Alstom collaborates with Belwind

To test its new 6 MW direct drive offshore wind turbine at Belgian wind farm.

Global leader in power generation equipment and services Alstom has announced it will collaborate with Belgian wind farm developer Belwind with a view to demonstrating its next generation 6 MW direct drive offshore wind turbine as part of a demonstrator project in Belgium of approximately 40 megawatt (MW).

This innovative project, which is calling for EU funding under the NER300 scheme, would be developed over the period 2012-2015 at Phase 2 of the Belwind wind farm located on the Bligh Bank on the Belgian continental shelf, near the Belgian port of Zeebrugge in Flanders. Belwind will provide an essential proving ground for Alstoms new offshore wind turbine technology testing.

This highlights Alstoms pioneering offshore wind technology, which is endowed with design features that boost reliability and energy yield to cut the cost of electricity. These include the unique ALSTOM PURE TORQUE concept, which protects the generator from unwanted stress thereby boosting the turbines reliability. Alstoms offshore wind turbine features Converteams Advanced High Density (AHD) direct drive Permanent Magnet Generator which is a more compact and lightweight design compared to earlier generation direct drive systems. Alstoms offshore wind turbine also boasts the worlds longest wind turbine blades -developed in collaboration with LM Wind Power-, which enable the turbine to deliver a high energy yield, a key feature of Belwinds NER300 application for funding.

Alfonso Faubel, Alstom Powers Wind business Vice President, said: This partnership will benefit from Alstoms leading wind turbine technology, which improves reliability and lowers the cost of energy production, as well as from Belwinds proven offshore project execution and wind farm installation capabilities, as evidenced by the implementation of Belwind Phase I.

Alstoms offshore turbine has been designed to cut the end users cost of energy through the optimisation of the complete turbine package: The foundation design has been engineered to reduce its weight and thereby cut cost, while assembly and commissioning at port are maximised to reduce costly installation time at sea whilst in-service reliability is boosted by the use of fewer components.

We believe Alstoms innovative wind turbine technology will help the development of clean, reliable and efficient power plants, said Belwind CEO, Frank Coenen.

• 2011-03-15_Press Release Alstom_ Cooperation with Belwind