14pesgm2726 - IEEE Power and Energy Society

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Harnessing More Wind Power
with Less Material
Matthew Richwine
[email protected]
July 30th, 2014
IEEE PES GM
Washington DC
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Growth of Industry
Source: AWEA, 1Q 2014 [1]
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Growth of GE Fleet
USA
(15,268 units/ 23,554MW)
Canada
(1,195 units/1,811MW)
EMEA
(3,433 units/ 6,197 MW)
Latin America
(401 units/ 651MW)
China
(985 units/1,474 MW)
India
(180 units/268 MW)
APAC
(369 units/ 622 MW)
Global… 21,837 units/ 34,003 MW
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As of Q3 2013
© 2014 General Electric Company.
Evolution of GE wind products
1,000th
Units >>
2.5s (88m)
Model introduction
1.5i (65m) 1.5s (70.5m)
‘96
‘02
‘03
2.5xl (100m)
1.5sle (77m)
‘04
‘05
2.75-100
1.5xle (82.5m)
‘06
20,000th
10,000th
5,000th
‘07
1.6-82.5
‘08
‘09
2.5-120
2.85-103
2.75-103
1.85-82.5 3.21.6-100 1.85-87 103
1.7-100
‘10
‘11
‘12
‘13 ‘14
GE enters
wind industry
1.5s
1.5sle
1.6.82.5
1.6-100
2x  in capacity factor, 50%  in output …
© 2013 General Electric Company
2.5-120
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Challenges of Scale
Mass outpaces power capacity as wind turbine size increases for
a given technology
• Power increase is approximately
quadratic (swept area)
• Mass increase is approximately
cubic (material volume)
Wind Turbine Component Overview
Source: AWEA [1]
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Steel Tube Tower Design
• 4 20+m tube tower sections
• Transportation challenges due to weight
and size (diameter & length)
• Tower cost is a significant portion of
turbine cost
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Steel Tube Tower Limits
Imagine a 130+ meter tube tower…
• For structural integrity, tube thickness at the
bottom must increase
• Increased thickness  increased weight …
run into shipping constraints
• Shipping constraints for tube tower sections
to be shorter
• More, thicker tower sections… cost
increases quickly
• Shipping cost, assembly cost… not to
mention raw material cost
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Enabler…Space Frame Tower
Weight savings: >25% for 96m tower height
100% on-site assembly
Shipping in standard containers
Large-diameter base increases stiffness
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Tower Assembly
Economics hinges on efficient assembly
Sections built on ground, then stacked x8
(4 for tube) 96m towers
Key Components:
• Structural fabric exterior with a
tensioning system
• Maintenance-free bolts – ~4000
fasteners on space frame tower
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Low Voltage Electrical System
Low-voltage systems – power cable intensive
In a 100MW (2.75MW Type 4) wind farm,
• ~55 miles of power cable (Cu + Al)
• ~150,000 kg of conductor (Cu + Al)
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Medium Voltage Electrical System
Generator
Component Impact
Generator:
MV stator winding,
insulation system
Cables:
MV cables, concentric
neutral with torsional
capability
Sync switch:
Increased voltage rating
Transformer:
3-Winding transformer
G
6000V
Stator
Circuit
Sync
Switch
Transformer
Gearbox
GBX
690V
Rotor
Circuit
~/~
Converter
Grid
Connection
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MV Enables Material Savings
Low voltage rotor with relatively low slip power
Majority of power flows through MV path
Reduction in losses
𝑃𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 = 𝐼2 𝑅
Example:
In a 100MW (Type 3) wind farm
• ~33 miles of power cable (Cu + Al)
• ~75,000kg of conductor (Cu + Al)
50% reduction in power cable mass
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Conclusions
• Cost is still critically important
• Innovation, changing technologies allows a side-step of
normal trade-offs
• Results in more wind power with less material for a lower cost
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References
[1] AWEA (American Wind Energy Association) www.awea.org

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