Schenectady, N.Y.: GE and Invenergy announced on May 1 the purchase of the first of GE’s new 2.5-120 brilliant wind turbines. Invenergy has ordered three units as part of an 86-turbine deal with GE for its Mills County, Texas, wind farm.
The 2.5-120, announced in January, harnesses the power of the Industrial Internet to analyze tens of thousands of data points every second. GE claims the 2.5-120 to be the first wind turbine to incorporate short-term battery storage as part of the complete turbine package. Integrating the battery into the wind turbine allows wind farm operators to reap the benefits of energy storage without the high costs of farm-level battery storage installation. This design also integrates GE’s Durathon Battery technology with three software applications that help manage wind variability and provides reliable, short-term predictable power, while communicating with neighboring turbines, service technicians and operators over the internet. The resulting intelligent system enables power producers and the wind turbines themselves to make data-informed decisions and improve the short-term predictability of power output.
Three battery-enabled software applications integrate with the wind turbine to provide enhanced wind power availability. Wind developers and operators can select the application or combination of applications that best suits individual site needs:
• Ramp Control: Today, when wind speed increases quickly, the grid cannot always absorb the extra wind power produced. GE’s Ramp Control App allows the brilliant turbine to capture “wasted” wind power and store it in the battery, meaning operators can capture revenue previously left on the table.
• Power Output Control: Power producers must be able to provide consistent and predictable power to the grid, but the variability of wind can make smooth grid integration challenging. The Predictable Power App allows the brilliant turbine to smooth out the short-term peaks and valleys in wind power and make it predictable over periods of 15-60 minutes.
• Frequency Regulation: Power demand changes throughout the day, and grid operators must keep up with its constant fluctuation. Grid operators look to power producers to respond rapidly to keep the grid balanced. The Frequency Regulation App allows wind farms to store energy in the battery and respond immediately to load changes with high precision, the company says.
The 2.5-120 brilliant turbines are scheduled to be installed this year at the Goldthwaite Wind Energy facility, currently under construction in central Texas. The project is expected to commence full commercial operation by the end of 2013.