Princeton, N.J.-based Princeton Power Systems has been awarded a $1.8 milion grant award by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to accelerate development of its Distributed Generation Transformer and E-QUAD Power Flow Control technologies for large wind turbine applications.
According to the company, the converter combines a megawatt-scale converter topology with a high-frequency nanocrystalline core transformer and silicon switching devices that result in a converter that will control the generator, condition power and transform it to transmission-level voltages in a single package.
The company claims the technology will reduce the overall size and cost of the power-conditioning system while increasing the conversion efficiency. It also says the technology can incorporate energy storage to provide grid-support functions, including frequency regulation and low-voltage ride-through.
Princeton Power says the technology was originally developed for early-stage tidal and wave power markets; however, it believes the converter will have a greater near-term impact in wind energy.
SOURCE: Princeton Power Systems