Alstom, Converteam Partner On 6 MW Offshore Wind Turbine

Alstom (ALO.PA) and Converteam are collaborating on the world’s largest direct drive permanent magnet generator (PMG) for a wind turbine.

As a first step Converteam will equip Alstom’s two 6 MW offshore wind turbine prototypes that will be installed onshore and offshore in Europe during winter 2011 and in 2012.

Alstom is working to develop next generation wind turbine technology that will bring down the cost of energy (COE) of offshore wind. The collaboration will pair Alstom’s so-called Pure Torque technology with Converteam’s direct drive PMG.

The Pure Torque system is designed to protect and improves generator performance by diverting unwanted stresses from the wind to the turbine’s tower. Only turning force, or torque, is transmitted to the generator..

“Direct drive” systems have no mechanical gearbox coupled to the generator. Their low number of rotating parts increases reliability. The use of a “permanent magnet” generator is said to create better generation efficiencies and even greater overall mechanical reliability, which is critical in offshore wind where reliability is fundamental.

Converteam delivered their first permanent magnet generators for 5 MW wind turbines in 2004, and their first high power (rated 3.7MW) direct drive PMG has been in operation since 2008.

Pierre Bastid, CEO of Converteam, said: “We’re very proud to be Alstom’s partner for this exciting and innovative project. The generator will have the largest torque of any Permanent Magnet Generator built to date, and with this project, we are making a big step in commercializing very large direct drive wind generators. Alstom’s turbine will be one of the largest direct drive wind turbines in the wind offshore market, and the largest to feature a Direct Drive Permanent Magnet Generator.”

Alstom’s turbine has been developed for the wind conditions encountered in most offshore locations in Europe, the US and the rest of the world. Two prototypes will be installed in 2011 and 2012, a pre-series in 2013 (the final rollout step before full commercialization), and series production in 2014.

Other key features of the turbine include its very large rotor diameter–using the world’s longest turbine blades jointly developed with LM Wind Power–and 6 MW power output.

In January Alstom and EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF-EN) announced that, using this turbine, they would bid jointly for projects under the recently launched 3 GW French offshore wind tender.