ENERCON gearless wind turbines

What it is

ENERCON, based in Aurich in East Frisia, builds onshore wind turbines. Its signature is the gearless, or direct-drive, design. The company built the prototype of the E-40, its first gearless turbine, in 1993 and showed it at the Husum wind energy fair. ENERCON says its current models still follow the same basic concept.

How it works

Most wind turbines use a gearbox to step up the slow rotation of the blades, typically a dozen or so revolutions per minute, to the high speeds that a compact generator needs. ENERCON removes the gearbox. The rotor hub is connected directly to a large-diameter, slow-turning generator, which produces electricity at variable frequency. Power electronics then convert the output to match the grid.

Why it stands out

Gearboxes are among the components that can wear and fail in wind turbines. Removing them reduces the number of rotating parts, and ENERCON has argued that this simplifies maintenance and improves reliability. Founded by the engineer Aloys Wobben and active in wind energy since 1984, the company became one of the pioneers of the German Energiewende. Its approach shows a willingness to pursue a distinct engineering path rather than follow the industry's mainstream design.

Where you meet it

ENERCON turbines are a familiar sight across northern Germany, from the North Sea coast to the plains of Lower Saxony, and the company has installed machines in many other countries. ENERCON's gearless design gives its turbines a recognisably different nacelle profile from geared machines.