'World's largest' direct-drive PMG for wind turbines
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Alstom and Converteam are collaborating to install what they claim is the world’s largest direct-drive permanent magnet generator (PMG) in a wind turbine.
As part of the joint effort, Converteam will equip Alstom’s two 6MW offshore wind-turbine prototypes with its Advanced High Density (AHD) direct-drive PMG that will be installed onshore and offshore in Europe during winter 2011 and in 2012.
Converteam delivered its first PMGs for 5MW wind turbines in 2004 and its first high-power (rated 3.7MW) direct-drive PMG has been in operation since 2008.
Pierre Bastid, chief executive officer at Converteam, said: ’The generator will have the largest torque of any PMG built to date, and with this project we are making a big step in commercialising very large direct-drive wind generators. Alstom’s turbine will be one of the largest direct-drive wind turbines in the wind offshore market, and the largest to feature a direct-drive PMG.’
Alstom’s turbine has been developed for the wind conditions encountered in most offshore locations in Europe, the US and the rest of the world. Two prototypes will be installed in 2011 and 2012, a pre-series in 2013 (the final roll-out step before full commercialisation), and series production in 2014.
Other key features of the turbine include its very large rotor diameter — using the world’s longest turbine blades jointly developed with LM Wind Power — and 6MW power output.
In January, Alstom and EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF-EN) announced that, using this turbine, they would bid jointly for projects under a recently launched French offshore wind tender.
Readers' comments (7)
andy | 16 Mar 2011 4:52 pm
how much magnet material is used? given the uncertainty of supply and manufacture of these magnets how should we ensure an independant source of supply as competition for them increases?
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John Armstrong | 16 Mar 2011 5:01 pm
What a catastrophe for the UK that this significant step-forward for large wind turbine technology is being made by two French companies that used to be part of the old GEC which built the first British MW wind turbine power train on Orkney in the mid-80s. How sad that we have let it all slip away...
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William Andrews | 16 Mar 2011 5:51 pm
Well we wasted millions of pounds paid for by hard-pressed taxpayers in an organisation called energy technical support unit ETSU is spend the money on over mechanically complex vertical axis machines which destroyed themselves on the Welsh coast in strong winds over 30 years ago. North Sea oil was the worst thing that happened to this country as it stopped it having a real incentive to produce good renewables very sad but true. This
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David Cutter | 16 Mar 2011 6:58 pm
I'm surprised not to see any switched reluctance generators used in these applications. They have lots of advantages and, as I recall, no magnets.
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Anonymous | 16 Mar 2011 7:58 pm
NGenTec (a Scottish company) are developing 6MW+ PMGs with industrial partner David Brown. There is hope for a UK designed and manufactured generator for wind turbines!
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Virupakshagouda Patil | 17 Mar 2011 5:22 am
Good move. Need to check and know the weight constarin of the direct drive system.
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Anonymous | 25 Mar 2011 1:36 pm
Converteam may be French headquartered, but signifcant design and manufatcuring based in UK at Rugby and Near Stoke for Wind Turbine work
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