Juhl Energy taps GE Energy for solar-wind project in Minnesota

Juhl Energy announced last week that it had selected GE Renewable Energy to supply equipment for a 2.0MW solar-wind hybrid power project in Minnesota.

The Minnesota-based energy company says it is the first of its kind in the United States. It will generate energy for the Lake Region Electric Cooperative of Pelican Rapids, Minn.

“Distributed generation will play a major role in the implementation of renewable energy in the U.S. electrical market in the years to come,” Dan Juhl of Juhl Energy said. “Projects such as this one, with Juhl Energy’s package design and GE hybrid technology, will economically blend clean, renewable energy into the electric grid at a lower cost, plus add reliability to the system.”

The project will use one 2.0-116 wind turbine from GE Renewable Energy’s Onshore Wind business. The project utilizes GE’s Wind Integrated Solar Energy (WiSE) technology platform to directly integrate the solar panels through the wind turbine’s converter. This will increase annual energy production by up to 10 percent. It also increases capacity by 3 to 4 percent.

“This unique renewable energy project will provide a tremendous amount of value to the local community. The cost savings from purchasing the hybrid project’s energy will help provide rate stability, benefiting all of our co-op members,” Tim Thompson, CEO of Lake Region Electric Cooperative, said.

The hybrid design will provide the ability to produce power when it is most needed, with the solar essentially providing summer peak energy, and the wind providing winter peak energy.

“By leveraging the complementary nature of wind and solar, this unique project shows how GE is driving technology innovation that will help customers deliver more renewable energy in an even more efficient manner,” Pete McCabe, president and CEO of Onshore Wind at GE Renewable Energy, said.

Bank of America’s purchase of the Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from the project will cover the bank’s electricity usage in the state.

“Accelerating the path to a sustainable future starts with creative thinking and projects that can help drive more low-carbon energy solutions in our communities,” Alex Liftman, global environmental executive at Bank of America, said. “Through supporting innovative renewable energy projects like this one, we continue to enhance our commitment to reduce our operational impacts on the environment.”

The project will be operational before the end of 2018.