Vestas* V27 turbine controller upgrades comply perfectly

Vestas* V27 turbine controller upgrades comply perfectly with Italian grid code requirements

To respond to the Italian market tariffs for 60 kW output, the Italian service provider, Ren Power S.r.l refurbishes, upgrades and installs five Vestas* V27s with a new controller retrofit solution. Today, kW turbine models of V2x have been upgraded with a new control solution producing power for several sites in Italy.

Ren Power S.r.l located in Central Italy is an Italian service provider and owner of smaller Vestas* turbines. The Owner and Managing Director, Marco di Martino, installs and services kW turbines such as the types Vestas* V25 and V27, which are very suitable turbines for the Italian market due to the stated market tariffs.

In 2016, Marco Di Martino established a collaboration with DEIF to retrofit five 60 kW V27 turbines as part of a refurbishment project for a single owner in Central Italy.

“Choosing to work with DEIF as a partner has been the best choice for us on all V27 and V2x projects. All the customers Ren Power work with are very satisfied with the retrofit solution, the product and the turbine operation improvements. DEIF is very competent in wind power!”, says Marco Di Martino, Owner of Ren Power Srl.

Marco Di Martino monitors and takes care of the service and maintenance of the turbines for his clients which primarily are single turbine owners and farmers.

“Choosing to work with DEIF as a partner has been the best choice for us on all V27 and V2x projects. All the customers Ren Power work with are very satisfied with the retrofit solution, the product and the turbine operation improvements. DEIF is very competent in wind power!”

Marco Di Martino

Managing Director, Ren Power S.r.l

V27 – one of the most suitable turbines to comply with the Italian grid codes

In Italy, utilities have updated the market tariffs which is why many small wind turbines are typical for the wind market. Vestas* V27 turbines normally run at 200 kW, so why are they suitable to meet the regulations? Marco explains, “In accordance with Italy’s renewable energy policy, the feed-in tariffs are vital to the power output of 60 kW to asses directly to the feed-in tariff”.

With a new controller upgrade, the V27 turbine can run at 60 kW which directly fits the feed-in tariffs “The power curve of the V27 is good and the turbine is known for its high level of performance”, says Marco.

In order to secure the best solution, Marco found DEIF “We chose DEIF because of the expertise to manage all the problems in the 60 kW V27 turbines so we could manage the refurbishment of the turbines and the power production. The pith system is critical to managing the V27 because it normally performs at 200 kW and with the new solution the V27’s should run at 60 kW” explains Marco Di Martino

The solution – controller retrofit solution for 60 kW output

DEIF provided a controller retrofit solution for the Vestas* V27 turbines to comply with the Italian grid codes and the five turbines are installed at an Italian farm to provide all the power needed. We use V27’s for refurbishment because of the power curve and effective performance. The turbines have been in operation with DEIF control solution for the last three years and are producing power consistently and correctly with no faults. We have collaborated with DEIF to retrofit the entire system control solution and sensors.

Marco explains the solution constituting the upgrade consists of two new controllers, the AWC 500, accessories and sensors. There are two electrical cases in the system. The master control solution manages all the sensors in the nacelle and the safety system. The master/slave control solution manages all face capacitors and the Thyristor controller in the tower base.d results

Benefits and results

Marco says Today, the turbines have been running continuously for two years…The most important improvements concern that the turbines have been improved to run at 60 kW power limitation in opposition to 200 kW. With a new controller retrofit solution, the turbines comply with the Italian grid code requirements and maintain the permits stated by the grid operator in order to receive the feed-in tariff”.

“We chose to collaborate with DEIF because specialized knowledge in control technology and is the only company who can secure 60 kW output. DEIF has supplied all the components and provided full support during the entire retrofit engineering process. What’s important to us, is to continue a good collaboration with DEIF in order secure the turbines run at 60 kW according to the Italian grid code requirements.” says Marco di Martino, Ren Power S.r.l.

^{*) “Vestas” is a trademark of Vestas Wind Systems A/S.}^{The trademark owner is not associated with our products or services}