Category: News

Permanent magnet generator becomes standard in wind turbines

The debate still continues about which drive train is the best for a wind turbine. In 2011, 42.3 GW of wind generators were delivered; PMG’s share was 6.5 GW, which gives it a 15% market share. This is already a significant accomplishment. So we can say that PMG is a standard option and no longer just a technology trial.

Although wind industry growth has slowed down to an annual average of 3.8%, MAKE consulting estimates for the next five years that PMGs will keep growing faster than the average market growth rate.

The Switch - 2nd International Conference E/E Systems for Wind Turbines

Keeping the lights on

Hurricane Sandy was the most destructive tropical cyclone of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in US history, making landfall on October 29. The storm caused massive electrical grid damages in New Jersey, New York and many New England areas, causing power outages for businesses, industrial sites, medical centers, and countless homes.

It showed just how helpless we are when this kind of natural disaster happens in our own backyard. As a result, building management now aims to ensure that buildings do not lose electrical power during such a disaster because of a missing emergency power generation system.

The Switch - Risto Ahvo

Value creation for all wind energy players

Between 2009 – 2011, we were spoiled by a “green race” that started as a sprint. There was an urgent need to bring Asian nations—especially China—into line with the rest of the world to use cleaner and more efficient energy sources.

Suddenly in 2012, it’s turned into something of a marathon, with companies and financial institutions involved in the market, which has been slowed by regulatory and political climates that have evolved in the face of new economic realities.

The Switch - Carlo Cecchi, Director, Business Development

The Switch UpDate 360°

Now, the presentations from our The Switch UpDate 360° in Vaasa, Finland on March 13, 2013, are available online.

Welcome to our many different viewpoints on how to become more competitive 
in today’s tricky renewable energy environment.

The Switch - The Switch 360° UpDate 2013

The Switch appoints new General Manager in China

The Switch announced today the appointment of David Zhao in the position of General Manager for China. This hiring of Zhao underpins The Switch’s long-term ambitions to establish itself as the preferred partner in permanent magnet generators and full-power converters in a market in which The Switch has been extremely strong.

The Switch - David Zhao

FusionDrive®, the most advanced drive train, shows promising test results

The gear and generator combination, now in commercial production for DeWind, is a joint effort of The Switch and gear supplier Moventas. FusionDrive® is the most advanced gear and generator combination in the world, with an astonishing efficiency. The overall drive train efficiency with both partial loads and nominal output has proven to be best in class and will lower the cost of wind energy.

The Switch and Moventas - FusionDrive®

5 MW drive train packages operating in Chinese offshore wind project

The Switch, a Finland-based supplier of permanent magnet generator and full-power converter packages, announced today that its first 5 MW high-speed drive trains installed in the field in China for CSIC Haizhuang Windpower Equipment Co., Ltd, a Chinese wind power equipment manufacturer, are now successfully operating.

The Switch - 5 MW drive train packages installed and operating in Chinese offshore wind project

When times get tough… the tough get going!

The EWEA Annual Event 2013 buzzed with talk about how the wind industry can become more competitive. The wind industry has taken a beating. But much progress, too, has been made.

Thank you for stopping by to see us at our stand.
Let’s compete better – together!

The Switch - EWEA Annual Event 2013

AVAILABLE NOW: Summer jobs

The Switch offers a taste of working life in a dynamic and international company that offers excellent opportunities for internships or future employment.

We are looking for approximately 20 summer workers for our sites in Finland.

The Switch - Team

See you at the EWEA Annual Event 2013

As the year opens to new opportunities for the wind power industry, our flexible business approach gives you the best way to move ahead.

Visit us at the EWEA Annual Event 2013 in Hall A, stand A20, and learn how to better compete:
• Lower risks and gain more value.
• Enhance your core competences.
• Develop a responsive supply chain.
• Move from fixed costs to controlled overhead with measurable operations.

The Switch - Your move to better compete

Valentin Dzhankhotov presenting at EWEA 2013 Conference

Valentin Dzhankhotov, R&D Engineer, will be presenting his poster on “Phase-to-ground voltage estimation at wind turbine generator terminals” at the poster session of the EWEA 2013 Conference.

Poster session: Scientific – Large wind farm power systems
Date: Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Time: 3:30 pm – 7:00 pm

The Switch - Valentin Dzhankhotov