A consortium of World Wide Wind AS (WWW) and Uppsala University (UU) has received a NOK 5 million grant from Eureka Eurostars through the Norwegian Research Council and Vinnova in Sweden. The supported project will develop Rare Earth Elements (REE) free permanent magnet generators, which will be used in innovative concepts such as tilting counter-rotating turbines.
During the 30-month project, the consortium will design, develop, and validate an innovative direct drive generator. The generator is expected to achieve a higher conversion efficiency from mechanical input to electricity, with rotor and stator moving separately, a more compact design along with electrical control of the turbine rotational speed.
Ferrite will be used as the permanent magnet, eliminating the requirement for REE and their associated hurdles. Suitable for underwater placement, the generator will help reduce levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) from floating offshore wind (FOW) applications.
“Europe needs floating offshore wind to reach the region’s energy and environmental goals. And the floating offshore wind industry needs innovative solutions to improve its LCOE. Our solution unlocks cost reductions along the entire value chain, and further, by eliminating the need for rare-earth-elements the turbines can also be fully sourced and produced locally,” says Bjørn Simonsen, CEO of WWW.
“The new counter rotating generator will incorporate available and affordable ferrite magnets, and be placed below sea level, acting as ballast. Further, with its superior conversion efficiency, it is our clear ambition to take floating offshore wind to the next level,” Simonsen continues.