Enercon
Enercon GmbH is a wind turbine manufacturer based in Aurich, Lower Saxony, Germany. It has been the market leader in Germany since the mid-1990s.[1] Enercon has production facilities in Germany (Aurich, Emden and Magdeburg), Sweden, Brazil, India, Canada, Turkey and Portugal. In June 2010, Enercon announced that they would be setting up Irish headquarters in Tralee.[2]
Type | GmbH |
---|---|
Industry | Wind power industry |
Founded | 1984 |
Founder | Aloys Wobben |
Headquarters | , |
Key people | Hans-Dieter Kettwig (Managing Director) |
Products | Wind turbines |
Number of employees | ~18,000 |
Website | www |
As of December 2017, Enercon had installed more than 26,300 wind turbines, with a power generating capacity exceeding 43 GW.[3] The most-often installed model is the E-40, which pioneered the gearbox-less design in 1993.[4] As of July 2011, Enercon has a market share of 7.2% world-wide (fifth-highest) and 59.2% in Germany.[5]
Enercon supplies wind turbines to the British electricity company Ecotricity, including one billed as the UK's most visible turbine, an E-70 at Green Park Business Park.[6][7]
In December 2020, Enercon signed an agreement with the German energy and telecommunications company EWE for shared ownership.[8]
Technologies
Enercon wind turbines have some special technical features compared to turbines of most other manufacturers. Characteristic is the gearless propulsion concept, which Enercon pioneered since 1993. The first generation of gearless turbines was the E-40/500 kW series. (Earlier Enercon designs had a transmission train.) The hub with the rotor blades connects directly to the rotor of the ring generator (direct drive). The rotor unit rotates on a front and rear main bearing about a fixed axis. The speed of the rotor is transmitted directly to the high-pole synchronous generator, where the rotor rotates in the stator, differently. The Enercon generator has no permanent magnets, allowing the company to not rely on rare-earth metals. However, the direct connection also causes grid losses. Rotation speed and the mechanical load changes over the service life are lower than geared systems. Rotation speed varies from 18 to 45 revolutions per minute (RPM) for the E-33 and 5-11.7 RPM for the E-126 depending on wind speed, while a geared generator has a speed of about 1500 RPM at rated power. Thus the large Enercon generators lead to high tower head masses, and construction and logistical challenges.
Enercon systems are visually distinct from systems of other manufacturers. Their nacelles have been drop-shaped since 1995/1996. This unique design was developed by British architect Norman Foster, who also designed the dome of the Berlin Reichstag. In Germany and many other countries, the tower has coloured green rings above the foundation, which get brighter from bottom to top. On islands such as Borkum, the gradation is blue. The NCS grading is intended to better integrate the plant towers into the horizon. The rotor blades were the only ones on the market with blade tips similar to the winglets on aircraft.[4][9]
In 2008, the first E-126 turbines (successor of the E-112) were installed at sites throughout Germany and Belgium, including the Estinnes wind farm (consisting of eleven E-126 turbines) in Belgium.[12] Although the E-126 turbine was initially developed with a power rating of 6 MW, it has since been upgraded to 7.5 MW. The E-82 turbine was also upgraded and is available in 2, 2.3, and 3 MW versions.[13]
Currently Enercon does not offer or supply wind turbines to offshore projects and has at times expressed skepticism about offshore wind parks.[14][15] Enercon was rumored to have been ready to supply turbines to Germany's Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm and to a near-shore park near Wilhelmshaven but did not do so.[16]
Turbines
Note: wind turbine designations with a "*" mean the turbine either temporarily unavailable, or has been taken off sale permanently.
Model Number | Rated Power Output (based on variant) | Variants | Rotor Diameter (meters) | Hub Height (meters) | Notes | Source(s) | Number installed |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
E-10/E-12* | 30 kW | 0.3.10, 0.3.12 | 10 | Developed in 2007, but unknown whether it's still being produced. | 3 | ||
E-15/16* | 55 kW | 0.55.15, 0.55.16 | 15/16 | Developed 1984, no longer available | [4][17][18] | 46 | |
E-17/E-18* | 80 kW | 0.8.17, 0.8.18 | 17/18 | Developed and installed 1988, no longer available | [4][19] | 158 | |
E-30* | 300-330 kW | 3.30 | 30, 33 | 50 | Gearless direct-drive, discontinued due to "low demand" | [20] | 660, 576 (Original), 84 (revised) |
E-32/33* | 100-300 kW | 1.32, 3.32, 1.33, 3.33 | 32, 33.4 | 34, 35, 41, 47 | Geared turbines, replaced by E-30 DD model 1st generation E-33 |
[21][22] | ? |
E-40 | 500 kW, 600 kW | 5.40, 6.44 | 40, 44.5 | First gearless drive, no longer available | [4][23][24] | 5879 total (1887 original, 3992 revised) | |
E-44 | 900 kW | 9.44 | 45 | 45, 55 | [4][25] | 563 | |
E-48 | 800 kW | 8.48 | 48 | 50, 55, 56, 60, 65, 76 | [4][25] | 1878 | |
E-53 | 800 kW | 8.53 | 52.9 | 60, 73 | Prototype developed 2006 | [4][25] | 1240 |
E-58* | 1 MW | 10.58 | 58 | Prototype installed in 1998 - replaced by E-48, henceforth no longer available | 225 | ||
E-66* | 1.5 MW, 1.8 MW, 2.0 MW | 15.66, 15.70, 18.66, 18.70, 20.70 | 66 & 70 | Prototype developed 1995, no longer available - replaced by E-70, E-82 and E-92 | 2486 | ||
E-70 | 2.0 MW, 2.3 | 20.71, 23.71 | 71 | 57, 58, 64, 70, 74.5, 84, 98, 113 | Direct drive | [4][25] | 4360 |
E-82 | 2 MW, 2.3 MW, 3MW | 20.82, 23.82, 30.82 | 82 | 78, 84, 98, 108 | Direct drive | [4][25] | 3146 |
E-92 | 2.35 MW | 24.92 | 92 | 84, 98, 108, 138 | Direct drive |
[26] | ~ 250 |
E-101 | 3 MW | 101 | 99, 124, 135, 149 | Direct drive Prototype installed June 2011 |
[4][25] | ~1500 | |
E-103 EP2 | 2.35 MW | 24.103 (EP2) | 103 | 98 or 138 | Direct drive - two prototypes installed in France in 2017 | 2 | |
E-112* | 4.5 MW, 6 MW | 60.114, 45.114 | 112 & 114 | 108, 124 | Replaced by E-126, no longer available | [4][27][28] | 9 |
E-115 | 2.5 MW, 3.0 MW | 25.115, 30.115 | 115 | 92.5-149 | Direct drive | [29] | ? |
E-126 | 6.0 MW, 7.58 MW | 60.126, 76.126 | 126 | 135 | Prototype developed October 2007 | [4][25] | 95 as of autumn 2016 |
E-126 EP3 | 3.5 MW, 4.0 | 35.126 EP3, 40.126 EP3 | 126 | 86, 116, or 135 | Based on a different platform to other Enercon turbines | [30] | 1 near Kirch Muslow |
E-136 EP5 | 4.65MW | 47.136 (EP5) | 136 | 109, 120, 132 | Based on Lagerwey's turbine platform | Yet to be installed | |
E-138 EP3 | 3.5MW, 4.0 | 35.138 (EP3), 40.138 (EP3) | 138 | 81, 111, 131, or 160 | Based on a different platform to other Enercon turbines | [31] | One installed at Lelystad test site |
E-126 EP4 4.2MW | 4.2 MW | 42.126 (EP4) | 126 | 135 | Designed for low-wind sites | [32] | [33] |
E-141 EP4 4.2MW | 4.2 MW | 42.141 (EP4) | 141 | 129 or 159 | Prototype prepared for late 2016, based on E-126 EP4. 30-year design life | [34] | TBA |
E-147 EP5 | 5MW | 50.147 (EP5) | 147 | 126, 132, 143, 155 | Based on Lagerwey's turbine platform | To be installed | |
E-160 EP5 | 4.6MW | 46.160 | 160 | 120, 166 | Based on Lagerwey's platform | Yet to be installed | |
Patent dispute
Enercon was prohibited from exporting their wind turbines to the US until 2010 due to alleged infringement of U.S. Patent 5,083,039.[35][36] In a dispute before the United States International Trade Commission, Enercon did not challenge the validity of the US patent but argued that their technology was not affected. The ITC decided that the patent covered the technology in question and banned Enercon turbines from the US market until 2010.[37] Later, a cross patent agreement was made with the competitor General Electric, the successor of Kenetech, after similar claims of Enercon against GE. According to a NSA employee detailed information concerning Enercon was passed on to Kenetech via ECHELON.[38] The aim of the alleged industrial espionage against Enercon was the forwarding of details of Wobben's generator technology to a US firm.[39]
Gallery
- E-10 at Neumayer Station III
- E-112 at Ems Emden, Enercon's only offshore wind turbine installed to date
- Second E-112 at Cuxhaven
- E-70 at Green Park Business Park
- E-66 at Swaffham's Ecotech centre, with observation deck below the nacelle
- Brown meets green: Enercon wind turbines at oil refinery
- E-32 on the North Sea coast
- Enercon E-48 in the Wind Farm near the Medieval village of Tocco da Casauria in Italy.
- Wind farm with 3 Enercon E-48 in Stella, Liguria, Italy
- Enercon E-112
- Enercon E-82
- Enercon E-82
- Enercon E-101
- Enercon E-126
- A weaker Enercon E-126 - EP4 low-wind model - at Holdorf
Estinnes windfarm
References
- Simon, Hermann: Hidden Champions of the 21st Century : Success Strategies of unknown World Market Leaders. London: Springer, 2009.- ISBN 978-0-387-98147-5
- "55 IT and wind jobs created in Tralee". June 2010. Archived from the original on 28 March 2012. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Enercon at a Glance". 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Enercon Chronology". 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Market Shares". 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Ecotricity: Our Partners". Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Green Park, Reading: The UK's Most Visible Wind Turbine". Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Aloys Wobben Foundation and EWE launch cooperative enterprise". www.windtech-international.com. 25 December 2020.
- |url = http://www.enercon.de/en-en/753.htm |title = Annular generator |author = Enercon |date=July 2002 |accessdate = 15 July 2011}}
- |url = http://www.verivox.de/nachrichten/enercon-errichtet-groesstes-windrad-der-welt-bei-magdeburg-3027.aspx |title = Enercon errichtet grösstes Windrad der Welt bei Magdeburg |author = dpa (Deutsche Presse-Agentur) |date=July 2002 |language = German |accessdate = 15 July 2011}}
- "REpower Systems SE: 5M" (in German). Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Wind Power Database: Estinnes Wind Farm". 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "ENERCON Wind Energy Converters, Product Overview" (PDF). 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Windblatt" (PDF). March 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "'We're not afraid of offshore, but we decided to put 150% into onshore'". Recharge. 2016 [2015]. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
- "More MW/t, the offshore imperative.(megawatt thermal)(Enercon (Germany))". March 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-15)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-16)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-17)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/369-enercon-e-30-330
- https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/368-enercon-e-33-300
- https://en.wind-turbine-models.com/turbines/367-enercon-e-32-300
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-40, 500 kW)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-40, 600 kW)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "Enercon Wind Energy Converters: Technology and Service" (PDF). Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- http://www.enercon.de/p/downloads/WB_01-2012_en_web.pdf
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-112, 4500 kW)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "The Wind Power: Database (Enercon E-112, 6000 kW)". September 2010. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- E-115 / 2,500 kW
- https://www.enercon.de/en/products/ep-3/e-126-ep3/
- https://www.enercon.de/en/products/ep-3/e-138-ep3/
- https://www.enercon.de/en/products/ep-4/e-126-ep4/
- https://www.enercon.de/en/products/ep-4/e-126-ep4/
- "Enercon raises the bar". 14 April 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
- "Enercon vs. International Trade Commission and Zond Energy Systems". Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- Space Daily Staff Writers (April 2008). "The Greening of Patent Litigation". Retrieved 15 July 2011.
- "In the matter of certain variable speed wind turbines and components thereof" (PDF). U.S. International Trade Commission. November 1996. Retrieved 8 May 2017.
- Schröm, Oliver (30 October 1999). "Verrat unter Freunden" [Treachery among friends] (in German). Die Zeit (Zeit Online). Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2008.
- Echelon Rapport, EU Parliament