International wind energy leader Gamesa Technology Corporation and major American shipbuilder Northrop Grumman Corporation launched an Offshore Wind Technology Center in Virginia to fast-track development and deployment of North America’s first offshore wind turbines by late 2012.
Gamesa and Northrop Grumman, signing an agreement to jointly build offshore wind technologies last October, intend to focus on the design and development of a 5-megawatt offshore prototype at the wind technology center planned at the Hampton Roads.
The two companies plan to install the first two of these prototypes – one onshore and one offshore for comprehensive validation testing – by the fourth quarter of 2012.
Gamesa United States chairman and chief executive Dirk Matthys said the partnership between Gamesa, developer of a multimegawatt wind turbine technology, and Northrop Grumman, an expert in challenging marine environments, ensures the manufacture of high-quality wind turbines.
Mr. Matthys said the partnership addresses market concerns such as turbine reliability, low maintenance and servicing requirements and minimizing the cost of generating electricity.
«This venture will enable Gamesa, already one the world’s leading designers, manufacturers, installers and maintainers of land-based wind turbines, to put our technology to work to design the first generation of offshore wind technology that will meet the rising demand for clean, sustainable energy,” he said.
Although having huge offshore wind energy potential especially in the northeast, spanning the areas of the Great Lakes and Cape Cod in Massachusetts, North America’s offshore wind industry is still vastly undeveloped.
But already, more than a total of 5,000 MW of offshore wind projects are currently in their development stages in the United States.
A key issue could be utilizing the technology best fit to accommodate such strong winds in the region. Gamesa has plans in the offing to roll out another set of wind turbines with a 6- to 7-megawatt capacity by 2014, Mr. Matthys said.
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell said the installation of the offshore wind technology center in their area is a step toward effectively harnessing wind energy in the country.
«Virginia is pleased to be the nexus where two industry leaders will join forces in the name of offshore wind innovation. The opportunity to leverage both centers moves Virginia forward in our effort to become the energy capital of the East Coast and a leader in the nation’s offshore wind industry,” he said.
