The Gamesa wind turbine now operating at the University of Delaware (photo: Evan Krape)

Wind turbine manufacturer Gamesa Technology Corporation has commissioned a new 2-megawatt wind turbine at the University of Delaware.

A ceremony was held on Friday to celebrate the new turbine at the Hugh R Sharp Campus in Lewes.

The new turbine is 400 feet high, with three blades that are each 144 feet long.

It is expected to provide enough energy for the entire campus – the equivalent of electricity for 500 homes. Excess electricity will be fed into the grid.

The project is part of a joint venture between Gamesa and university-owned Blue Hen Wind, with the City of Lewes and Sustainable Energy Developments Inc. (SED) also acting as key partners.

Speaking at the ceremony, University President Patrick Harker said: “We couldn’t be happier to partner with Gamesa on wind-energy research and technology. Together, we can make Delaware a U.S. leader in wind-power science, production, and policy.”

Research

The University and Gamesa are intending to use the wind turbine to help with research on issues like turbine corrosion, avian impacts and policy issues.

Gamesa, part of the Spanish wind manufacturing giant, said it has now invested more than $20 million in US manufacturing capabilities and wind energy development.

The Delaware turbine will help the company move towards developing an offshore wind turbine.

Gamesa North America CEO Dirk Matthys said: “As an industry leader, we are always looking for new opportunities, like our partnership with the University of Delaware, to move America toward a more sustainable, domestic clean energy future.”

“This turbine not only serves to remind us all of the very real benefits of the zero-emission electricity that wind generates, but also stands as a beacon for the next generation of local clean energy development.”