38 | Tees Business
Start of a journey - the innovative 250kW generator
leaves the Tees Components facility.
WIND POWER
Tees Components completes innovative
electro-magnetic generator project
T
ees Components has completed
a ground-breaking project that has
created an innovation breakthrough
generator for the wind sector.
Along with partners, the Teesside firm
has built what it describes as the first
credible ferrite-based direct drive permanent
magnet generator (DD PMG, for short) for
wind turbines.
The innovative project, carried out on
behalf of SME Greenspur Renewables, is a
revolutionary technology with the capability
to reduce the cost of wind energy.
Direct drive generators are increasingly
used as an alternative to turbine gearboxes
with their limited design life, but require
rare earth magnets, 90 per cent of which
are sourced from China, making them both
scarce and expensive.
The huge advantage of the DD PMG
manufactured by Tees Components is that
it is rare earth-free. Ferrite is up to 40 times
cheaper and much more abundant, with the
ability to manufacture ferrite magnets in the
UK.
The North Skelton-based company was
contracted to manufacture and assemble a
complete prototype 250kW generator which
will now be tested by ORE Catapult, the
UK’s leading innovation and research centre
for offshore renewable energy, at its facility
in Blyth, Northumberland.
The Greenspur Renewables project
was particularly challenging and involved
sourcing materials of varying specifications,
machining components, procuring other
parts and processes from specialist
suppliers, stores management, the fitting
of the magnets and the final complete
assembly, which was carried out in May.
With a range of workshops, areas of hard
standing and excellent lifting equipment,
Tees Components was able to create a
designated controlled access workshop
which provided the necessary four-metre
headroom in which to assemble and load
the generator.
Quality, safety, health and environment
management was undertaken by Tees
Components’ qualified staff, with all work
carried out to ISO 9001 and 14001 2015
standards.
Safe working was ensured by risk
assessing the processes - a challenge on
occasions due to the fact ferrous materials
were strictly forbidden within the facility
because of the magnetised materials.
Sharon Lane, MD of Tees Components,
says that the generator project shows just
how far the company has come in terms of
diversification and highlights the capabilities and
expertise of Teesside’s supply chain cluster.
“This has showcased the innovation of our
mechanical engineering team and their ability
to adapt and produce something that’s never
been done before,” said Sharon.
“It is also an excellent example of the
collaboration and partnership that is possible
here on Teesside, with a number of local
suppliers including Marine Fabricators,
Universal Coatings, Hawk Fasteners,
Shoreline Engineering and Stockton Bearings
all making a contribution through the supply
of their products and services.”
“We look forward to working with
Greenspur Renewables on future research
and development projects as their products
develop.
“There has been real diversification
allowing Tees Components to become
successfully established in new markets.
There has been a great deal of investment
over the last few years and we are very
confident about the future.”