| Project Detail |
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign aims to create the worlds most efficient, reliable, and compact wind energy conversion system. Instead of following the traditional approach of building the electrical generator separately from the power electronics converter, and then connecting both to convert the turbine’s mechanical power into electrical power, the team will apply CCD methodologies on the generator and converter to substantially reduce the size and weight of the system. The expected results are a significant reduction in the cost of the turbine’s main structures (i.e., tower, nacelle, foundation), and an increase in turbine efficiency and reliability. This approach enables wind-energy harvesting systems to move farther offshore to unlock several petawatt (equal to one billion millions watts) hours of energy—untapped in exclusive economic zones extending up to 230 miles from the coastline.
Potential Impact:
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign wind energy conversion system’s ability to capture and transport energy to the shore significantly enhances U.S. economic and energy security through substantive economic and environmental benefits. |
