A generator is being developed for large-scale wind turbines that its makers say will enable the production of clean electricity at or below USD $0.04 cents per kilowatt-hour – cheaper than fossil fuel-based generation.
U.S. based Boulder Wind Power is developing and commercializing a revolutionary direct drive, permanent magnet generator for utility scale wind turbines that will allow manufacturers to build wind turbines with a cost of energy 20% to 30% under existing geared and direct drive technologies.
Boulder Wind Power’s proprietary air-core stator contains no ferromagnetic material, which eliminates all magnetic attraction between the rotor and the stator. The company says the technology can produce the same torque with less than half the mass of similarly rated iron-core direct drive generators.
In July, the U.S. Department of Energy has announced a grant for the company under the DOE’s U.S. Wind Power Next Generation Drivetrain Development program and yesterday, Boulder Wind Power closed $35 million in Series B Preferred Stockfinancing; with the funding provided by rare earth producer Molycorp, Inc. and venture capital firm NEA.
Boulder Wind Power’s technology allows for the use of rare earth permanent magnets that do not require dysprosium, a relatively scarce rare earth and with Molycorp being the only producer of rare earth oxides (REO) in the Western hemisphere, the deal will ensure Boulder Wind Power a reliable rare earth materials supply.
Rare earth metals are becoming increasingly in demand in for all sorts of renewable energy components and with China controlling much of that market, fears have been raised about continual supplies being available to manufacturers based outside the country.
Boulder Wind Power’s first generator design is a 3.0MW direct drive generator optimised for low and medium wind speed environments The company expects the generator will be available for delivery and testing in prototype turbines in 2013 and commercial availability of the 3.0MW generators should occur in 2013-2014.
