Northern Power Systems landed a US$2.0 million cooperative agreement with the US Department of Energy (DOE) to advance the development of the company's NorthWind 100 (NW 100) wind turbine.
The Northern team includes major subcontractor GE Energy, which will participate in the design effort through its Wind Energy segment, and the GE Global Research Center. The DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and its National Wind Technology Center will be providing technical assistance on the project.
Northern's next generation turbine will combine the latest in wind turbine component technologies, including new blade, generator and power electronics designs. Expected to run over a two-year period, this agreement brings together two US wind energy technology development companies: Northern Power Systems – reportedly the nation's oldest renewable energy integrator, with several significant advanced technology development projects presently underway – and GE Energy, one of the world's leading suppliers of technology and products to the energy industry and the wind turbine market.
The Northern team will share 30% of the cost of the project, which is aimed at accelerating commercialization of next generation wind turbine technology and capitalizing on Northern's position as an open-technology provider of power systems integration and engineering services.
"The decision to work together to further develop Northern's NorthWind 100 turbine into a world-class product reflects our joint commitment to the mid-size turbine market and to commercializing these products in the U.S. and abroad," said Jito Coleman, president of Northern Power Systems.
According to Jonathan Lynch, director of technology at Northern, the wind energy group will organize its efforts around three areas of the wind energy value chain:
1) research and development,
2) wind turbine generator system component
development and complete drive train and turbine development,
3) technology licensing. Northern will continue to seek government and industry partners to explore and enhance wind power technologies.
Northern will immediately seek to engage with marketers and manufactures to leverage its extensive capabilities for contract manufacturing and design and technology licensing. The NW 100 commercialization work with GE Energy is the first such undertaking.
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