GE is celebrating its 20,000th wind turbine installation in conjunction with its 10-year anniversary in the wind industry. Altogether, GE’s 20,000-turbine fleet has the capacity to power the cities of Hong Kong and London for an entire year.
In the US and Europe, 40 percent of new power generation installations over the last four years have been wind. GE achieved its 10,000th turbine milestone in November 2008, its 15,000th in February 2011 and in 2012 celebrates its 20,000th installation.
“We couldn’t have achieved this milestone without our development partners,” says Vic Abate, vice president of renewable energy for GE. “Together, we have advanced wind to its current status as a relevant, reliable, competitive source of energy.”
Since its inception in 2002, GE’s renewables business has supported the global advancement of wind energy through lowered costs and increased reliability. During the past decade, technology has driven wind’s availability from 85 percent to 98.5 percent and 3x reduction in the cost of electricity.
This year, GE will install more than 3,000 wind turbines around the world. The company’s extensive manufacturing, sourcing and logistics network have proven essential to delivering to tight timelines and schedules.