GE Renewable Energy announced that it has been selected by Rio Energy for the production, delivery, installation and commissioning of 30 Cypress onshore wind turbines, operating in a range from 4.8 MW to 5.1 MW. This is the second contract signed by GE and Rio Energy in Brazil, and GE’s second Cypress announcement in the country.
The turbines will be installed at Rio Energy’s Serra da Babilonia wind farm — located near the municipalities of Morro do Chapéu, Ourolândia, and Várzea Nova (at the State of Bahia) — and will add approximately 150 MW to the wind farm complex, which currently has 223.25 MW of installed capacity. The turbines will be the first Cypress units manufactured and delivered in Brazil, and are expected to be installed in the last quarter of 2020.
Vikas Anand, GE Renewable Energy’s CEO for Onshore Wind, Americas, said: “We are delighted that Rio Energy has selected GE’s Cypress platform for the Serra da Babilonia wind farm in Brazil. Rio Energy has been key to supporting Brazil’s renewable energy goals, and we are proud to work with them to help provide renewable, sustainable energy across the region”.
Several key components of these Cypress units will be manufactured in Brazil, including assembly at GE’s facility in Camaçari (BA) and blades produced by LM Wind Power in the Port of Suape (PE). Announced last year, GE’s Cypress is the most powerful onshore wind turbine in operation. It enables significant Annual Energy Production (AEP) improvements, increased efficiency in serviceability, and ultimately more value for customers.
Marcos Meireles, Rio Energy’s CEO, said “We are very excited to install the first GE’s Cypress wind turbines in Brazil. This agreement reinforces our commitment to help grow Brazil’s installed base, by investing not only in adding new turbines, but also introducing a new technology to advance onshore wind in Brazil.”
The contract also includes a ten-year operation and maintenance (O&M) agreement for all equipment supplied by GE at the wind farm, with the potential to extend to 20 years.
About GE Renewable Energy
GE Renewable Energy is a $15 billion business which combines one of the broadest portfolios in the renewable energy industry to provide end-to-end solutions for our customers demanding reliable and affordable green power. Combining onshore and offshore wind, blades, hydro, storage, utility-scale solar, and grid solutions as well as hybrid renewables and digital services offerings, GE Renewable Energy has installed more than 400+ gigawatts of clean renewable energy and equipped more than 90 percent of utilities worldwide with its grid solutions. With nearly 40,000 employees present in more than 80 countries, GE Renewable Energy creates value for customers seeking to power the world with affordable, reliable and sustainable green electrons.
About Rio Energy
Rio Energy is a platform for the development, construction, and operation of power generation assets in Brazil. The company currently owns a portfolio of 830MW of wind power plants in commercial operation and under or near construction and a greenfield project pipeline over 2GW. Rio Energy is committed to a sustainable future, applying the highest quality standards, while creating both social and economic value for local communities and stakeholders.
