GE's Haliade-X in line for US debut with Ørsted

Ørsted has named GE Renewable Energy as its preferred supplier for two offshore wind farms in the US, where the manufacturer's 12MW Haliade-X turbine could be deployed in a commercial setting for the first time.

by Craig Richard 19 September 2019

The Haliade-X's components, including the nacelle (above), were shipped for testing at facilities in Europe last month

Subject to final agreed and signed contracts and the projects obtaining all required approvals, Ørsted will install the Haliade-X at its 120MW Skipjack project off Maryland and 1.1GW Ocean Wind site off New Jersey.

Skipjack and Ocean Wind are expected online in 2022 and 2024 respectively, Ørsted said.

GE first announced its 12MW Haliade-X turbine in 2018. With a 220-metre rotor, 260-metre tip height and 12MW nameplate capacity, it is due to be the world’s biggest, most powerful offshore wind turbine.

Its components were shipped for testing at facilities in the Netherlands and the UK last month.

The tentative orders for Ørsted’s US projects are the first for the Haliade-X.

Skipjack has been developed by Deepwater Wind, which was acquired by Ørsted in 2018.

Ørsted will receive financial support for the project, in the form of offshore renewable energy credits (ORECs) approved by Maryland’s state regulator in 2017.

Meanwhile, Ørsted is in line to receive ORECs for its Ocean Wind project as well, after the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities named the Danish developer as its preferred bidder earlier this year.