Iberdrola could give GE Renewable Energy a major order boost in Brazil by deploying Cypress platform turbines as part of its development of the 566MW Oitis wind complex, Recharge has learned.

The Spanish group’s Neoenergia utility has announced it will spend R$2.3bn ($570m) developing Oitis, which according to data recently lodged with Brazil’s power sector authorities was designed and registered as using GE-158, 5.x turbines.

Neoenergia saw 74MW of Oitis contracted at this year’s A-4 regulated market tender for R$80/MWh through 20-year PPAs starting in January 2023. Investment is estimated at R$446m for that part of the complex, which is located in Brazil’s windy northeast. Iberdrola has sanctioned another R$1.9bn to build the rest of Oitis, which will sell its power in Brazil’s unregulated power market.

With nominal capacities ranging from 5.3MW to 5.5MW, an Oitis order could represent the first Cypress platform turbines sold in Brazil since they started to be marketed last year, amid a wider move by OEMs to sell larger models in the country.

The US wind group has already confirmed Cypress orders in markets including Australia and Turkey. An order in Brazil would also be good news for GE following two turbine collapses in Brazil this year involving other models, which are still the subject of an investigation.

A consultant familiar with GE’s operations in the country said those incidents should have little impact on its fortunes there as “the number of collapses is very low in relation to the fleet in operation, and GE has been very good about solving problems as they arise”.

GE has one of the biggest wind turbine fleets in Brazil, with over 3GW, or some 20% of the country's current 15GW installed capacity.

But like other OEMs launching larger turbines, it is racing to catch Danish turbine maker Vestas, which has sold over 2GW of its V150, 4.2MW machine in the country since the end of last year.

For Neoenergia, Oitis is a chance to triple its wind capacity in Brazil from 516MW to 1.6GW by 2022, when the complex should be complete.

GE Renewable Energy said it does not comment on market speculation. Iberdrola has been approached for comment by Recharge.

Wind

Iberdrola lines up GE Cypresses for major Brazilian wind complex