ABB, is showcasing its offering and capabilities for the wind industry this year at EWEA 2013 that will take place in Vienna from 4-7 February, including solutions to maximize the efficiency of wind turbines and to integrate intermittent wind power to the grid.
It will also present its vision for future transmission grids that can interconnect existing point-to-point direct current (DC) electricity links, helping countries and continents pool resources, balance loads and reinforce existing AC transmission networks. As demand for electricity and climate concerns both increase, renewable energy will play a key role and such grids can facilitate its reliable and efficient integration and transmission. ABB’s recently announced historical breakthrough of the development of an HVDC breaker removes a major technical stumbling block in fulfilling the vision of such a grid.
ABB provides a wide range of products, integrated solutions and expertise that enable the efficient generation of wind power and its smooth integration into the grid. The display at stand G50 in Hall A will include key components for wind connection such as cables and converters, switchgears, transformers, energy storage solutions, as well as control and protection solutions.
A 7 MW electrical drivetrain will be on show incorporating ABB’s new medium-speed permanent magnet generators and medium voltage converters. Medium speed design offers many benefits for turbine manufacturers and end-users, such as cost-effective serial production of components for the offshore market.
ABB also presents its 72 kV offshore wind farm collection grid products, including PASS switchgear, and oil-filled Slender and dry type transformers specially designed to fit inside the wind turbines. The products help to reduce the cost of energy losses during transmission. Another highlight of the booth will be a demonstration of how ABB’s wind lightning protection solutions can avoid damage to wind turbines caused by transient over-voltages from lighting current.
The Tropos wireless communications solution for wind farms will be exhibited. These high speed, low latency communication networks enable valuable applications for wind power integration. Tropos networks meet the stringent requirements of remote and offshore wind farms in harsh environments.
“ABB has over 30 years of experience in the wind industry, with in-depth know-how and reliable products. We’re continuously investing in technology research and development to help the industry grow and to make wind a competitive source of renewable energy,” said Alfredo Parres, head of ABB’s Wind Industry Sector Initiative.
The booth will also host Pentalum (www.pentalum.com), in which ABB has a strategic investment. Its SpiDAR™ is an innovative, cost effective pulsed wind LiDAR system for remote sensing of wind, to be used in resource assessment campaigns, power curve measurements and wind forecasting.
During EWEA’s conference session, ABB will give presentations on the design and testing of a 7 MW electrical drivetrain, and on the mitigation of sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) disturbances.
[info] www.abb.com
www.ewea.org/annual2013/
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