By Carlo Cecchi, Director of Business Development at The Switch Chinese companies have been stepping up their global investment spree in the past 12 months. Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by private companies are becoming the key drivers of China’s outbound direct investment. Following an edict laid down by the government as part of its five-year plan of…
The Switch wins large repeat orders from major wind customers
The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications, has received repeat orders worth several millions of euros from major customers in the company’s core business area of wind. These repeat orders signal a strong belief in the company and provide a solid…
The Switch to be acquired by Yaskawa Electric Corporation
Yaskawa Electric Corporation announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications. This acquisition will support both companies’ strategic objectives and strengthen their international presence. The estimated schedule for closing the deal is…
Compact FusionDrive combines medium speed gearbox with PM generator
FusionDrive, a gearbox and generator that create what the developers call the smartest drive train combination available. FusionDrive offers optimal availability by harnessing all the advantages of medium-speed wind power generation technology. Developer, The Switch, says its compact size offers the lowest weight in the market. FusionDrive is the result of bringing together the wind power…
The big generator debate: Permanent magnet designs versus double-fed induction versions
This post is the introduction to a longer paper by The Switch, a manufacturer of permanent magnet generators and their support equipment. In the wind power industry, the debate on which generator and converter option makes for the best modern wind turbine drive trains is still raging. Numerous technology experts and industry commentators promote the…
The Switch: PMG with a FPC will emerge as drivetrain technology of choice
The Switch, manufacturer of permanent magnet generators and full-power converters, recently released a technology paper addressing the ongoing industry debate on drivetrain technology selection. With this paper, the Finnish manufacturer tackles the performance misconceptions still surrounding the main two drivetrain technologies that currently dominate the wind energy industry and explains why the permanent magnet generator (PMG)…
YASKAWA brings the full range of The Switch advanced drive trains to Japan
YASKAWA Electric Corporation, a global manufacturer of servomotors, controllers, inverters, and industrial robots, recently announced that it will be the sole supplier of The Switch megawatt-class permanent magnet generator (PMG) and full-power converter (PMG) advanced drive train packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications to the Japanese market. The Switch products will be…
The Switch 8.6 MW offshore PM generator passes initial no-load tests
The Switch, a manufacturer of permanent magnet generators and full-power converters, says its 8.6 MW permanent magnet generator (PMG) for offshore use has successfully passed initial no-load testing. The massive drive train component is scheduled to undergo complete full-load tests in the upcoming weeks. The Switch’s medium-speed, rear-mounted PMG design brings together the best of…
The Switch Model Factory sets full-power converter production’s record in China
Using a unique model of collaboration in China, The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator (PMG) and full-power converter (FPC) packages, has set up with its partner Scanfil, a global contract manufacturer and systems supplier for professional electronics, volume production of full-power wind turbine converter cabinets in record time and with exceptional quality,…
The Switch model factory sets full-power converter production’s record in China
Using a unique model of collaboration in China, The Switch, supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages, has set up with it’s partner Scanfil, a global contract manufacturer and systems supplier for professional electronics, volume production of full-power wind turbine converter cabinets in record time and with exceptional quality, setting a new…
The Switch and YASKAWA to form strategic cooperation
The Switch, supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications, and YASKAWA Electric Corporation (“YASKAWA”), a global manufacturer of servomotors, controllers, inverters, and industrial robots, recently announced they will enter into a strategic cooperation on high-power motors, generators and converters. By combining forces, the two…
The Switch signs new deal with PROKON, triples its order backlog
The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications, received orders for key wind power components from PROKON of Germany. Together with repeat agreements from China, the total order value The Switch received during June is over € 100 million, resulting in the…
The Switch calls for renewables industry to embrace Agile Positioning model
In a statement released today, The Switch called for the renewable energy sector to embrace Agile Positioning, an industrial model that allows for greater flexibility and responsiveness to market changes. “In the renewable energy industry, we can see enormous shifts during the past year from a mass-production, manufacturing focus to a more customer-centric approach. The…
The Switch selects David Ho as new board of directors member
The Switch, a supplier of megawatt-class permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages for wind power and other renewable energy applications, announces the addition of David Ho to the Board of Directors. The addition of Ho helps The Switch demonstrate its deep commitment to its customer base in China. Ho possesses an impressive professional history,…
The Switch 5-MW drivetrain now operating in Chinese offshore wind project
The Switch, a Finland-based supplier of permanent magnet generator (PMG) and full-power converter (FPC) packages, recently announced that its first 5-MW high-speed drivetrains installed in the field in China for CSIC (Chongqing) Haizhuang Windpower Equipment Co., Ltd (HZ Windpower), a Chinese wind power equipment manufacturer, are now successfully operating. The turbines operate continuously at 5…