Powering Canada's Future notes that new wind turbine designs will be larger, more efficient, and more reliable than current models, providing clean energy at a price competitive with fossil fuels.
GE’s new 2.5-MW Brilliant wind turbine is already providing next-generation designs built for the Canadian climate that will enable wind farm operators to generate higher electrical output, even at low-wind sites.
Offering a maximum hub height of 139 metres and a 120-metre rotor, the turbine offers an average 15% increase in annul energy production and a 25% increase in power generation capacity over previous models.
At this height, the turbines are economically viable even in densely forested areas and can be outfitted with extreme weather packages to stand up to harsh Canadian winters.
The embodiment of the Industrial Internet, these turbines offer unparalleled connectivity to both sophisticated computers and engineering teams who can monitor and control their operation from anywhere in the world.
Advanced sensors take the pulse of the turbine’s moving parts, assessing thousands of data points per second. An Internet connection allows the turbine to perform tasks as complex as assimilating weather information and determining electrical grid requirements. This allows the turbine to fine-tune anything from turbine blade adjustments to transmission system frequencies and voltages.
Data and video links allow human operators to assess the turbine’s operation, schedule pre-emptive maintenance and provide images from the turbine site, allowing operators to troubleshoot from anywhere in the world.
“The goal is to bring the tech and the turbine as close to the engineers in the office as possible,” says Richard Reno, wind product general manager in GE Energy’s Renewables Division.
Electrical storage capacity even allows the turbines to store up to 50 kilowatt-hours of power when the grid doesn’t need it and release that power when it does.
Wind energy in Canada
- End 1997: 25 MW
- End 1998: 82 MW (+228 %)
- End 1999: 125 MW (+52.5 %)
- End 2000: 137 MW (+9.6 %)
- End 2001: 207 MW (+51.1 %)
- End 2002: 236 MW (+14.1 %)
- End 2003: 322 MW (+36.5 %)
- End 2004: 444 MW (+37.9 %)
- End 2005: 683 MW (+53.9 %)
- End 2006: 1,460 MW (+113.8 %)
- End 2007: 1,846 MW (+26.5 %)
- End 2008: 2,369 MW (+28.4 %)
- End 2009: 3,319 MW (+40.2 %)
- End 2010: 4,008 MW (+20.8 %)
- End 2011: 5,265 MW (+31.4 %)
- End 2012: 6,200 MW (+17.8 %)