Newsletter 02

Switching on frequently 02/2018

Dear friends,

Summer has come to Finland, with some of the warmest and sunniest days we’ve had for a few years. So we’re preparing to enjoy the abundant light and renew our energy, spending time to reflect on upcoming developments and our journey ahead.

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EVENT

We’ll be attending the following event and we’d be happy to meet with you there.

SMM Hamburg
When: September 4–7, 2018
Where: Hamburg, Germany
BLOGS

PMGs: Greater efficiency, reliability and flexibility for ships

Permanent magnet (PM) generators have been utilized with great success and satisfaction in numerous fields to date, including distributed power generation, elevators and hybrid cars. However, in the maritime industry, the shift from traditional technology in power generation has been slower due to skepticism within the industry.

Read on to find out what immense benefits PM generators bring to ships, compared to traditional technologies.

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NEWS

Yaskawa Environmental Energy wins ‘Engineering Team of the Year’ award

Finland, July 2, 2018 – Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch won ‘Engineering Team of the Year’ award at the Electric & Hybrid Marine World Expo in Amsterdam. The award was won for the extraordinary achievement of conducting a successful Factory Acceptance Test for The Switch Electronic Bus Link breaker, customized to a specific vessel’s needs within a six-month window.

“I can’t think of a more deserving recipient of this brand-new award than The Switch’s Electronic Bus Link breaker development team. What these five gentlemen have achieved is truly impressive.”
John Thornton, co-chairman, Electric & Hybrid Marine Awards.

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MHI Vestas advances readiness for first round of Taiwan offshore wind projects

Taipei, May 15, 2018 − Sending a signal to developers and policymakers that it will be ready for early projects in Taiwan, MHI Vestas signed its 5th MOU today with TECO and The Switch for the delivery of generator products.

“We’re proud to announce that our 9 MW turbine platform will be typhoon ready by 2020, putting us in a leading position for the early projects in Taiwan.”
Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, Co-CEO, MHI Vestas.

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Successful FAT for The Switch EBL

Finland, May 17, 2018 – The Switch Norway, part of Yaskawa Corporation’s Yaskawa Environmental Energy Division, is celebrating the successful completion of a Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for its Electronic Bus Link (EBL) breaker. It is the first time the new EBL, a key element within its game-changing DC-Hub, has undergone a FAT.

“The EBL is a crucial part of the DC-Hub. It is paramount the EBL performs to the highest standards of quality, efficiency and reliability.”
Asbjørn Halsebakke, General Manager, The Switch Norway.

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New catapult center for smarter and greener energy systems

Finland, June 7, 2018 – NCE Maritime CleanTech, a business cluster in which The Switch Norway is active, is establishing a new Norwegian catapult center to build up expertise and testing facilities for the partner organizations in the cluster. The center will be at the forefront in making the Norwegian marine industry greener, smarter and more innovative.

“Our ambition is to establish a center with the foremost competence and the most complete testing facilities for the development of renewable energy systems.”
Hege Økland, NCE Maritime CleanTech.

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The Switch full-power converters pass HVRT test

Following the successful High Voltage Ride-Through (HVRT) testing in October 2017 of The Switch’s 1.5 MW full-power converter (FPC) by China Electric Power Research Institute (CEPRI), The Switch’s 2.5 MW FPC has now also successfully passed the HVRT test verified by CEPRI. Both tests were conducted in strict accordance with the latest HVRT national standard.

“The Switch’s FPCs have already achieved good results in China. We plan to continue to promote the development of localization and our aftermarket support.”
David Zhao, The Switch China Country Manager.

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The local impact of wind energy in the spotlight on Global Wind Day

From niche technology, wind energy is now a global success story. The wind industry provides 260,000 quality high-skilled jobs in Europe. On a global scale, that figure is now 1.15 million.

“Onshore wind is now the cheapest form of new power generation in most of Europe, and offshore wind is not far behind with costs having fallen over 60% in three years.”
Giles Dickson, CEO, WindEurope.

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