Evwind, Wind Energy

Acciona Windpower upgrades its 3-MW, 125-meter rotor wind turbine to suit medium wind farm sites

ACCIONA Windpower has upgraded its AW125/3000 wind turbine, with a new version specially designed for medium-wind sites (IEC IIb). This new design will be highlighted at the AWEA Windpower 2014 conference and exhibition, which takes place in Las Vegas (USA) from May 5-8th.

The upgraded design of the AW125/3000 allows for siting at locations with higher average wind conditions and lower turbulence intensity, which is a perfect fit for many of the sites in North America and across the globe.

The AW125/3000 combines a 125 meter rotor with a three megawatt wind turbine generator and is available on multiple tower heights ranging from 87.5 meters to 140 meters.  With the 87.5m tower, the AW125/3000 IEC IIb wind turbine–which has 61.2m long blades–is uniquely positioned to deliver maximum Annual Energy Production while staying within a 150 meter tip-height threshold in sites with aviation permitting constraints.

The first Design Assessment for the AW125/3000 IEC IIb is expected by the end of 2014 and deliveries are available in early 2015.  ACCIONA Windpower already has seven Design Assessments and ten Type Certifications associated with the AW3000 platform(with different rotor diameter options, hub heights, and  tower type (steel or concrete), starting with the first prototype in 2008.

In 2013, ACCIONA Windpower launched its 125 meter rotor with a design suitable for IEC IIIa and IEC IIIb low-wind sites.  The company has already reported 400MW of firm and contingent orders for AW125/3000 turbines and it will continue offering the IEC IIIa and IEC IIIb variants.

“The upgraded AW125/3000 is an example of the technological innovation that is driving ACCIONA Windpower’s growth in the market,” said Jose Luis Blanco, ACCIONA Windpower CEO.  “ACCIONA Windpower is emerging as a preferred supplier by many major customers which is result of proven designs, high reliability, and the lowest cost of energy.”

To date, ACCIONA Windpower has received firm and/or contingent orders to supply over 1,800 MW of AW3000 wind turbines to wind farms in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Spain, Poland, Turkey and South Africa.