There is a lot to be said for small companies because they are often considered quick and nimble when presented with actionable information. Large companies, on the other hand, are often considered a little slow on the uptake. GE, however, is big company with a big wind division that acts like a small, nimble firm.…
Turbine of the Month, June 2015: Siemens 2.3-120
AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan and Board Chair Mike Garland have set high goals for the wind industry. Garland, for instance, suggested working to create 140,000 MW of new wind power over the next 15 years. And lest you think the U.S. is nearing saturation, Oklahoma renewable-energy spokesperson Kylah McNabb suggested her state still has room…
Goldwind’s 2.5-MW direct-drive turbine
When many turbines have so much in common – gearboxes, general layouts, and geared pitch drives – it’s refreshing to find even a little out-of-the-box thinking. For instance, the Chinese engineers behind the Goldwind 2.5 PMDD (permanent magnet, direct-drive) have broken with convention in several areas. Most noticeably, there is no gearbox, a trouble-prone unit…
A high-yield turbine for low-wind locations
The N117/2400 from Nordex is the most recent addition to the company’s Gamma Generation of turbines. The model is intended for light-wind sites, creating power generating potential for previously nonviable locations across the nation. The company says that with a 2.4-MW max output, a 117-m rotor diameter, and a rotor sweep of 10,715 m2 (almost…
Direct drive needs only half the parts of conventional wind turbines
You get the impression that wind-turbine OEMs are shying away from designs that use gearboxes. Take the Siemens SWT-3.0-101 DD for instance. The company eliminated its gearbox and in the process eliminated about half the parts needed for a similarly sized gear-driven turbine. The 3-MW unit works with a 101-m dia. rotor with blades made…
4-MW direct drive headed offshore
A quick scan of recent news shows that U.S. coastal waters are the next big development area for wind plants. It makes sense to put the largest practical units in the steady winds offshore. GE, for one, says it will apply its experience to the offshore wind industry as it matures, growing from a 1.5…
Four Onboard Generators Mean Almost Never Having to Shut Down
The Liberty 2.5 MW wind turbine from Clipper Windpower, Carpenteria, Calif., is Windpower Engineering’s first Turbine of the Month because its unusual engineering features address common industry headaches, most of them in unscheduled maintenance. Downtime often comes from gearbox stresses, swapping out large components, and unscheduled crane call-outs. The company’s Quantum Drive distributed drive train…