SMA and Fortis join research
Small wind turbines rarely product electricity in a format that can directly be fed into the grid. Inverters therefor are needed. In an attempt to optimise inverter behaviour, SMA and Fortis join hands.
SMA as the manufacturer of inverters which are well known in the solar industry is also developing a range of products especially for the use of small wind turbines. With current oil price developments the global need for decentral energy solutions can not only be met by solar alone.
Montana installed by SMA
Montana used for testing SMA inverter and Fortis wind energy products.
With over 6000 turbines installed world wide, Fortis Wind Energy (FWE) of The Netherlands is a well known player in the rural energy market place. “Although we are in business over 25 years and have developed our products to maintenance free reliable turbines, dealing with the electronics is still the most difficult part” as founder of FWE Johan Kuikman explains. “That is why we are so enjoyed with this new joint research”.
The cooperation of a small wind turbine and the inverter have to be optimized in the energy chain. A high efficiency inverter only is just not enough. The load the inverter gives to the generator determines amongst others the energy output of the whole chain. And this output is what is attractive to the client.
SMA and FWE are now joining research to improve their mutual products. On a test field in Greece, SMA is testing the FWE Montana in a hybrid setting combined with a Sunny Island and the SMA Windyboy 5000. FWE is testing the combination of its Passaat 1,4 kW model with a grid connected SMA Winyboy 1700 and the Montana 5 kW with the SMA WB 6000 on test sites in the Netherlands and in the UK.
Both firms expect an 15% higher annual energy output if the systems are well adjusted, at no extra costs.