GE Joins Suzlon, Acciona in Betting on Slow-Wind Turbines to Boost Sales

Manufacturers have been making towers taller, blades longer and lighter, and turbines more reliable since demand for wind energy in the U.S. dropped about 50 percent last year to 4,900 megawatts. The slump prompted Fairfield, Connecticut-based GE, which has the largest share of the U.S. market, to improve its design and attract customers in new markets.

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The best wind resources, rated “class one” by the International Electrotechnical Commission, have average annual speeds of 10 meters (33 feet) per second at the height of a typical tower. These areas include coastlines and parts of the U.S. plains states. The easiest sites for building wind farms, with flat terrain and proximity to high-voltage wires, have been built, leaving lesser resources for new development.

The slower-wind class two and class three regions, which make up most of the rest of the U.S. and Europe, can be profitable for developers because of the recent technology improvements.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-25/ge-joins-suzlon-acciona-in-betting-on-slow-wind-turbines-to-boost-sales.html