American Superconductor Corp. (AMSC; Westborough, Massachusetts, U.S.) announced that wind farm developer Mendota Hills LLC will use its D-VAR (Dynamic Volt-Ampere-Reactive) transmission grid reliability system. The system will provide reactive power support and regulate voltage at a wind farm located approximately 100 miles (161 km) west of Chicago. AMSC's D-VAR system will enable the wind farm to meet the standards required for interconnection to Commonwealth Edison's electrical power grid in Illinois.

“The Mendota Hills wind farm is an important source of electricity for northern Illinois,” said Gabriel Alonso, president of Mendota Hills LLC. “AMSC's D-VAR system is the wind farm and transmission grid reactive power solution that we have selected to ensure that electricity produced by the wind farm is delivered in full compliance with regional grid standards and requirements.”

AMSC's solution will be located at the wind farm site in Lee County, Illinois, U.S. It includes a 4 MVAR D-VAR system and two capacitor banks controlled by the D-VAR system. The wind farm's turbines are expected to generate about 50 MW of electric power, enough to supply more than 12,500 homes in north-central Illinois. According to the European Wind Energy Association, global wind power generation is expected to grow more than 640% from 31,000 MW in 2002 to 230,000 MW by 2010.
Circle 178 on Reader Service Card or visit freeproductinfo.net/tdw