GE enters wind turbine study

BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 11 (UPI) -- A 1.5-megawatt wind turbine designed by General Electric was commissioned for a research project at a technology center in Colorado examining wind energy.

The National Wind Technology Center in Boulder, Colo., commissioned the GE wind turbine to serve as a research platform to improve technology and lower the cost of wind energy.

The 1.5 MW wind turbine will be subjected to an array of experiments during the next several years to increase the performance and reliability of turbines under a program designed by the U.S. Department of Energy. Researchers will also examine loading data, turbine controls and wind farm performance data.

"This turbine provides the foundation for long-term collaborative research with our DOE, university, and industry partners," said Fort Felker, director at the National Wind Technology Center.

The Energy Department outlined plans to generate 20 percent of the nation's electricity using wind energy by 2030.

GE says its 1.5 MW turbine is the most widely used in the world.