Wind turbine order blows in for MHI

(MHI) has received a bulk order for 443 large-size wind turbines from Babcock & Brown, one of the largest developers and owners of wind power in the

. Each MWT-1000A 62/1.0 model ordered has a rated power output of 1.0MW. Financial details of the order have not been released.

The wind turbine units will be delivered to four separate wind power generation projects. The Buena Vista project in northern California will use 38 units, to go on-stream by the end of 2006. The Argonne Mesa project in New Mexico will use 90 units, with operations to commence by the end of 2006. The Sweetwater #4 and 5 expansion project in Texas will receive 135 units, for start-up by autumn 2007. An as yet unnamed wind farm project in Colorado will take 180 units, to go operational by the end of 2007.

For all four projects, the wind turbines, or nacelles, will be manufactured at MHI's Nagasaki Shipyard & Machinery Works. MPS will procure wind turbine towers, supply blades, provide installation support, undertake the wind turbine commissioning, and handle maintenance for a period of five years.

MHI said the MWT 62/1.0 is its best selling high-efficiency wind turbine, capable of generating power even at relatively low wind speeds thanks to its optimised blade structure and redesigned blade shape. In an environment where the annual wind speed averages 6 metres per second, MHI said the MWT 62/1.0 can achieve 20 per cent higher annual energy production than with its conventional 1MW wind turbines.