Wind Energy

Siemens receives wind energy order for direct drive wind turbines in North Dakota

The scope of supply for the wind power plant with a capacity of 105 MW includes erection and commissioning of the 35 wind turbines, as well as a three-year service and maintenance agreement. Deliveries of the wind turbines will commence in August 2012, and the wind farm is scheduled to be commissioned by late 2012. This wind energy order is the third contract award for Siemens direct drive wind turbines in the U.S., including Minnesota Power’s Bison 1 North Dakota and Oklahoma Gas & Electric’s Crossroads Oklahoma wind power plants.

“Our direct drive wind turbines feature only half the parts required for a conventional geared wind turbine and a significantly smaller number of moving parts, allowing for increased output and improved maintainability,” said Jens-Peter Saul, CEO of the Siemens Wind Power business unit. “This game-changing wind turbine is a reliable investment in the future of power generation.” The Bison 1 and 2 wind farm centers combined have the potential to provide clean electricity to more than 50,000 homes in the U.S.

The SWT-3.0-101 direct drive wind turbine with a rated capacity of 3 MW and a rotor diameter of 101 meters offers an innovative direct drive concept with a permanent magnet generator. This type of generator features a robust, compact design, requiring no excitation power, slip rings or excitation control systems.

“We are pleased to utilize Siemens’ innovative direct drive wind turbine technology to unlock the superior wind resources of North Dakota. It reflects our commitment to continually improve and provide greater value to our customers and shareholders for years to come,” said Al Rudeck, Vice President of Minnesota Power Generation.

In addition to the 3-MW direct drive turbine, Siemens launched the SWT-2.3-113 gearless wind turbine with a rating of 2.3 MW and a rotor diameter of 113 meters for low to moderate wind conditions in March 2011. The company also expects to launch a new 6-MW direct drive wind turbine by the end of the year, which will be particularly suitable for large offshore wind power plants.

Wind energy is part of Siemens’ Environmental Portfolio. In fiscal 2010, revenue from the Portfolio totaled about EUR28 billion, making Siemens the world’s largest supplier of ecofriendly technologies. In the same period, our products and solutions enabled customers to reduce their carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 270 million tons, an amount equal to the total annual CO2 emissions of the megacities Hong Kong, London, New York, Tokyo, Delhi and Singapore.
​

www.siemens.com/energy