EDP Renewables (EDPR) will use GE’s (NYSE: GE) Wind PowerUp, a GE Predictivity solution, to increase the power output of 402 GE 1.5-77 wind turbines located at five U.S. wind farms.
PowerUp is a customized software-enabled platform that increases a wind farm’s output.
By using PowerUp, EDPR is expected to increase power, generating more than 420,000 megawatt hours of additional energy each year, which would provide the equivalent power used by 33,000 average U.S. homes. The contract model between GE and EDPR is structured to minimize risk while enabling new technologies to be quickly added to the EDPR fleet as they are developed in the coming years.
“GE’s PowerUp software will allow us to improve the power curve and increase the annual energy production of these 402 wind turbines. At EDPR we like to be a leader in innovation and explore creative ways to make the most of our units and collaborating with GE has been a win-win for us,” said Brian Hayes, executive vice president, EDP Renewables.
“GE’s PowerUp platform allows EDPR to realize almost immediate benefits to their bottom line input today and also allows us to incorporate new PowerUp technologies as they are developed. PowerUp will help EDP Renewables generate a higher power output and return on investment,” said Andy Holt, general manager of GE’s renewable energy projects and services organization.
The wind farms that will be installing PowerUp are Blue Canyon V wind farm in Oklahoma, the Meadow Lake III wind farm in Indiana and the Top Crop I, Top Crop II and Railsplitter wind farms in Illinois. When PowerUp is activated, a GE software program performs a complete before and after wind farm power performance analysis, validating the performance improvement. By adjusting performance dials, including speed, torque, pitch, aerodynamics and turbine controls, PowerUp is able to improve the power output of each unit and the overall wind farm.
PowerUp is part of GE’s brilliant wind platform, which harnesses the power of the Industrial Internet to analyze tens of thousands of data points on a wind farm every second, driving higher power output and creating new revenue streams for customers. It is an ecomagination qualified product.
EDP Renewables North America LLC (“EDPR NA”) and its subsidiaries develop, construct, own and operate wind farms throughout North America. Based in Houston, Texas, with 29 wind farms and six offices across the United States and Canada, EDPR NA has developed more than 4,000 megawatts (MW) and operates more than 3,800 MW of wind farms. With approximately 300 employees, EDPR NA’s highly qualified team has a proven capacity to execute projects and achieve goals.
EDPR NA is owned by EDP Renováveis, S.A. (“EDP Renewables” or “EDPR”), a global leader in the renewable energy sector that develops, constructs, owns and operates renewable generation facilities. With a sound development pipeline, first class assets and market-leading operating capacity, EDPR has grown extensively in recent years. The company’s long-term growth is driven by favorable renewable energy market conditions. EDPR is committed to renewable energy generation as it becomes increasingly reliable and competitive due to technological advancements that lead to greater efficiencies. The company operates in the most attractive markets, continuously expanding to new areas of the world. EDPR is currently present in the United States, Spain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania and the United Kingdom. EDPR is listed on the Euronext Lisbon Stock Exchange (NYSE Euronext: EDPR).
