Alstom receives $4.1m in wind research funding

• 13 years ago (2011-09-20)
• Junior Isles

North America 1021 Renewables 776

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Alstom has received $4.1m in research funding from the US Department of Energy (DOE) to develop advanced control systems and integrated sensors that increase cost-efficiency of offshore wind turbines.

The programme will develop technology to be utilised inside 6 MW turbines that will be engineered to specific conditions of US deep waters.

Alstom will work in partnership with several US research institutions including the National Renewable Energy Lab National Wind Technology Centre, Massachusetts Institute of Technology for Ships and Platforms Flow, and Texas Tech University Wind Science and Engineering Research Centre.

“We want to thank DOE for this grant and their continued leadership in promoting the development of offshore wind. We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with some of the premier research institutions in the US to help make offshore wind more cost effective and reliable”, said Andy Geissbuehler, vice president and general manager of Alstom’s North American wind power business.

“The new generation of 6 MW offshore wind turbines, whether using fixed or floating foundations, will require advanced control algorithms able to optimise their performance in terms of energy yield, dramatically reduce ultimate and fatigue loads and stabilise the full system dynamic behaviour. We are looking forward to contribute to the national effort to deploy offshore wind at the right cost and at the right time,”, he continued.

The grant is part of a $43 m fund the US DOE is looking to invest over the next five years in efforts to reduce the cost of offshore wind and remove market barriers to entry into the sector.