Eveready-Kestrel Turbines KOs Gale force winds

Eveready-Kestrel wind turbines are regarded as some of the most advanced in the world. The use of technology patented by Eveready-Kestrel in the Eastern Cape ensures consistent electricity supply no matter how windy it is.

This was validated after great gusts of wind, measuring up to 164km/h, hit the city of Port Elizabeth on Monday 26 October 2009. These hurricane-like winds left serious damage to the city in its wake. Whilst areas of the city/bay were thrown into upheaval, the Eveready-Kestrel turbines used the opportunity to do what they do best, produce power without interruption or shutdown.

The Eveready-Kestrel turbines, located around the Bay including on the roof and surrounds of the Eveready offices, all continued to run throughout the storm, not only enduring the destructive gale force winds but turning it into something positive, uninterrupted power supply.

The Eveready-Kestrel pitch control system ensures that the blades of the wind turbines automatically adjust to the wind strength to maintain a consistent supply of power. “Traditionally, when there were very strong winds, turbines turn away from the wind in order to regulate the rate at which the blades are turning. However this does not provide sustained electricity supply for storage or grid connection. The Kestrel pitch control system provides consistent power over time, without variation, which optimizes the energy output, this means more electricity from a single turbine,” says Emma Sanan, Eveready-Kestrel’s marketing coordinator.

According to Sanan, Kestrel could install one of their larger wind turbine units, such as the e400 (3kW) unit, to run an average household or small office. “Prices of the units vary depending on how they are connected,” says Sanan. “Units can be connected to a battery or connected into the grid which requires the installation of an intelligent grid synchronization inverter.”

This ability is due to a strong Research and Development focus in Eveready Port Elizabeth.

Each Eveready-Kestrel turbine in the flock is tested and certified intensively to European standards, including an open wind tunnel facility which simulates the worst conditions in the world using a sprinkler and sand blasting system with variable wind speeds. As Sanan noted, “We test our turbines in the worst possible conditions (a mix between the Sahara desert and Alaska), so when things go wrong like they did on Monday, your wind turbine is doing exactly what its designed to do… generating power for life.”

Eveready-Kestrel Wind Turbines – Technology proven to withstand Turbulence

The images are from the The Herald