Greentech Lead Europe: GE, in association with Max Bögl Wiesner GmbH, announced the installation of the first GE 2.5-120 wind turbine in Schnaittenbach, a town in Bavaria, Germany.
The plant is expected to start operation in late October. This is the first commercial use of the 2.5-120 turbine worldwide. The plant has a production rate of 8 million kilowatt-hours which is equivalent to the required average energy needs of approximately 2,000 German households.
Wind is readily available in Germany, and Max Bögl Wiesner GmbH is keen to harvest plenty of wind in the future, said Michael Bögl and Ludwig Wiesner, CEOs of Max Bögl Wiesner GmbH.
“We are pleased that Max Bögl Wiesner GmbH selected the 2.5-120 precisely because we had engineered it for locations such as Schnaittenbach,” said Stephan Reimelt, CEO of GE Energy Germany.
“GE’s goal was to facilitate the generation of wind energy in densely wooded regions with low-wind intensity such as the Oberpfalz (Upper Palatinate area),” Reimelt added. “The 2.5-120 meets these requirements and additionally contributes to the successful implementation of the ‘Energiewende’ on a regional level.”
The 2.5-120 is GE’s first “brilliant” wind turbine to utilize the power of the Industrial Internet. The Industrial Internet uses data analysis to connect machines and equip them with intelligence, helping to position them for enhanced performance.
“The turbine’s advanced controls, paired with the 120-meter rotor and a custom-built tower with a hub height of 139 meters, allow for a more efficient energy output,” said Andreas von Bobart, general manager, GE Wind Energy Germany.
“The 2.5-120 analyses tens of thousands of data points every second to drive higher output and improve service productivity, ultimately helping to manage wind’s variability,” von Bobart added.