GE Vernova’s Advanced Research Centre (ARC) has provided a 3.4 MW-140 metre wind turbine with an 81 metre hub height to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This turbine will serve as a research platform for a project funded through a Department of Energy (DOE) solicitation.

The project aims to explore several critical areas to advance wind technology and energy systems, including grid testing, installation and services technologies, sensors and controls, mechanical systems, advanced aerodynamic solutions, direct current (DC) coupling and battery energy storage systems (BESS), and hydrogen electrolysers to improve energy efficiency and storage.

NREL is particularly interested in using this turbine to research green hydrogen production. Wind energy, which can be more consistent than solar, can significantly boost the efficiency and scale of hydrogen production, contributing to lower-carbon energy alternatives. This research focuses on directly coupling wind turbines into a DC power architecture, enabling smoother integration with electrolysis systems rather than connecting them to the grid.

The turbine will be installed in 2026 at the NREL Flatirons site, home of the National Wind Technology Centre, in Colorado, USA.