USA - GE Energy reaches U.S. Wind Industry Milestone

Two leaders of the U.S. wind industry, GE Energy (NYSE: GE) and FPL Energy, today announced a milestone for their wind businesses: the shipment of the 1,000th GE 1.5-megawatt wind turbine for an FPL Energy project.

The landmark unit will be among the 267 machines GE is supplying for FPL Energy’s Peetz Table Wind Energy Center in Colorado. By year-end 2007 the number of GE wind turbines used in FPL Energy projects will be 1,426, going back to the Montfort, Wisc. project that began operations in 2001. Among other FPL Energy projects using GE technology is the Horse Hollow Wind Energy Center in Texas – at 735 megawatts, the world’s largest wind farm.

FPL Energy is the largest U.S. generator of wind power, while GE Energy is the largest U.S. supplier of wind power equipment and services. In 2006, GE provided wind turbines representing more than 45% of the country’s new wind capacity.

According to the American Wind Energy Association, FPL Energy continued to lead the U.S. wind industry with the construction of 777 megawatts of new wind projects in 2006, about one third of all new U.S. installations that year. In total, FPL Energy owns 4,015 megawatts of wind energy installations.

“We are extremely pleased that FPL Energy, which has played such an important role in the development of the U.S. wind industry, continues to show confidence in our 1.5-megawatt wind turbine technology,” said Victor Abate, Vice President-Renewables for GE Energy.

“GE Energy is an industry leader and a valued partner,” said Mitch Davidson, President of FPL Energy. “Having a reliable supply of wind turbines to meet our customers’ growing demand for clean and renewable wind energy has been an important ingredient in the growth and success of our wind business.”

Overall, GE Energy has shipped more than 6,000 of its 1.5-megawatt wind turbines for projects worldwide. Accompanying the growing number of 1.5-megawatt wind turbine installations has been a continuing evolution of the turbine technology. Over the years, an on-going improvement program has integrated valuable lessons learned and knowledge gained from long-term plant operation and customer feedback. Current research and development efforts are further enhancing the 1.5-megawatt design, including efforts to provide greater efficiency in lower wind regimes.

“Our 1.5-megawatt wind turbine has been proven in nearly every wind regime, terrain or climate worldwide,” Abate added. “As we note this milestone with FPL Energy, we also continue to invest in technology improvements that build upon the vast experience base of our installed fleet and will result in even higher levels of turbine reliability and efficiency.”