Under the 12-month programme, AMSC Windtec™, a wholly owned, Austria-based AMSC subsidiary, will analyse the cost of the full 10 MW class direct drive turbine. The NWTC will then benchmark and evaluate the wind turbine’s economic impact in terms of initial and overall energy costs.

AMSC estimates its direct drive generator system would weigh approximately 120 tonnes, compared with approximately 300 metric tonnes for conventional direct drive generators with this power rating.

AMSC Senior VP and Superconductors General Manager Dan McGahn, says: “Superconductors are today proving their tremendous power density and efficiency advantages to electric utilities and large power users. This programme brings those same benefits to power generation and the rapidly growing wind power market.”