Newer HAWTs make use of wind at lower velocities. Blade pitch systems then can “enhance the consistency of wind turbines’ energy output by trimming turbine blades to compensate for changes in wind velocity.”
This blog previously opined that a carbon tax would spur significant development in renewable energy sources. Greater reliance upon renewable energy sources thus would imply greater utilization of energy storage technologies to overcome the problem of intermittent generation and load control.
Wind power can be stored by pumping air or water. This can be a means in itself or a way to generate electric power. Adding momentum to a flywheel or various types of batteries have served as a means of storying electric power. Now add banks of super capacitors as another strategy. In wind turbine blade pitch and braking systems, ultra capacitors can provide a simple, solid state, highly reliable, solution to buffer short-term mismatches between the power available and the power required.
Green Car Congress relays an announcement from Maxwell Technologies Inc. Dr. Richard Balanson, Maxwell President and CEO, stated, “We have been in contact with a number of manufacturers that are interested in using ultracapacitors in their backup power systems, but have been waiting for this patent situation to be resolved.”
Maxwell has obtained a non-exclusive worldwide license from Enercon GmbH of Aurich, Germany, for a patent covering the use of ultracapacitors in wind energy systems, including their use as backup power source for wind turbine blade pitch systems… The license clears the way for Maxwell to market its BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor products to any wind turbine or blade pitch system manufacturer that wants to incorporate the technology into its products.
