Alstom has installed one of the world’s largest offshore wind turbines off the Belgian coast, the Haliade™ 150-6MW

Thanks to its 150-metre diameter rotor (with blades stretching 73.50 metre), the turbine has a yield 15% better than existing offshore turbines, enabling it to supply power to the equivalent of about 5,000 households.

Developed for all offshore conditions, our offshore 6 MW direct drive wind turbine combines proven technology and innovation. Building on our unique Alstom Pure Torque® design, it provides high yield and uncompromising reliability that will lower the cost of offshore energy.

Key milestones

In April 2012, the consortium led by EDF EN for which Alstom is the exclusive turbine supplier won 3 offshore wind farms in France (Saint-Nazaire, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Fécamp for a total of around 240 wind turbines). Alstom has since confirmed setting up of four facilities in France : 2 in Saint-Nazaire dedicated to nacelles and generators assembly, 2 in Cherbourg for blades and towers manufacturing. Saint-Nazaire factories have been inaugurated in December 2014, in the presence of French Prime Minister, Manuel Valls. They will be fully operational in early 2015.

The first Haliade™ 150-6MW has successfully obtained the IEC power performance measurement (power curve) after 3 months of performance measurements at Le Carnet site, in France.

At the end of 2013, Alstom installed Haliade™ off the coasts of Ostend harbour at the Belwind site in Belgium. This is the largest offshore wind turbine ever installed in sea waters. This installation will help in confirming how the machine behaves within the offshore environment for which it was specifically designed and developed.

In 2014, Alstom signed a contract to supply 5 offshore wind turbines for Deepwater Wind’s 30-MW Block Island pilot Wind Farm located off the coast of Rhode Island, USA.

The project, scheduled for commissioning in 2016, will be one of the first offshore wind farms in the U.S. and will be the world’s first to feature Alstom’s Haliade™ 150-6 MW.

Thanks to its unique innovative and proven technology, Alstom is a key player in the offshore wind market, delivering efficient, reliable and environmentally-friendly power solutions to its customers.

A partnership in floating wind

Floating wind energy provides an innovative alternative for enhancing the energy potential of maritime settings that are too deep to install fixed-bottom foundations. Such settings usually provide better wind conditions while being more extensive and less travelled than near-coastal areas.

In October 2014, Alstom joins with DCNS to found a sector of excellence in the floating wind energy business. The partnership agreement aims at developing and then commercialising an integrated system for a semi-submersible floating wind turbine delivering 6 MW.

The groups will combine their respective skills as naval architect and turbine manufacturer to develop a competitive, powerful solution for a large potential market. The objective is to be in a position to produce an initial 6MW wind turbine by 2017, featuring a semi-submersible floating system developed by DCNS plus Alstom’s Haliade 150 offshore wind turbine, already being used in fixed-bottom offshore wind turbine technology (SEA REED project).

Alstom Pure Torque® design protects the generator to ensure and improves its performance by diverting unwanted stresses from the wind safely to the turbine’s tower though the main frame.

The innovative « Advanced High Density » direct-drive Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG) is more compact and lightweight design compared to earlier generation direct-drive systems.

Reliable

Alstom’s unique and proven rotor support with direct-drive PMG increases reliability, maximises turbine availability  and reduces maintenance costs

Efficient

 

  • Strenght and durability are maximised with the 150m diameter rotor combined with 73.5m light blade
  • Yield improved by 15% compared to the existing offshore turbines
  • Supplying 5,000 households with electricity