General Electric’s LM Wind Power to acquire WMC turbine blade test facility

LM Wind Power, a General Electric (GE) business, has announced it will purchase the WMC turbine blade test facility.

The wind turbine manufacturer will acquire the facility in Wieringerwerf, Netherlands once the transaction has closed in the coming weeks.

The firm will commence rotor hub testing of GE turbines, as well as other testing, digital tools, and research to continue at the site.

The manufacturer has confirmed plans to eventually expand and develop the facility, which employs 23 members of staff.

“The acquisition of the WMC wind turbine blade test facility in Wieringerwerf secures a promising future for the 23 employees abd ensure growth ad opportunity for this important Dutch facility,” stated Aart van der Pal, WMC’s Board Chairman.

SEE ALSO:

• New York State aims to procure 800MW of offshore wind power by 2019

• ABB wins $150mn contract to connect the largest offshore wind farm in the world

• Wind power investments rose in first half of 2018, whilst solar spending dropped

• Read the latest issue of Energy Digital here

“We look forward to playing a key role in the future developments of advanced wind turbine rotor blades.”

“The new test facility will further contribute to LM Wind Power’s research and development capabilities for the design and manufacture of advanced wind turbine blades and other components,” noted LM Wind Power’s CEO, Duncan Berry.

“We are delighted to retain the talented existing workforce and supplement LM Wind Power and GE’s growing presence in a strategic green industry in the Netherlands.”

“These are valuable, senior, technical jobs and we provide employment to a significant and increasing number of graduates and post graduates from the best Dutch Universities including Delft, Twente, Eindhoven and Amsterdam.”