Technology

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In 1986, the team continued its DOE-sponsored research and development work, but also began to design, fabricate, and install high-reliability hybrid power systems for remote applications using gas- and diesel-fired reciprocating engine generators, photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and battery banks for energy storage.In the early 1990s, NASA was planning for an extended stay on Mars and began researching energy generation methods including wind power.

In 1993, NASA’s Ames Research Center awarded Northern Power Systems a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to construct a wind turbine at the South Pole that could function in the same extreme conditions as exist on Mars.

In 1997, NPS installed a 3-kilowatt turbine at the South Pole, and then began developing a 100-kilowatt turbine based on the same technology.

The NPS 100 wind turbine technology won an R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine in 2000 and The American Wind Energy Association Technology Award in 2006.

Since 2008, Northern Power Systems has added technology products including utility scale turbines; FlexPhase® power converter solutions for applications of 50kW to 5MW+ for power generation, energy storage, and drive applications; permanent magnet machines; and power electronics.Northern Power Systems has an installed base of over 800 wind turbines which have logged about 25 million run time hours in the field.

Grid-connected turbines under service monitoring have consistently demonstrated availability at over 96%. Northern has turbines that have withstood hurricanes, typhoons other severe weather conditions in the Caribbean and along the Alaskan coast proving the durability of the design and manufacturing of the turbines.

Generation - Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) Technology

Northern Power Systems Permanent Magnet Direct Drive (PMDD) technology is central to the our innovative production system.Permanent magnet generators offer high efficiency energy conversion, especially at load path; they are are lighter, more efficient, and require less assembly work.

The permanent magnet generator has been designed in an integrated manner with the power converter to create a tailor-made solution for high energy conversion efficiency and low maintenance costs.The generator is cooled directly by the wind, without the need for auxiliary fans or air transfer through the generator.

The direct transmission technology without gearbox supplies energy directly to the distribution grid reducing losses to a minimum.The generator and rotor of our turbines are coupled directly and move together at the same speed.By eliminating the gearbox, we have simplified the transmission system by drastically reducing the number of moving parts and the related wear problems.

The innovation induced by the system without the speed multiplier creates direct benefits for our customers in the form of a turbine with higher efficiency and lower maintenance costs.

Solar PV Project

HiR cell technology.

Highest cell efficiency and lifetime thanks to 0% PID & LID.The new proprietary cell technology.

HiR (pronounced like the word «higher») is a proprietary cell technology from Megasol.

HiR is based on n-type wafers, which for decades have proven to be the highest quality and most stable technology.

The n-type HiR technology combines charge carrier selective contacts, so-called ultra-thin tunnel oxides (SiO2), with a sophisticated multi-stack metallization and a multi-level anti-reflective coating.

Better economic profitability and higher project yields n-type HiR modules have a very high power output combined with very compact dimensions. More yield per roof area leads to higher economic efficiency and better project yields.An optimal thermal coefficient and better low-light performance lead to more yield per kWp.All HiR modules are bifacial and have a significantly higher bifaciality factor compared to conventional bifacial solar modules (over 90% instead of 70-75%).Considerably lower proportion of grey energy.Glass-glass solar modules.Two glass panes are combined into one solar module.

They become laminated safety glass and therefore have unique properties.Also, up to 30% more energy due to use of rear face of panel.

Inverter

Northern proprietary full four quadrant power convert technology allow very high efficiency power conversion rate. This technology is design to meet latest electrical requirement for grid and off-grid application, such as CEI 0-21 2019 for Italy and VDE for Germany. External output command option allow also easy integration in off-grid systems with external controller.

SMART VIEW 4.0

The well-known SmartView TM monitoring platform re-invented. Seamless integration and monitoring of any kind of small wind turbine. Easy interface for PV systems with commercial inverter.Historical and real time reports both per fleet and per plant.

Heritage

Today’s Northern Power Systems started in 2014 as the operational branch of Northern Power Systems Inc in Italy, successfully installing and managing over 450 plants in 4 years.

In 2019 NPS became an independent company acquiring exclusive operating licenses on the technology developed by NPS and completely maintaining the staff and technical capabilities developed over the years.Northern Power Systems Inc was originally founded in 1974 as North Wind Power Company in Warren, Vermont.

In 1978, US Department of Energy awarded North Wind a contract to develop a high-reliability 2 kW wind turbine for the growing telecommunications market.

As a result of that work, North Wind developed its HR2 wind turbine, a three-bladed, horizontal axis up wind rotor configuration utilizing a slow-speed, direct-drive 2.2 kW alternator.

This small wind turbine soon gained international market acceptance as one of the most rugged, high-reliability wind turbines available. Over 600 HR2 and its successor HR3 wind turbines were sold over approximately 20 years of production, with many still operational today.