GE to switch to gearbox-free offshore wind turbines

Engineering giant General Electric has confirmed its future portfolio of offshore wind turbines are to do away with gear boxes in an attempt to improve reliability.

The company acquired Norway-based offshore wind turbine manufacturer ScanWind – which specialises in direct drive turbines that do not feature gear boxes – last September and is currently working on integrating its technology into its own offshore wind turbines.

Speaking to BusinessGreen.com, Carlos Haertel, managing director of GE Global Research, said that ScanWind's drive train technology would provide the basis for all the company's future offshore turbines.

"We will continue with gear boxes for our 1.5MW and 2.5MW [onshore] systems, " he said. "But for offshore turbines a gearbox is not a good idea… there will not be further development of gearbox systems for offshore."

The company's engineers are currently working on establishing its acquired technology as a platform for future offshore turbine designs.

Haertel said the switch to drive train technologies, which boast fewer moving parts than gearboxes, would significantly increase the reliability of offshore wind turbines and reduce the maintenance costs that account for a large chunk of wind farms' operational costs.

"Maintenance is a big issue for offshore wind turbines, because of the difficulties of getting repair teams out to the turbines," he said. "If you can master the high reliability requirements you will have a very compelling offering."