BEIJING, CHINA (April 9, 2003) --- GE Wind Energy, a business unit of GE Power Systems, supplied ten wind turbines for the recently completed 15-megawatt Hibikinada Wind Farm located on the coast of Hibikinada, Japan. This is one of the largest wind farms in Japan. The announcement was made this week at the 2003 Asia Wind Power Conference & Exposition.
The project, located in the bay area approximately 10 miles northwest of Kokura City, Japan and within one of the major districts in Kitakyushu City, features ten GE 1.5 MW wind turbines that supply power to Kyushu Electric Power Co., Inc. The 35,000,000 kWh expected to be generated annually by the Hibikinada project will provide enough clean, renewable energy to serve 10,000 average Japanese homes.
Groundbreaking for the project began in October of 2002. Construction was completed and commercial operation began in March of 2003.
Planned in conjunction with Kitakyushu City's ecological activities, and funded in part by the Japanese government to encourage renewable energy, the Hibikinada Wind Farm is owned by NS Wind Power Hibiki Ltd. NS Wind Power Hibiki Ltd. is a company owned by Nippon Steel Corporation, Japan Wind Development Co., Ltd. (JWD) and two other companies (Torishima Pumps MFG Co., Ltd. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd.). The wind farm resides on land leased from Kitakyushu City.
"We applaud the government of Japan for its leadership in supporting renewable energy initiatives," said Steve Fludder, general manager of GE Wind Energy Asia. "Our 1.5 MW technology is proven and reliable and a good match for the area. We also congratulate JWD as a leading wind developer in Japan. We appreciate their confidence in us and we value our relationship with them."
Nippon Steel, a large steel manufacturer, constructed the towers for the 1.5 MW turbines. As a leading industrial company, Nippon Steel has played an important role in the growth of Japan. The company pursues a wide range of activities: engineering businesses that include plant fabrication and building construction, urban development, systems solutions services, new materials business, silicon wafer manufacturing, chemicals production and power supply.
Established in July 1999, Japan Wind Development Co., Ltd. (www.jwd.co.jp) of Tokyo is an international wind project developer. In March of 2003, JWD was listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as the first wind business venture company in Japan, and is currently expanding its market reach. After installing several single turbine projects, Hibikinada is the first wind farm in Japan for JWD, as well as GE.
The GE 1.5-megawatt wind turbines being used at the Hibikinada Wind Farm are among the most widely sold wind turbines in the megawatt class. Today, more than 1,200 1.5-megawatt machines are operating in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Japan, Sweden and the U.S., with an installed capacity of more than 1,800 megawatts.
GE Wind Energy designs and manufactures wind turbines with rated outputs of between 900 and 3,600 kilowatts, and offers support services ranging from project development assistance to operation and maintenance. Worldwide, the company has developed and/or sold over 5,600 wind turbines with a rated capacity exceeding 3,200 megawatts. GE Wind Energy employs more than 1,500 people worldwide with manufacturing facilities in Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and the U.S.
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