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GE and wind energy developer Iberwind Group SA have signed a 10-year operational and maintenance (O&M) services agreement to cover two Iberwind wind farms in Portugal. Following a complete service agreement for the units that was begun in 2005, Iberwind has elected to continue using GE as their preferred service provider for the next 10 years.
Working closely with Iberwind, GE has customized a complete service program that will offer Iberwind the level of support that will best suit its needs. Under terms of the new contract, GE will continue providing expert operational and maintenance support as well as all related technology and engineering expertise to Iberwind’s Lomba Da Seixa II wind farm in Montalegre and Senhora Da Vitoria wind farm in Nazaré. In addition, GE will deliver parts to support the corrective maintenance activities through a parts management program contract (PMP), further contributing to the availability of the wind turbines by ensuring that parts are delivered with efficiency and accuracy.
Each site features eight of GE’s industry leading 1.5-MW wind turbines and together have a total generation capacity of 24 MW in carbon-free renewable energy. GE’s dedicated team of highly trained field technicians will execute planned and unplanned maintenance activities, drawing on their vast equipment expertise.
Both sites also will benefit from GE’s suite of available upgrades, developed to increase the reliability, availability and performance of the existing fleet. Upgrades to GE’s existing fleet are developed based on GE’s continuously evolving technology, and working with Iberwind to understand their needs, GE will be able to help decrease the company’s maintenance costs and extend the lifespan of the main switch breaker in the wind turbines through an upgrade to the K1 contactors.
“For a wind farm to consistently generate cost-effective electricity, the generating equipment must perform at the highest levels of efficiency and availability,” said Rui Maia, operations and maintenance manager, Iberwind. “By extending our relationship with GE, the original supplier of our wind turbines, we know they will continue to help us get the maximum performance from our wind energy facilities.”
“We are very pleased to continue our successful partnership with Iberwind and support their business goals to expand the role of wind energy throughout Portugal and the region,” said Victor Abate, vice president—renewables for GE Power & Water. “Europe has been a leader in developing wind energy. As a result, operators in the region have a deep appreciation for the role of an experienced services provider in the long-term success of a wind energy project.”
In 2009, Portugal made great strides by expanding its total installed capacity for wind energy by nearly 25% over the previous year. Longer-term wind energy service agreements could become more common as the European and global wind industry continues to develop, adding additional renewable energy generation, Abate noted.
Iberwind currently has 680 MW of wind energy capacity in operation in Portugal. The company purchased the 1.5-MW units from GE in 2005, and the new contract was signed January 1, 2010. GE began implementing the new services agreement with Iberwind at Lomba Da Seixa II wind farm on January 1, 2010, and at the Senhora Da Vitoria energy facility on March 1. GE’s 1.5-MW wind turbine is the world’s most widely deployed wind turbine, with more than 13,500 units now installed.
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