• H2020
• Societal Challenges
• Energy

Envision Energy, a world leading smart energy solution provider, has announced that it aims to install a superconductive generator on one of its most advanced wind turbines.

The product named EcoSwing generator is designed for a +3 MW class direct drive turbine and will provide enough electricity to power 1,000 households. The EcoSwing generator is thought to be the first superconductive generator designed for a wind turbine and promises a step change in generator development. The product has received funding from Horizon 2020.

Anders Rebsdorf, head of Envision’s Global Innovation Centre, commented: “After years of research, superconductivity has finally matured to a level where it can be considered for testing and demonstration on a full-sized wind turbine. The EcoSwing DD generator will be one of the most ambitious superconductive systems in terms of torque density, and we are proud to spearhead this important milestone project.”

The key advantage of the EcoSwing generator is a weight saving of more than 40% compared to conventional direct drive generators. For the entire nacelle, this results in 25% less weight and proportionally less material usage. Furthermore, EcoSwing technology dramatically reduces rare-earth material reliance, a commodity of scarce supply and price fluctuations. The consortium composed of members from industry and science thus anticipates that EcoSwing drive-train will result in a competitive solution compared to direct drive or geared solution.

Speaking about the market impact, Rebsdorf added: “The potentials for a light-weight and competitive Envision HTS® generator are truly exciting. The EcoSwing technology can be an important advancement in our continuous quest for lowering cost of renewable energy.”

EcoSwing addresses multidisciplinary aspects of R&D and will advance industrial superconductivity, cryogenics and power conversion. To address technology implementation, the consortium will carry out risk studies and assess regulatory aspects.

After thorough ground-based testing in a certified laboratory, the EcoSwing generator is planned to operate for over one year on a large scale modern wind turbine in Denmark.