German manufacturer Enercon is assembling the prototype of its E-nacelle, which features a built-in electrical system, at the company’s Mechatronics Centre of Excellence in Aurich, Germany.
The E-Nacelle will form part of Enercon’s new E-160 EP5 E3 turbine.
It integrates the electrical systems that convert the electrical energy produced by the generator in the turbine’s machine house, the company said.
Enercon said the inverters required for conversion and the transformer are positioned in a new section in the rear of the nacelle, which makes it noticeably longer than previous models.
It said the machine house of the E-160 EP5 E3 measures 14 metres, almost twice as long as the E2 version.
Mechatronics Centre of Excellence manager Matthias Drong said: “We are putting the prototype together in a separate assembly procedure.
“The work steps of assembling the mechanics and electrics will take place in one integrated process within one plant in future.
“The machine house will be fitted with all mechanical and electrical components, undergo functional testing and then be delivered ready for installation.
“The E-nacelle is thus plug and play enabled and can be installed immediately at the construction site.”
Enercon expects series production to start in the fourth quarter of this year, with over 160 E-nacelles being built in 2022.