Wind Farm with 7 MW Turbines Inaugurated in Belgium
December 2, 2009 // Published as a news service by IHS
The European Commission (EC) said the new Enercon E-126 wind turbines used for the wind park are not only the largest turbines ever put into operation, but also the most efficient.
According to the EC, the E-126 wind turbine uses the most advanced power electronics in use in the wind sector today. Moreover, the turbines are able to provide grid-stabilizing ancillary services, which before were reserved only for conventional power plants.
Power electronics have been incorporated into the wind turbines themselves. This innovation improves not only the performance of the wind energy converter, but also the power system's stability - the regulation of active power, voltage, frequency and reactive power in both normal and emergency situations.
Touting the efficiency of these new turbines, the EC said that, compared with the previous 2 MW wind turbine, the E-126 increases utilization capacity, expressed in MW/km², by a factor of 2.3.
The new turbines required a 198-meter crane to install the units. Weighing 1,600 tons, the world's largest crawler crane was developed and constructed specially for lifting each turbine's rotor, which measured 127 meters in diameter, in one step.
The EC said the capabilities to be generated by this new wind park represent a significant contribution for providing more wind power into European power systems.
"Estinnes is a milestone on our ambitious road to sustainable energy. All those having worked hard to bring this project forward should take pride today in their achievements, and take courage for the work ahead," said EC Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs after the inauguration.
The EC is committed to supporting the wind energy industry in achieving its 2020 target of installing a total wind power capacity of 180 gigawatts. The project was co-financed by the EC with up to €3.3 million from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme.
Source: European Commission (EC).