Laboratory Testing of Drivetrain Component Efficiencies for Constant-Speed and Variable-Speed Wind Turbines: 4 November 1997 --3 November 2000

Under a subcontract with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Electronic Power Conditioning, Inc., (EPC) designed, built, and tested variable-speed generator systems (VSGS) as retrofits for two different existing fixed-speed turbine designs. The VSGS were tested in the laboratory and in the field. EPC lab testing included both the original P3 induction generator at fixed speed and thedoubly-fed generator / power converter VSGS system that EPC designed for variable-speed operation of P3. The fixed-speed induction generator had higher efficiency than the VSGS at all power levels.