AMSC and Dongfang developing 5MW offshore turbine
In another sign of the ambition of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers, Dongfang Turbine Co. and American Superconductor (AMSC) are jointly developing a 5 megawatt (MW), full conversion machine for the worldwide offshore market.
The contract expands on a 2007 licensing deal with Dongfang for a 2.5MW turbine. The third largest Chinese wind turbine manufacturer is set to commission a prototype soon and will begin volume production in the second half of the year, AMSC says.
AMSC provides manufacturers with turbine designs through its Windtec subsidiary. The company also assists in setting up manufacturing and supplies turbine electrical components.
This latest joint-development deal with Dongfang gives the company exclusive rights to 5MW full-conversion turbine designs in China, AMSC says. The company “has aggressive plans to enter the global market with cutting-edge technologies” Dongfang vice general manager and chief engineer Wang Wei Min says in a statement.
A full-conversion turbine "enables the wind turbine generator to be decoupled from the grid, protecting the gearbox," AMSC says. "This design offers greater efficiency compared to Double Feb Induction (DF) generator designs and is a redundant system which provides protection in case of the failure of one converter."
It aims to have the 5MW offshore turbine on the market in 2012.
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