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- Category: Product News
Second Wind Inc has announced the availability of a Modbus port for its Nomad 2 data logger. Nomad 2 now easily connects to SCADA systems, wireless networks and PC-based weather station/web servers. Modbus is a widely supported industrial serial communications protocol, used by programmable controllers, measurement equipment and data concentrators. Implementing Modbus on Nomad 2 provides a rugged stand-alone data logger that can monitor up to 12 anemometers and 8 other devices, record the data on a compact flash card, transmit e-mail via cellular modem, and respond to data queries from a SCADA or network master. Nomad 2 incorporates the Modbus protocol with no hardware modifications. The device port, a standard feature on the Nomad 2, transmits Modbus when the Nomad has version 3.14 of firmware or higher and is appropriately configured. Any Nomad 2 can be customer-upgraded in the field or even remotely to take advantage of this new capability.
- Category: Product News
iXSea has announced the success of the scale model Ampelmann Project, which they have sponsored. The ‘Ampelmann Project’, a research project to improve the access rate for maintenance of offshore wind turbines, is being led by the Delft University of Technology, in the Netherlands, and funded by the Dutch Government through Novem under the DEN framework. To date a scale model has been tested successfully; the next phase will involve building a full size prototype. The purpose of the Ampelmann Project is to develop a vessel-mounted transfer system that can be operated safely for more than 90% of the year. The 100MW Near Shore Wind Park off the Dutch coast has been selected as the reference site.
- Category: Product News
Plans have been lodged for a roof-mounted wind turbine in the heart of one of the industrial estates in Perth (Scotland). Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has applied to Perth and Kinross Council for the small turbine, which will be based at Dunkeld Road, Perth, and measures four square metres. The move is part of SSE’s £293,000 agreement with Edinburgh-based Renewable Devices Swift Turbines Ltd, which is over a 30-month period. As a result, SSE expects to place nearly 2,000 orders, worth up to £9 million, over the next three years. The wind turbine is expected to provide 30% of the electricity needs of an average semi-detached house and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.8 tonnes per year.
- Category: Product News
A V90-3.0MW offshore wind turbine from Vestas has to produce electricity for just 6.8 months before it has produced as much energy as used throughout its design lifetime. In other words, this turbine model earns its own worth more than 35 times during its design lifetime. Furthermore, compared to the V80-2.0MW offshore wind turbine, the 6.8 months is an improvement of approximately 2.2 months. Also, if installed on a good site, the V90-3.0MW wind turbine will generate approximately 280,000MWh in 20 years. These are two of the results from a life cycle assessment (LCA) that Vestas completed of a V90-3.0MW wind turbine in 2004.
- Category: Product News
ABB is currently spotlighting one of its new products developed in recent years: HVDC Light. This is a design enhancement of the traditional HVDC (high voltage direct current) transmission technology. The company’s main priority in the area of offshore wind generation has been creating appropriate solutions for the transmission of the power to the mainland and feeding it into the existing high voltage grid. Technical studies have shown that traditional three-phase current technology reaches its limits in this situation.
- Category: Product News
The world’s largest wind turbine, a 120m behemoth capable of generating 5MW at full output, has been officially inaugurated and connected to the German electrical grid. The ‘5M’ turbine, designed and built by Germany’s REpower, was officially inaugurated at a dedication event in Germany with over 600 guests from business and politics. In a symbolic gesture, the turbine was activated by the German Federal Minister for the Environment, Jurgen Trittin. The turbine’s LM Glasfibre 61.5m rotor blades are constructed of a glass and carbon fibre hybrid-fabric that is held together with synthetic resins. REpower said the materials contributed to significant weight reductions for the blades. Each blade is equipped with its own electrical pitch system. Winds as low as 3.5m/s will disengage the electromagnetic disc brakes and the turbine should have peak performance during winds of 13m/s. Winds of 25m/s or more will cause the turbine to cut out. The nacelle was designed with a helicopter platform on the roof for ease of access in offshore applications, for which the turbine was designed. During prototype testing the 5M will remain onshore, although offshore projects are in the making. REpower worked on the 5M project with LM Glasfibre, Offshore Wind Technologie and the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (Greece).
