Generators and power electronics technology for wind turbines

Due to the very fast development of power electronics, offering both higher capability and lower price/kW the applicability of power electronics in wind turbines increases rapidly. Moreover, new types of generators which may change the configuration of direct driven generators are being developed. This paper summarises the state of art regarding generator and power electronic concepts for wind turbines. The state of the art on wind turbine technology is established by a market oriented approach and the applied topologies are reviewed. Furthermore, trends for generators and power electronics are reviewed through technical and economical identifiers in terms of weight and price versus nominal power. New wind turbine designs are expected in the near future, exploiting the improved capabilities of generators and power electronics. Some of these new concepts are further discussed. Wind turbines are further being planned in big wind farms. These are subjected to quite high demands concerning power quality, controllability and safety. The paper also reviews potential concepts/technologies that can satisfy the defined restrictions.