DeWind
| Company type | GmbH (originally) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Wind turbine manufacturing |
| Founded | 1995 in Lübeck, Germany |
| Founder | Seven investors (five active) |
| Defunct | 2015 (liquidation process), removed from register in 2017 |
| Fate | Liquidation |
| Headquarters | Irving, Texas and Hamburg , United States and Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Wind turbines (D4, D6, D8, D8.2 models) |
| Parent | Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (from 2009) |
| Website | www |
DeWind was a global manufacturer of wind turbines, established in 1995 as a GmbH in Lübeck, Germany by seven investors, five of whom actively participated in operations. In 2002, the original owners transferred full ownership to FKI Plc, based in the United Kingdom. With headquarters located in both Irving, Texas and Hamburg, Germany, DeWind became part of Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in September 2009. Production facilities were situated in Lübeck and Round Rock, Texas.
Worldwide, over 900 turbines produced by DeWind have been installed, cumulatively generating more than 1600 MW of power.
The firm entered the liquidation process in 2015 and was officially removed from the German Trade Register by December 2017.
Turbine types
The inaugural turbine model from DeWind was the D4 (launched in 1996), initially rated at 500 kW and later upgraded to 600 kW. The D6 model followed in 1999 with a capacity of 1 MW, which was subsequently increased to 1.25 MW by the year 2000. After two years of development efforts, production of the D8 began in 2002, featuring a 2 MW output.
Starting in the mid-1990s, DeWind's turbines incorporated active pitch control and doubly fed induction generators. These technologies allowed rotor speed to be decoupled from grid frequency, decreasing mechanical wear and providing a more stable power output.
Since 2006, the D8.2 variant has been manufactured with a hydrodynamic WinDrive gearbox developed by Voith. This design permits variable rotor speed independent from generator speed through a direct-coupled synchronous generator setup. The system enhances power quality and improves response to grid disturbances while circumventing patent issues with GE Energy. This turbine was offered for both 50 Hz and 60 Hz electrical systems.
Record-holding turbines
The tallest wind turbine built by DeWind is installed at an altitude of 4100 meters in the Andes Mountains of Argentina. This D8.2 model—rated at 2000 kW / 50 Hz—features an innovative drivetrain incorporating Voith’s specialized torque converter (WinDrive) alongside a synchronous generator. Commissioned in December 2007, it has provided continuous electrical supply to Barrick Gold’s Veladero mining operation.
See also
References
External links
- www.dewindco.com - Official website of DeWind Inc.
- TimeLapse video documenting the assembly of a DeWind turbine at Texas State Technical College in Sweetwater, Texas