Uniform interface helps better manage farms with different turbines

The REguard Interface B IEC 61400-25 is available for any wind farm that uses REpower turbines. The system means the variety of interfaces that might be used in a wind farm can be replaced by a standardized, international version. Even wind farms with turbines from other manufacturers can be controlled with one interface. This considerably reduces project complexity and susceptibility to error. Operators benefit from more efficient operations and lower investment costs.

IEC 61400-25 describes the multi-manufacturer standardization of communication between the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system and wind farm components, such as the wind turbines or the wind-farm-management system. SCADA  monitors, controls, and it records power station and industrial systems data. REpower Systems is said to offer a comprehensive range of SCADA products under the REguard name. The product includes hardware and software for controlling the turbines, communicating with the wind farm, and visualizing the operating data.

The wind farms are connected by the internet with REguard. In the wind turbines, the REguard Control B control system monitors the operation and technical condition of the turbines with many sensors. This operating data is regularly transmitted to a data centre for user review.

The REguard Interface would be built into control systems of wind farm units. It needs no additional hardware or software. This gives the operator direct access to the turbines. Various wind farm units can also receive control signals to start, stop, and reset. The Power Management Unit can receive, process, and distribute target values over the wind farm units to regulate performance. The Interface also provides a report function in accordance with the IEC standard. Data includes analogue measured values, 10-minute mean values, digital signals, status information, data counters, control signals, and target values for controlling performance.

“The future speaks IEC”, says Repower Systems CTO Matthias Schubert.  “The managers of major power station portfolios must be in a position to “talk” to their turbines. All international wind turbine manufacturers, major energy suppliers, and the independent software manufacturers of SCADA systems are involved in the standardization work required for this. So we expect manufacturer-specific models to be replaced over the next few years by comprehensive systems”.

Repower Systems
www.repower.com

‘World’s longest blade’ finds work in the Belgian coast

Denmark-based LM Wind Power will deliver its 61.5-m blades for the 48 REpower 6M-type wind turbines which will be installed as part of phase II and III of the Thornton Bank Offshore Wind Farm off the Belgian coast. The 144 LM 61.5P2 blades will be supplied from the company’s facility in Lunderskov.

LM Wind Power’s VP Sales & Marketing, Ian Telford commented, “The LM 61.5P2 currently is the world’s longest blade in serial production. This contract increases our long-term visibility in North Europe and secures our commitment to the local area.”

Thornton Bank is located around 28 kilometers off the Belgian coast in waters between 12 and 27-m deep. It currently comprises six REpower 5M-type wind turbines with a rated power of 5-MW each. It was officially put into operation at the end of June 2009. In the first half-year of operation, it achieved a technical availability rate of 94%; in the second, this increased to 97%.

LM Wind Power www.lmwindpower.com

From Germany, with love and 1.8 MW

The new MM100 wind turbine, introduced at November’s CanWEA Canadian wind energy trade fair, has been developed for the North American wind market and will be available in a 60-Hz version with an 80-m tower height and a 1.8 MW rating. The turbine, from REpower in Germany, is for use in areas with low wind speeds. The 100-m rotor, about 18m more than other turbines, will assist in energy capture. New LM 48.9P Evolution rotor blades, developed jointly by LM Glasfiber and REpower, are used on the MM100. The turbine’s power cabling, conductor rails, and converter are modified for best grid properties in comparison with the other models in the series. The first pilot turbines are scheduled for installation as early as the end of 2011. Series production of the MM100 is set for mid-2012.

The turbine’s high net-capacity factor is of interest to owners. Locations with limited network feed-in capacity are common in the U.S. In these cases, it is better if the turbine achieves rated power quickly and thus makes the best possible use of the defined installation power.

REpower Systems has produced the MM series since 2002, starting with the MM70 with a 70-m rotor. The following year, the Hamburg-based wind turbine manufacturer launched its MM82 turbine with an 82-meter diameter. Following in 2005 was the MM92, a variant with a larger rotor, which is already at work on many American wind farms, along with a cold climate version in Canada. REpower CTO Matthias Schubert says: “When developing the MM100, we were able to build on our experience with over 1,700 MM-series turbines installed across the world. The turbine is based on the same reliable and maintenance-friendly concept as its predecessors.”

Repower Systems AG
repower.de

Who’s offshore?

Many companies exhibited their offshore inventory at the AWEA conference in Atlantic City earlier in October. Here’s a look at a few and what they have to offer.

Vestas V112 3.0-MW offshore turbine

The V112-3.0MW Offshore is designed to take full advantage of wind conditions at sea. It’s well suited for high offshore wind speeds and low turbulence and has the IEC IB offshore wind classification. It features what the company calls the GridStreamer, which has a permanent magnet generator to ensure wider opertaion range of the turbine and reduced loss of power, along with a full-scale converter that offers excellent grid support, reduced drive-train loads, and high energy productions over a greater range of wind speeds. Other features include:

-large rotor diam. (112 m), 54.65-m blades for high yield even at low (below 12 m/s) and medium wind speeds

-nacelle cover has the ability to close the integrated air intake holes and service hatches, and is 6.8 m installed (3.4 m for transport)

-The GridStreamer has the ability to continue to operate even during a severe grid voltage drop, converting excess power to heat and being able to quickly down-rate to 20%

-voltage range is 0.9-1.1 pu, frequency is 47-53 Hz, max short-circuit level 25kA, power factor range: 0.9 capacitive/0.83 inductive (HV transformer)

REpower 6M offshore turbine

REpower’s 6M offshore wind turbine stems from its 5M predecessor. The IEC IB class design is based on the company’s philosophies including conservative component design, ease of transportation, and grid compatibility. The turbine has a safety system including individually adjustable blades (electrically controlled), redundant temperature and speed sensing system, lightning protection, rotor holding brake with soft-brake function, and automatic fire protection system. Other features include:

-a power rating of 6,150 kW

-offshore cut-in wind speed of 14 m/s and cut-out at 30 m/s

-rotor diam. is 126 m, with fiberglass-reinforced plastic rotor blades 61.5 m

-hub height is 85-95 m (site specific)

-frequency is 50 Hz

Siemens SWT-2.3 and 3.6 offshore turbine

Rotor blades are made of fiberglass-reinforced epoxy and manufactured through what the company calls its Integralblade process. This means the blades are cast in one piece in a closed process, leaving no weak points at glue joints. An automatic lubrication system for major components of the nacelle (main shaft, gear box, and yaw system) enables continued operation even if maintenance is severely delayed by weather.  The offshore turbines are normally mounted on tubular steel towers fitted with internal hoists and comply with all relevant grid codes due to a NetConverter system that uses full conversion of the generated power. Other features of the 3.6 include:

-107-m diameter, blade length 52 m, and hub height 80 m or site specific

-3,600-kW generator with 690 V

-cut-in wind speed of 3-5 m/s and cut-out of 25 m/s

-NetConverter system is a modular arrangement for easy maintenance. Power is transferred by DC from rectifier installed in nacelle to inverter in tower bottom, minimizing cabling losses and avoided complications  from nacelle-mounted transformer

GE 4.0-110  offshore turbine

Growing from a 3-MW turbine in 2005, to a 3.5-MW model in 2007, GEdevelops its 4.0-MW offshore turbine in 2010. The turbine is built around a permanent magnet generator, delivering high efficiency at low wind speed. With direct-drive technology, the turbine removes the single most costly failure in offshore, gearboxes, and replaces it with reliable, slow-speed  components designed for the offshore environment. With a spacious nacelle and internal hub access, the IEC class turbine offers maintenance and safety advantages. Other features include:

-rotor diameter of 110 m

-cut-in wind speed of 3 m/s and cut out of 25 m/s

-At just 10 rpm, magnets at the rotor tip move at about 188 m/min. The generator’s 20 sections or modules allow replacing a portion of it without a complete removal of the 90-ton unit.

-Two main bearings transfer axial and bending loads from rotor to bedplate for higher reliability. The unit also sports continuous close-wind tracking to capture more energy.

-No yaw brakes or hydraulics.

Gamesa G11X 5.0-MW offshore turbine

A progression from the G10X 4.5-MW turbine, Gamesa is developing the G11X designed for variable and often extreme marine conditions, inclement weather, and challenging accessibility. A multi-variable control system minimizes blade vibration and reduces blade loads up to 30%. A permanent magnet generator and full converter comply with demanding grid code and connection requirements. Because of it’s modular design, the system keeps running even if any of the individual modules fail. A two-stage planetary integrated gear box with dual bearing design improves reliability by using fewer parts and avoiding the use of high speed bearings. The blades feature an airfoil design and the nacelle is designed to be spacious for technicians and tools, helping to reduce overall maintenance times and ensure safety. Gamesa has partnered with American shipbuilder Northrop Grumman to launch a prototype in the U.S. The two companies plan to install two of the turbines by 2012. Other features include:

-rotor diameter of 115 m

-3 upwind blades

-hub height adapted to site requirement (75-100 m)

First offshore wind conference blows through Atlantic City

The first North American Offshore Wind Conference & Exhibition was held this week in Atlantic City, N.J.  Hosted by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), in collaboration with the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA), the three-day conference and expo brought more than 1,500 wind industry leaders, government officials, and business executives to Atlantic City.

The conference highlighted what’s happening in the emerging offshore wind energy industry: development opportunities throughout the coastal and lake regions of North America, potential rewards of becoming a player in the offshore space, financing options and challenges, and even project design and siting options. The expo show floor featured more than 120 exhibiting companies from the offshore wind market.

“Offshore wind energy is the new frontier for our industry,” says Denise Bode, CEO of AWEA. “While offshore wind is steadily gaining momentum in the U.S., the reality is that other countries are expanding their lead in this sector.  It is essential to send this exciting market a clear signal, through long-term and stable policy, that the U.S. is committed to making offshore wind a reality. Only through such a signal can the U.S. attract the manufacturing facilities and associated jobs needed to support the industry.”

The event began with an opening session featuring Interior Secretary Ken Salazar’s keynote speech. “Our nation’s energy policy is at the forefront of the Department’s agenda,” he said. “Now, more than ever, we must embrace the energy potential our lands and oceans hold.  With the help of AWEA’s initiatives and continued support, we can make the transition to a clean-energy economy a reality.”

Salazar made a huge step in this transition when after his speech he signed a lease with Cape Wind authorizing construction of the first U.S. offshore wind farm in Massachusetts. Cape Wind President Jim Gordon is glad to see offshore construction launch for the nation. “Our feeling is that America needs all the renewable energy we can get,” he says. “My best wishes go out to all the others now looking up and down the East coast to build offshore wind farms.”

Conferences featured discussions of offshore wind development issues such as resource assessment, supply chain issues, government involvement, metocean measurement, project planning, and transmission considerations. Attendees were also offered tours of the existing Jersey-Atlantic wind farm, the first coastal wind farm in the U.S.

Atlantic City was selected as the venue for the conference in light of New Jersey’s offshore wind potential and the strong policy signals the state has already given the industry.  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act into law on July 19, 2010.  The Act will provide $100 million in tax credits for offshore wind developments in the Atlantic Ocean that connect to the New Jersey grid.

As Sec. Salazar noted in his speech, with 1.75 billion acres of oceans U.S. offshore wind resources are vast. Offshore wind farms therefore offer something that is extremely valuable for the economy, environment, and energy security: a source of clean, domestic, inexhaustible energy to meet fast-growing electricity demand. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 54 GW of offshore wind will be included in the 300 GW required to meet 20% of the U.S. electricity needs in 2030.

Companies exhibiting at the show shared their ideas and products developed to be part of that energy production.

For one, Gamesa will launch their G11X, a 5-MW offshore turbine in 2013, a progression of their G10X onshore turbine. REpower is also planning to lunch their MM100, 1.8-MW offshore turbine exclusively for the North American market. The company also shows off their 6M offshore turbine of 6.15-MW.

The show signifies that offshore development is indeed the next step toward clean energy in North America, and those in all aspects of the market are making plans to utilize the wind resources available. It is likely that by next year’s conference, offshore farms will be generating energy and the industry will be learning fast and looking to expand even further.

Repower has one GW installed in France

REpower Systems AG passed the 1GW milestone of wind energy systems installed in France. “One GW roughly corresponds to the output from one to two conventional electric power plants,” says Olivier Perot, Managing Director of Repower S.A.S. The manufacturer has installed about 500 turbines across the country since 2002. This corresponds to 20% of France’s existing wind-energy capacity. Alongside its activities in the sale, installation, and maintenance of onshore turbines, REpower expects to participate in offshore wind energy. France announced the start of the round of tenders for autumn 2010.

With a market share of more than 20% last year, the company was the second largest manufacturer of wind turbines in the French market. The company was established in 2002 as Les Vents de France, a joint venture between the German REpower Systems AG and the Belgian Turbowinds S.A. The first wind energy system, a 1.5-MW MD77 turbine, was erected the same year in the Champagne-Ardennes region. Since 2003, the company, renamed REpower S.A.S., belongs entirely to the REpower Group and now employs about 150 people.

Communities to own utililty-sized wind projects

Traditional wind plant developers often say their work benefits landowners by providing them with royalty or lease payments. While such an arrangement does provide some benefit to the community, the business model makes little provision for ownership or local participation.
One community-based wind project in Minnesota works on another principle of making the landowners the project owners of their community-based wind farm. The arrangement, for example, Lake Country Wind Energy LLC gives ownership interest to those who donate land to the project along with the opportunity to influence its development. Such community involvement fosters camaraderie and growth within the company and the neighborhood. The business model is to form the LLC so that the land owners need not put money into the project. “With a lease agreement and at least 500 acres, they get a unit of stock in the company,” says National Wind spokeswoman Erin Edholm.
This development model, promoted by National Wind, Minneapolis, also works to build larger wind farms than are usually associated with community-wind efforts. “Lake Country, for example, will begin working on the first of a several phases by building 40 MW of wind power and eventually finish with some 340 MW in a footprint that will cover over 25,000 acres,” says Edholm.
Community wind projects often get started when land owners call a development firm looking for opportunities. “Groups that have tried to go it alone often get stuck in the complexity and turn for assistance to other organizations like ours,” says Edholm. “Then we look to partner with 10 to 20 land owners, people we call founders.
On occasion the founders put capitol in to get the operation rolling. A board of advisors, a smaller number, are appointed from the initial founders. These are local people, so they know the local issues. We meet with them on a regular basis to provide updates and listen to their issues. They are our eyes and ears into the project,” she says.
Occasionally, the board requires changes to the lease. “For example, it could be to the provisions for the setback from a road or building, or how they are compensated for the land use, where access roads are built, or to the underground lines that connect to the grid. Occasional concerns are for how the turbines might interfere with crop farming,” she adds.
Payments to landowners vary with their involvement in the project. Some receive leases for their land and others get acreage payments, an operational payment the land owners get for the acres in the project. Edholm says her company has completed two community wind projects and has 11 more in development.
Lake Country Wind Energy has just over 150 participating landowners and eight board members, all people from the community which is mostly of agricultural land. The project started in the summer of 2008 with a site assessment. “We’ve now collected over a year’s worth of wind data from the footprint’s meteorological tower. With that data, our wind assessments team will be able to place turbines at the most productive locations,” says National Wind Field Specialist Jan Donahue.
The first construction phase will put up 20 REpower 2.0 MW turbines. REpower USA Corp., in Denver, has installed or sold more than 400 wind turbines with a total output of over 800 MW in the U.S. since 2007. These were chosen by competitive bids and from wind studies showing that such turbines of the size selected are best for the wind measured on the sites.
Following construction projects in Washington, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan and California, these are the first wind turbines that the U.S. subsidiary of Hamburg-based REpower Systems AG will deliver to Minnesota. WPE

Communities to own utility-sized wind projects

Traditional wind plant developers often say  their work benefits landowners by providing  them with royalty or lease payments. While such an arrangement does provide some benefit to the community, the business model makes little provision for ownership or local participation.

One community-based wind project in Minnesota works on another principle of making the landowners the project owners of their community-based wind farm. The arrangement, for example, at Lake Country Wind Energy LLC gives ownership interest to those who donate land to the project along with the opportunity to influence its development. Such community involvement fosters camaraderie and growth within the company and the neighborhood. The business model is to form the LLC so that the land owners need not put money into the project. “With a lease agreement and at least 500 acres, they get a unit of stock in the company,” says National Wind spokeswoman Erin Edholm.

This development model, promoted by National Wind, Minneapolis, also works to build larger wind farms than are usually associated with community-wind efforts. “Lake Country, for example, will begin working on the first of a several phases by building 40 MW of wind power and eventually finish with some 340 MW in a footprint that will cover over 25,000 acres,” says Edholm.

Community wind projects often get started when land owners call a development firm looking for opportunities. “Groups that have tried to go it alone often get stuck in the complexity and turn for assistance to other organizations like ours,” says Edholm. “Then we look to partner with 10 to 20 land owners, people we call founders.

On occasion the founders put capitol in to get the operation rolling. A board of advisors, a smaller number, are appointed from the initial founders. These are local people, so they know the local issues. We meet with them on a regular basis to provide updates and listen to their issues. They are our eyes and ears into the project,” she says.

Occasionally, the board requires changes to the lease. “For example, it could be to the provisions for the setback from a road or building, or how they are compensated for the land use, where access roads are built, or to the underground lines that connect to the grid. Occasional concerns are for how the turbines might interfere with crop farming,” she adds.

Payments to landowners vary with their involvement in the project. Some receive leases for their land and others get acreage payments, an operational payment the land owners get for the acres in the project. Edholm says her company has completed two community wind projects and has 11 more in development.

Lake Country Wind Energy has just over 150 participating landowners and eight board members, all people from the community which is mostly of agricultural land. The project started in the summer of 2008 with a site assessment. “We’ve now collected over a year’s worth of wind data from the footprint’s meteorological tower. With that data, our wind assessments team will be able to place turbines at the most productive locations,” says National Wind Field Specialist Jan Donahue.

The first construction phase will put up 20 REpower 2.0 MW turbines. REpower USA Corp., in Denver, has installed or sold more than 400 wind turbines with a total output of over 800 MW in the U.S. since 2007. These were chosen by competitive bids and from wind studies showing that such turbines of the size selected are best for the wind measured on the sites.

Following construction projects in Washington, Oregon, Indiana, Michigan and California, these are the first wind turbines that the U.S. subsidiary of Hamburg-based REpower Systems AG will deliver to Minnesota.

REpower contracts 143 MW with enXco in California

REpower Systems AG has signed a delivery agreement  for up to 143.5 megawatts with the enXco – the American arm of the French EDF Energies Nouvelles Company. The 70 2.05 MW REpower MM92 turbinesare intended for a wind farm project in the West Coast market for delivery in mid-2011.

REpower and enXco have already been cooperating in the USA since 2006 and have implemented a series of wind farm projects in California, Washington and Indiana. With this contract, REpower USA Corp. has installed or sold 390 wind turbines in the US which combine to nearly 800 MW of renewable wind energy.

Steve Dayney, CEO of REpower USA Corp., says “A high degree of trust has been developed through what has become a multi-year collaboration with enXco and EDF EN. This new order from our customer strengthens our presence and competitiveness in the US wind energy market.”

“This order reflects our need to secure turbines for the recovering West Coast market where enXco is very well positioned due to the quality of the sites we have secured in California and the Pacific Northwest”, stated Tristan Grimbert, president & CEO of enXco. “This conditional order demonstrates our continued strength in project development and ability to successfully procure turbines.”

5-MW turbine intended for on and offshore

The REpower 5M takes company technology to a larger dimension. With a rated power of 5 MW and a rotor diameter of 126 m, the 5M is one of the largest and most powerful wind turbines in the world. The unit, says REpower, Portland, Oreg., sets new standards for the economic viability of windfarms, especially in offshore installations. Windfarms with turbines of this output power are similar to conventional power plants. This in turn puts high demands on the control and regulation system because it is essential to optimize integration into the power grid. REpower says the 5M shows how compatibility with the grid can be improved. The company says its modular structure and logistical flexibility makes the 5M suitable for onshore and offshore installations. The offshore version withstands extreme environmental conditions thanks to redundancy of key components, effective protection against corrosion, and a permanent monitoring system.

The table includes a few specs.