How the wind turbine works
Air moving across the wings creates lift and turns the rotor. A direct-drive permanent-magnet generator converts that rotation into electricity without a gearbox.
Direct-drive generation
The rotor drives the permanent-magnet generator directly. The generator sits near the base and forms part of the wind turbine foundation.
Materials and foundation
Aluminium wings, a glued laminated timber tower and a steel foundation on soil screws support repair, removal and material recovery.
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Construction and function.
Our wind turbines are vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs): the wings rotate around a vertical axis. This page describes their construction and how they convert wind energy into electricity.
System overview.
How it works
Wind energy turns the rotor, which drives a generator to produce electricity. Power electronics then convert the electricity for use on site or export to the grid.
- A. Wing rotor
- Converts wind energy into rotational motion.
- B. Hydraulic disc brake
- Slows and stops the rotor at the top of the driveshaft.
- C. Driveshaft
- Transfers rotation downward.
- D. Spring-applied parking disc brake
- Holds the wind turbine parked, even during a power outage.
- E. Direct-drive generator
- Converts rotation to electricity.
- F. Power electronics
- Converts generator output into usable electricity.
- G. Grid or battery
- Fed to the grid, stored in a battery, or used directly on site.
Three independent braking systems.
Safety & control
The WM 25 kW has three independent braking systems. The wind turbine is stall regulated, meaning it sheds excess power aerodynamically at high wind speeds rather than relying on pitching mechanisms.
- 01 Generator
- The generator itself can slow or stop the rotor electrically.
- 02 Hydraulic disc brakes
- Bring the rotor to a controlled stop across the full operating range, even during a power outage or system failure.
- 03 Spring-applied parking disc brakes
- Hold the wind turbine parked even through extended power outage or system failure.
Energy Machines Cloud
Monitoring
Operation is monitored continuously through Energy Machines Cloud, with control and logging from a browser or a phone app.
Two ways the wind turbines interact with the wind.
Lift and drag
Vertical axis wind turbines fall into two categories, depending on whether the rotor is driven by lift or drag.
Airfoil wings, driven by lift.
LIFT-BASED
Lift-based wind turbines have airfoil-shaped wings, similar in profile to an aircraft wing. Air flowing around the wing generates lift, which produces torque on the rotor. Lift designs are efficient and scale well, which is why we use them for the WM 1000 W and WM 25 kW.
Open sites with wind, fields or coastal areas.
- WM 1000 W
- WM 25 kW
Cup blades, driven by drag.
DRAG-BASED
Drag-based wind turbines have blades that are pushed by the wind, more like a cup catching the air. They rotate more slowly and produce less power for their size, but perform well in turbulent conditions and operate quietly. That makes them a good fit for small-scale applications at windy sites. The WM 100 W is a drag-based wind turbine.
Small-scale use at turbulent and windy locations.
- WM 100 W
Designed and assembled in Denmark and Sweden.
Designed and built in Europe
The wind turbines are designed and assembled in Denmark and Sweden, with most manufacturing carried out in Europe.
- ProfilGruppen
- Aluminium wing extrusion — Sweden
- Moelven
- Glulam tower — Norway / Sweden
- Mora Laser Tech
- Steel parts — Sweden
- Emerson
- Control systems — Europe
- ABB
- Power converters — Europe
Headquartered in Denmark · part of Energy Machines™.