By Greentech Lead America: GE has launched
“Production-Based O&M”, a new concept in operations and maintenance
(O&M) agreements at the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2012.
The new agreement further expands its portfolio of services for the wind
industry and aligns the goals of GE and the customer to maximize energy yield
from the site.
Wind O&M contracts have provided an availability guarantee measured from
time-based availability of wind
turbines. The new agreement allows GE continues to move the wind services
industry forward setting a new standard for service providers.
GE’s Production-Based O&M agreements incorporate both a fixed and variable
fee. The variable portion is based directly on wind farm production relative to
a megawatt hour target agreed upon by GE and the customer. The total cost of
the O&M agreement, not just the availability bonus, is now based on
production.
Production-Based O&M is the latest addition to GE’s growing family of
services offerings for the wind industry. GE’s Production-Based O&M
variable cost agreement reduces upfront costs to customers while better
aligning the goals of GE and customers. The agreement better balances the risk
between the owner and the services provider.
GE’s Production-Based O&M variable cost agreement also
promotes a “run it like we own it” approach towards service and ties into GE’s
annual energy production enhancement initiatives.
“Production-Based O&M is the latest example of
how GE continues to develop flexible solutions to meet our customers’ specific
needs. By focusing on production, we are adding value for customers. We are
better aligning our goals with theirs and better sharing the risk between GE
and our customer. Production-Based O&M brings us another step closer to
running the turbines like we own them,” said Andy Holt, general manager of wind
services for GE Energy.
GE will offer the new O&M agreement for both new and installed GE wind
turbines at sites where comprehensive operating and wind resource information
exists.
GE to
supply wind turbines to NextEra Energy Canada
Recently, NextEra Energy Canada selected GE wind turbine
technology for six new wind farms in Ontario. Using GE’s 1.6-100 wind turbine,
the new wind farms will produce more than 460 MW of clean power, which is
enough energy for nearly 120,000 homes in Ontario.