Nordex to unveil new wind turbines at EWEA 2011

Nordex SE will be unveiling its new N117/2400 wind power system at the European wind power conference EWEA, which is taking place on March 14-17, 2011 in Brussels.

With a nominal output of 2.4 megawatts (MW), the Gamma Generation turbine has been specially developed for inland locations. Thanks to a rotor diameter of 117 meters and a rotor sweep of 10,751 square meters, the N117/2400 is the highest-yielding IEC 3 turbine in its class. In typical inland regions, it will achieve a capacity of over 3,500 full-load hours, thus exceeding other turbines in this category by 20 percent. This translates into a capacity factor of 40 percent.

As a result, Nordex customers using the N117/2400 will be able to achieve high and steady electricity production in regions characterized by lighter winds. The acoustic power level is a maximum 105 decibels, thus allowing the turbine to be used closer to residential areas and ensuring an optimum turbine array in the wind farm. The N117/2400 has also been designed with construction height limits in mind. Thus, with a hub height of 91 meters on the standard tower, it remains below the critical threshold of 150 meters.

The wind turbine is the result of eleven years of systematic ongoing technical enhancements to the multi-megawatt platform, 26 years of wind power engineering and the experience gained from over 1,300 installed multi-megawatt wind power systems. With the addition of the N117/2400, the Nordex efficiency class now includes a particularly powerful inland turbine. The N117/2400 is scheduled to enter series production in July 2012.

In a further effort to boost the efficiency of its range, Nordex has raised the wind class suitability of its 2.5 MW turbines. Accordingly, Nordex now offers not only the N80/2500 (IEC 1) but also the N90/2500 (IEC 1) for strong-wind locations. The N80/2500 is primarily configured for strong-wind locations which are subject to height restrictions: It has a somewhat smaller rotor diameter compared with the N90/2500 (IEC 1) and is available on 60-meter towers.

Nordex supplies the N90/2500 (IEC 2) and now also the N100/2500 (IEC 2), whose cut-out wind speed has been raised from 20 to 25 m/s, for regions with medium wind conditions. In the inland segment, the N100/2500 (IEC 3) has been joined by the new N117/2400.

At the same time, Nordex has enhanced its existing range of Gamma Generation turbines and harnessed additional increases in turbine yield for its customers by implementing efficiency packages.

By optimizing the interaction of the core components, Nordex was already able to boost the yield by two percent in 2010. Now, Nordex has implemented a second efficiency package, which boosts the yield of the 2.5 MW turbines by a further 2.6 percent. This has been achieved by implementing the “Nordex Advanced Power” (Nordex AP) control module in the Nordex Control operation management system. Nordex AP not only measures the wind speed and direction but also the air density. Using this input parameter, the management system is able to adjust the generator to optimum effect, resulting in greater yields at low and medium wind speeds. Extensive testing at various locations provides empirical proof of the higher performance curves. Nordex AP is available for N80/2500, N90/2500 and N100/2500 turbines delivered from July 2011 and for the N117/2400 from the start of series production.

Nordex at EWEA 2011: Hall 11, Stand No. 11420

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