The certificate is the first ever that has been issued for a wind turbine (generation unit) with a double-fed generator system.
Hamburg, [WorldofRenewables.com]
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REpower Systems AG (WKN 617703) has received the first unit certificate from Germanischer Lloyd for new turbines in its turbine portfolio. The certificate is the first ever that has been issued for a wind turbine (generation unit) with a double-fed generator system. It confirms once again that the technical system implemented by the company meets the high requirements of the grid system in Germany.
The measurements required for the certification were conducted on a REpower MM82 with a rated power of 2.05 megawatts, located at the Dollerup wind farm near Flensburg. Dr. Uwe Jönck, Germanischer Lloyd (GL), department Engineering and Safety Technology, handed over the certificate yesterday to the Head of Development at REpower, Peter Quell, in the presence of Thomas Jensen and Hans Heinrich Paulsen, the Managing Directors of the civic wind farm. “The unit certification for the wind turbine REpower MM82 is one of the first which has been issued by us under the new ordinance SDLWindV”, says Dr. Jönck.
In order to obtain the certification, simulation models for the characteristics of the wind turbine on the grid needed to be further developed and then validated by comprehensive tests in real operation. Matthias Schubert, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of REpower Systems AG, emphasizes the importance of the unit certificate for the company’s business on the German market: “With this certificate, we demonstrate, to our customers as well, our capability in matters of grid conformity. Our turbines serve to stabilize the grid even during critical disruptions. Of course, this certificate is very important for our German business – but also for our activities in the international markets, where similarly demanding requirements apply, such as in Australia or Great Britain, for example.” He continues: “We are proud that our grid technology and the associated simulation models have proven themselves in practice and have now been confirmed by an independent agency – and of course we are pleased that we are one of the first companies to receive the certification.”
The CTO emphasizes how important it is to have a good working relationship with the operators, in order to maintain test locations in Schleswig-Holstein – in the vicinity of the REpower TechCenter – in the future. The operators of the Dollerup wind farm, which consists of two REpower MM82 wind turbines, each with a hub height of 59 meters and a Converteam converter, are Dolleruper Bürgerwindpark GmbH & Co. KG and Jensen & Falke, Windpark Dollerup GmbH & Co.KG.
The unit certificate is required for new generator systems in conformance with the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the System Service Ordinance (SDLWindV) which went into effect last year. Both regulations establish wide-ranging technical and operational requirements for wind turbines. The unit certificate demonstrates that the turbine type installed in Dollerup fulfills the criteria of the SDLWindV in terms of a generation unit. Schubert: “At the same time, we are carrying out pilot projects in order to provide support for the necessary expert opinions as well. It is important to us that we clarify open issues in a timely manner and do not leave the customers on their own even with regard to conducting certification at the level of the wind farm.”
In the coming weeks, REpower is already expecting further unit certificates for the MM series. For the new generation units of the 3.XM series, for which prototype testing will soon be carried out, unit certificates should be available in the fourth quarter of 2010 at the latest. Due to the prototyping regulation, the wind turbines of this series can be connected to the grid through the end of January 2011 without requiring a unit certificate and an expert’s opinion.