GE has 18MW offshore wind turbine giant in the works: Vernova chief Strazik
CEO of newly-formed energy business claims market giving 'positive reception' to next generation of flagship Haliade-X machine
GE is lining up a 17-18MW version of its flagship Haliade-X offshore wind turbine, in what could be the most powerful machine placed on the market so far by a Western manufacturer.
The power rating of a next-generation beefed-up Haliade-X was hinted at by Scott Strazik, CEO of GE Vernova – the US giant’s newly-formed energy business – when he spoke to investors about the order backlog and future prospects for the turbine, currently being deployed at 12-14MW.
“We’re getting a very positive reception from the market with our 17-18MW Haliade-X variant off what we’re shipping this year,” Strazik said.
“Over the course of this year there’s a high likelihood we’ll get tech selects for that next product and economics that we believe can be very profitable, but they won’t convert to orders for a period of time, more likely ‘24, some of it into ’25.”
The ever-increasing power ratings of turbines and associated scale-up in size has started a live debate in the industry over whether a pause is needed to allow the wider supply chain to meet the requirements of current models.
Strazik struck a cautious note when discussing GE Vernova’s future in the offshore wind sector, telling analysts at GE’s Investor Day event that “we’re going to be very selective, we’re going to focus on markets where we have a competitive advantage”.
But he added: “Looking at the second half of the decade, it’s hard to not believe that offshore wind is going to be a meaningful part of GE Vernova and the energy transition.”
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