Ioxus, Inc., a manufacturer of premium performance ultracapacitor technology for transportation, alternative energy, medical, industrial and consumer product markets, announced it is providing ultracapacitors for pitch control and main control systems independently researched and developed by REenergy Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., a manufacturer of wind turbine power control systems in Suzhou, China.
This effort helps meet the wind power generation development requirement in China toward large power and offshore wind turbines.
With more than 14,000 turbine installations worldwide, ultracapacitors have confirmed their benefits over batteries, enabling electrical-based pitch control systems to fully capitalize on their reliability advantages. REenergy Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. has deployed ultracapacitors in its pitch control systems that are divided into low temperature, altiplano and offshore type systems. These systems match the 1.5MW, 2MW, 2.5MW, 3MW and 3.6MW variable speed and constant frequency needed for dual-fed or direct drive-type wind power generation equipment with three-cabinet, four-cabinet, six-cabinet and seven-cabinet types. The main control system is applicable for 1.5MW and 2.5MW wind power generation equipment.
“Estimates for new wind turbine installations worldwide through 2015 suggest a rebound in growth, confirming a need for us to provide wind pitch control systems that contain the most reliable energy storage technologies, such as ultracapacitors,” said Jianmin Fu, general manager of REenergy Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. “Ioxus enables us to deliver the best possible ultracapacitor technology quickly and efficiently with the goal of providing renewable energy to the Chinese market at an accelerated rate.”
“The use of an ultracapacitor in combination with a battery increases the overall power density and decreases the strain on the battery,” said Mark McGough, CEO of Ioxus. “Batteries struggle under moments of high peak power and perform poorly in low temperatures, their operating life is extremely limited, and they do a poor job of delivering the frequent, short power boosts wind turbines need to make rapid rotor blade adjustments and create electricity. Ioxus ultracapacitors offer a highly reliable option for REenergy Electric (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. that reduces their overall system size, while providing a higher energy density and storing a vast amount of energy in a small package.”
[mappress]
Offshore WIND staff, January 25, 2012; Image: ioxus