Maxwell Technologies’ BOOSTCAP Ultracapacitors Enable Functioning of Wind Turbines in All Weather Conditions

Maxwell Technologies, a manufacturing company building up economical energy storage and power delivery solutions, has reported an increase of 40% in sales of its patented BOOSTCAP ultracapacitor products used in wind energy related applications.

The Maxwell Ultracapacitors offer the burst power required for electrical blade pitch control systems incorporated in wind turbines. The amplified power is vital to improve the stability of the electrical energy output of the turbine and to regulate the speed of the rotor within the safe operating limits by recurrently adjusting the movement of the turbine blades and to counter the abrupt changes in wind velocity. The ultracapacitors also enable auto-regulating backup power for logical halting of the wind turbine during sudden breakdown of the main system. The unit also aids in smooth transfer of energy output from the turbine to the grids. Ultracapacitors are used in wind turbines that deploy electrical pitch control and are not used in wind turbines comprising hydraulic systems. The electrical pitch wind turbines that use ultracapacitors serve for an extended period with little or no maintenance and are capable of performing in all types of weather conditions.

David Schramm, President and CEO of Maxwell, said that most of the wind operators are looking for systems that can function without trouble in all types of weather conditions with low level of maintenance. He added that BOOSTCAP products adequately proved the consistency of their usage in temperatures ranging from -40 to +65 degrees C, thus enabling the operation of electrical pitch controlled wind turbines in all weather conditions and meeting the need of the wind energy clients.