GE to Develop in France World's Largest Wind Turbine

General Electric plans to invest more than $400 million over the next three to five years to develop the world’s biggest offshore wind turbine, which will have a capacity of 12 megawatts and stand 260 meters (853 feet) tall.

With 107-meter blades, longer than a soccer field, the Haliade-X turbine will produce enough power for up to 16,000 households, GE said in a statement.

“We want to lead in the technologies that are driving the global energy transition,” CEO John Flannery said.

GE Renewable Energy will develop and manufacture the new turbine largely in France and aims to supply its first nacelle, - or power generating unit - for demonstration in 2019 and ship the first turbines in 2021.

The firm will invest close to $100 million in a new blade manufacturing plant in Cherbourg, western France, which will open in 2018.  It will also invest close to $60 million over the next five years to modernize its Saint-Nazaire factory, where the nacelles for the Haliade-X will be built.

Read more at GE to Develop World's Largest Wind Turbine in France