GE Renewable Energy has sent off the nacelle of the Haliade-X 12MW offshore wind turbine from its production site in Saint-Nazaire, France, to Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
The Haliade-X 12MW components will be assembled in Rotterdam-Maasvlakte, after which the turbine will be installed onshore to facilitate access for testing during the initial period of operations.
This initial phase is expected to allow GE to obtain the data required to receive its type certification, a key component prior to commercializing the product in 2021.
The Haliade-X 12 MW nacelle and 107m long blades, the longest ever manufactured, will allow the turbine to generate 67GWh in gross annual energy.
As reported, GE revealed the first nacelle at the end of July, a month after LM Wind Power rolled out the first blade for the turbine at its factory in Cherbourg, France.