SatCon Power Systems Products

Alternative Energy Power Conversion > Wind Turbine Generator PCS

SatCon is developing products to support the further introduction of wind energy into the grid, with products available for sale within 12-18 months. The wind turbine market was estimated to be $8B in 2004 growing to an estimated $23.5B in 2010. The wind turbine market has been highly variable in the past when the availability of the production tax credit was the primary driving force for new wind installations. Now, state renewable portfolio standards are growing in importance, and the rising cost of natural gas is increasing the average price of electricity wind turbine producers receive.

SatCon is taking a two-pronged approach to providing highly reliable and robust power electronics for the wind industry: grid integration components and system electronics. Power from wind is variable due to the constantly changing conditions (even slightly), with only ‘brute force’ solutions currently available to stabilize low voltage situations. The Company will soon provide more capable ‘low voltage ride through’ (LVRT) solutions for wind energy providers as these products are becoming mandatory for both new and existing wind farm installations. Other opportunities exist to provide easy to incorporate modular power electronics for the wind turbine. Grid integration electronics and their supporting systems commonly represent 5%-to-10% of the value of wind farm installations.

SatCon's PowerGate™ AE-WP Series power converters for wind turbine applications are capable of variable speed control to maximize efficiency and output. Designs are available for doubly-fed induction motor generators or permanent magnet synchronous motor generators for machines from 250kw to 2MW and larger.