GE Unveils 1.7 MW Wind Turbine; NextEra Orders 59

General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) unveiled today its most efficient wind turbine to date, and NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE  ) wants in. As the nation's leading producer of renewable energy, the utility will purchase 59 new turbines for a Michigan wind farm to add on to its current 10,000 net MW of wind capacity.

"GE is a trusted partner and a leader in wind turbine technology and innovation," said NextEra Energy Resources President and CEO Armando Pimental in a statement today. "Wind turbine innovation is key to the continued growth of the wind industry."

"Our highest capacity factor turbines are the flagship products in our portfolio," said Keith Longtin, GE's General Manager for wind products. "The 1.7-100 is the latest evolution of our advanced wind turbine technology and was designed to ensure consistent performance, reliability, and efficiency."

The 1.7-100 is the second of GE's smart (or, in their words, "brilliant") wind turbines, and uses streaming data to most efficiently deliver constant and consistent power. Standing 80 meters tall, with 100-meter blades, these newest turbines hold a 1.7 MW rating, 6% above GE's previous 1.6 MW turbine.

With NextEra's 59 turbine purchases, the utility will be adding around 100 MW of new capacity to its wind fleet.

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