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And don't forget the Multibrid M5000!

http://www.multibrid.com/english/index.html

by Greco on Tue Jul 12th, 2005 at 07:41:13 AM EST
[ Parent ]
That's one of the mentioned two German prototypes that are larger.

The other is REpower's REpower 5M, another 5 MW unit but with more traditional technology.

The one giant in series production I mentioned (five in service, three in construction) is Enercon's E-112, a 4.5 MW critter. Enercon is the leading German manufacturer, they pioneered gearless turbines - which are more silent -, and were the first to aim towards 5 MW. However, on the low side, their unit has the largest head weight [weight of generator & its house, nacelle, and blades] among these giants - just compare the image below to Jérôme's NM-110 image.

One nearshore and two on-shore E-112s in construction (the latter two are the closest in the wind park in background, the one to the right without head yet)

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Tue Jul 12th, 2005 at 08:58:43 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Does anyone know of Enercon's entry into the North American market? I've seen that they have started a couple of small projects in Canada and that they have come to some sort of agreement with GE in regards to the variable speed patent issue but no details.
by jam on Tue Jul 12th, 2005 at 09:43:14 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Ah, that nice old case of industrial espionage... the parties agreed one year ago to drop all charges and to both continue to develop the technology. Apparently, GE feared patent rights won't be enough if its predecessor's dirty laundry is presented to court. (Yes, I'm speaking of yet another nastiness by Enron: they patented secrets stolen by three agents who broke into an Enercon turbine in 1994 - and at the time, Clinton's Department of Commerce played along with them.)

However, there are currently no Enercon turbines working or being built in the USA. Either that was an inofficial part of the agreement, or local connections have their effect. Even in Canada, they sold just a single turbine.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.

by DoDo on Tue Jul 12th, 2005 at 04:48:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Two colleagues of mine went to visit Enercon and got to climb inside that prototype. They tell me it's pretty impressive, and I'm sorry I missed it...

Enercon has a very different technology from other manufacturers, and they do everytyhing in house. It's generally considered to be a highly reliable technology, but hte company will face the same problem as Vestas, i.e. they are seen as too small to provide the necessary financial guarantees (to back up their technical performance commitments over a number of years) for the increasingly big projects that are being developed, and it is not clear ho long they will manage to remain independent.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Tue Jul 12th, 2005 at 06:06:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

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