GE Expands Global Wind Presence in Poland with Lewandpol Company

GE announced that it will supply Lewandpol Company with 27 GE 2.5-103 megawatt (MW) wind turbines for the Galicja Wind Farm in Poland. Ten of the wind turbines are currently under construction, with another 17 planned to begin construction in 2015. Once operational, the 120 MW Galicja Wind Farm will generate the equivalent energy needed to power approximately 52,000 Polish homes for a year*.

Galicja is GE’s first wind farm in the southern Polish region of Podkarpackie and will be one of the country’s largest wind farms.

“GE’s wind turbines are well suited to our sites. Foundation works started beginning of December and we are pleased to be working closely with GE as construction at the site progresses,” said Andrzej Lewandowski of Lewandpol Company.

Crido Legal operated with the Lewandpol Company as the legal and financial advisor for the transaction.  “We are very excited that we provided our extensive knowledge and experience in the purchasing phases and make such a relevant investment possible,” said Filip Grzesiak, senior associate, Crido Legal, the legal firm advising Lewandpol Company.

“We are delighted that Lewandpol Company has chosen GE wind turbine technology,” said Cliff Harris, general manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa for GE’s renewable energy business. “This agreement highlights our commitment to Poland’s wind energy development.”

In 2013, Poland installed 894 MW of new wind capacity, ranking the country eighth highest in the world in terms of annual wind capacity growth, according to the GWEC’s Global wind report. At the end of 2013, Poland’s total installed capacity was 3.4 gigawatts (GW), nearly half of the of the 6.5 GW wind target by 2020, as defined in its National Renewable Energy Action Plan. Under its current energy policy, the Polish government forecasts additional wind growth reaching up to 13 GW by 2030 and 21 GW by 2050.

“GE is excited to help our customers in Poland work toward its goals for renewable energy growth in the country,” said Beata Stelmach, GE chief executive for Poland and the Baltics. “With an increasing electricity demand at 0.9 percent per year and aging power infrastructure, Poland needs to invest in modern, low- emission energy sources, and has huge potential for wind energy.”

GE will ship the turbines from its manufacturing facility in Salzbergen, Germany, and the wind farm is expected to begin commercial operation by the end of 2015.

 
The site will benefit from around-the-clock remote monitoring and diagnostics through GE’s global wind monitoring center in Salzbergen, which monitors wind turbines in Europe and Asia 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

*based on household consumption of 2,300 kWh a year.