American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC), a leading energy
technologies company, announced today at HUSUM WindEnergy 2008 the
launch of its proprietary PowerModule PM3000W power converter, a fully
programmable, flexible and modular power converter developed
specifically for wind power applications. This highly scalable solution
is designed for rapid integration into a wide range of wind turbines
with power ratings from 750 kilowatts (kW) –
the basic PM3000W building block – up to 6
megawatts (MW). AMSC developed the PM3000W converter based on its core
capabilities in power electronics hardware and software, the design and
licensing of wind turbines, knowledge gained in the deployment of
thousands of PowerModule PM1000 converters in wind turbines, and the
company’s experience connecting wind farms to
power grids utilizing its proprietary D-VAR®
solution.
AMSC’s PowerModule converters are power dense,
scalable and programmable, allowing them to be readily customized for
many electrical applications. Wind-specific PM3000W converters
incorporate algorithms and external communication protocols to enable
universal generator connectivity. The product has successfully passed
extensive factory testing and rigorous field testing in operating wind
farms, and the company has already booked pre-launch orders for more
than 3,300 PM3000W converters from customers in Canada (AAER Inc.),
China (Sinovel Wind, CSR-ZELRI and Dongfang Steam Turbine Works),
Germany (Fuhrländer AG) and India (Ghodawat
Industries). AMSC shipped the first PM3000W converters to customers in
September 2008.
“Our PM3000W converter was developed utilizing
AMSC’s unique combination of world-class wind
turbine design and engineering expertise, wind turbine power electronics
and wind farm-to-power grid interconnection solutions,”
said Timothy Poor, AMSC´s Vice President of Global Sales and Business
Development. “The PM3000W is the world’s
first power converter building block developed specifically for bridging
the needs of both wind turbine generators and grid connection. This
unique converter is a fully programmable, flexible and modular power
converter platform that provides universal generator connectivity, and
can be utilized within virtually any megawatt-class wind turbine. This
revolutionary solution has also been designed to withstand the severe
changes in climate and poor power grid conditions that are often
encountered at remote wind farms.”
The PM3000W converter utilizes state-of-the-art thermally and
mechanically enhanced Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors (IGBTs) and
features wind power specific controls and interfaces, low voltage ride
through (LVRT) support, ground fault protection and mono-frame
construction with slide mounts - offering unmatched versatility. Rated
at 750 kW, the PM3000W converter’s compact
design yields a power density of up to 130 W/in.³
(7.9 W/cm³). In addition, multiple PM3000W
power converters can be configured in parallel to create higher
power-rated converter systems up to 6MW for all types of wind generators.
PM3000W converters incorporate advanced grid compatibility controls.
This enables its use with asynchronous, synchronous, induction and
permanent magnet generators in wind turbines running at either 50 Hz or
60 Hz. AMSC offers PM3000W converters as a stand-alone product. Through
its AMSC Windtec™ subsidiary, AMSC also
provides customized wind turbine electrical systems and core electrical
components, which include the PM3000W converter, pitch and yaw controls
and SCADA systems.
AMSC introduced its PowerModule converter technology in 2000 and
thousands of the systems have been purchased by customers worldwide for
use in a wide variety of applications including wind turbines,
hydro-electric, energy storage, fuel cell, marine diesel-electric,
electric vehicle, utility-grade voltage regulation and military
pulsed-power systems. For more information about AMSC’s
PowerModule power converters, please visit: www.amsc.com/products/powerconversion/wind_turbine_power_convert.html.
With more than 600 exhibitors and 20,000 anticipated attendees,
HUSUMwind 2008 is one of the world’s largest
wind power trade shows. The event is being held from September 9 to
September 13 in Husum, Germany. Attendees are encouraged to visit AMSC
Windtec’s at Booth #3C43.
About American Superconductor (NASDAQ:
AMSC)
AMSC is a leading energy technologies company offering an array of
solutions based on two proprietary technologies: programmable power
electronic converters and high temperature superconductor (HTS) wires.
The company´s products, services and system-level solutions enable
cleaner, more efficient and more reliable generation, delivery and use
of electric power. AMSC is a leader in alternative energy, offering grid
interconnection solutions as well as licensed wind turbine designs and
electrical systems. As the world´s principal supplier of HTS wire, the
company is enabling a new generation of compact, high-power electrical
products, including power cables, grid-level surge protectors, Secure
Super Grids™ technology, motors, generators,
and advanced transportation and defense systems. AMSC also provides
utility and industrial customers worldwide with voltage regulation
systems that dramatically enhance power grid capacity, reliability and
security, as well as industrial productivity. The company´s technologies
are protected by a broad and deep intellectual property portfolio
consisting of hundreds of patents and licenses worldwide. More
information is available at www.amsc.com.
American Superconductor and design, Revolutionizing the Way the World
Uses Electricity, AMSC, Powered by AMSC, D-VAR, PQ-IVR, PowerModule,
Secure Super Grids, Windtec and SuperGEAR are trademarks or registered
trademarks of American Superconductor Corporation or its subsidiaries.
Any statements in this release about future expectations, plans and
prospects for the company, including our expectations regarding the
future financial performance of the company and other statements
containing the words "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects,"
"will" and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995. There are a number of important factors that could cause actual
results to differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements. Such factors include: uncertainties
regarding the company´s ability to obtain anticipated funding from
corporate and government contracts, to successfully develop, manufacture
and market commercial products, and to secure anticipated orders; the
risk that a robust market may not develop for the company´s products;
the risk that strategic alliances and other contracts may be terminated;
the risk that certain technologies utilized by the company will infringe
intellectual property rights of others; and the competition encountered
by the company. Reference is made to these and other factors discussed
in the "Risk Factors" section of the company´s most recent quarterly or
annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In
addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release
represent the company´s views as of the date of this release. While the
company anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause
the company´s views to change, the company specifically disclaims any
obligation to update these forward-looking statements. These
forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the
company´s views as of any date subsequent to the date this press release
is issued.
American Superconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: AMSC)
Jason Fredette,
978-842-3177
Director of Investor & Media Relations
jfredette@amsc.com