Gamesa reinforces its commitment to the environment and sustainable product development by achieving its second turbine eco-design certification, this time for the G114-2.0 MW

Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, has secured eco-design certification for its turbine, the G114-2.0 MW, reinforcing its commitment to developing sustainable products and reducing its environmental footprint. This is the second of the company's turbines to achieve this seal, which is granted by the independent organism TÜV Rheinland: in June 2012, the G128-4.5 MW became the first turbine in the world to achieve this external validation.

The certificate guarantees that the G114-2.0 MW has a much reduced impact on the environment throughout its entire life cycle, from the design of its parts, the stage at which 80% of a product's environmental ramifications are defined, to its industrialisation, installation, operation, maintenance and dismantling. The idea is to minimise resource consumption and emissions, which is why eco-design is considered a tool for improving a product not only from the environmental standpoint but also in terms of efficiency and costs.

The company has already installed two G114-2.0 MW prototypes, one in Alaiz (Spain) and the other in Texas (USA); between them they have generated 4.25 GWh of electricity since they were commissioned at the start of this year. The power generated by these turbines in this period evidences the robust, highly reliable and site-adaptable nature of this product. Moreover, the annual output of a single G114-2.0 MW turbine will:

• produce the energy consumed by 941 US households in a year;
• replace 954 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe/year);
• >prevent the emission of 6,657 tonnes of CO₂ a year, which is equivalent to the emissions generated by 2,219 cars in a year or the carbon offset by 898 hectares of trees in the same period.

The Gamesa G114-2.0 MW: maximum performance at medium and low wind speeds

The Gamesa G114-2.0 MW wind turbine is a standard-bearer in the sector due to its low power density. This new product contributes to one of the company's top priorities: significantly cutting the cost of energy of the wind turbines Gamesa designs for medium and low wind speed sites.

With a rotor spanning 114 metres, the turbine's swept area is 38% greater than that of the G97-2.0 MW, and produces 20% more energy a year.

The G114-2.0 MW wind turbine, designed to maximise the performance of turbines installed in less windy sites, is part of the company's 2.0-2.5 MW platform, whose track record encompasses the installation of more than 16 GW worldwide and an availability record of over 98%.

To date, Gamesa has secured contracts and framework agreements for its G114-2.0 MW turbine covering more than 550 MW. In the US, Gamesa has a framework agreement with EDP Renewables for the supply of up to 450 MW through 2016, the largest contract for Gamesa's G114-2.0 MW turbine to date. In Europe, the company has a contract with Eolus Vind for the supply of four of its G114-2.0 MW turbines in Sweden.