On Friday, GE Energy announced the acquisition of new tower construction and erection technology from Utah based Wind Tower Systems, LLC. Wind Tower Systems has developed a space frame tower design to accommodate tower heights of over 100 meters that can be installed without the use of heavy lift cranes during construction.
“We see great potential in the addition of this technology to our portfolio not only for our customers but also for the wind industry as a whole,” said Victor Abate, vice president-renewable energy for GE Power & Water. “Taller towers are an essential complement to longer blades. Longer blades capture more energy and in turn improve return on investment for wind farm developers.”
“The taller space frame towers and integrated lifting system concepts, developed with the support of the U.S. DOE and California Energy Commission, have been designed to drive lower wind energy costs,” said Thomas Conroy, CEO of Wind Tower Systems. ”We are delighted that the development of the company’s products will be completed and commercialized by GE.”