This is not your typical Medgadget story but interesting nonetheless – medical technology applied to a non-medical field. General Electric has announced that it begun work on a $3 million project from the U.S. Department of Energy to create a next generation wind turbine generator to economically scale up wind power. What’s unique about this project is that the plan is to apply superconducting magnet technology that’s widely used in medical MRI machines to wind turbines to generate increased electrical power at lower cost.
Currently, most wind turbines use conventional generators and gearboxes. Staying with that technology will result in increased size, weight, and additional costs as larger wind platforms are developed. GE hopes that with superconducting magnet technology they will be able to eliminate the gearbox, reduce the size and weight of the generator, reduce speeds, and increase torque – all of which will contribute to a more economical and cost-effective machine.
More in the press release: GE Applying MRI Magnet Technology to Cost-effectively Scale-Up to 15MW Wind Turbines …