A Windfall for the Small Wind Market
Leveraging Patented ZCT Technology to Expand Wind Power Generation Geography
Online, September 25, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Windtech, Inc. a Minnesota based wind power generation equipment company, announces exclusive rights to patented Zero Contact Transmission, ZCT, drive technology for small wind, less than 250 kW, power generation applications.
Applying ZCT technology in wind turbines opens up substantially greater geographical power generation markets by overcoming production limitations of direct-drives and gear box issues. Windtech CEO, James Wiff explains; "Because the ZCT technology reduces frictional losses, we've been able to produce power in winds as low as 6 mph with maximum output at just 18 mph. A gear-driven wind turbine won't even begin generating until 8-10 mph and needs winds in excess of 24 mph to achieve maximum output. There is a substantial advantage in being able to apply the ZCT based Windtech turbines in a much greater geographical range accessing areas previously considered too low for wind power production."
The ZCT technology, developed by Future Force, LLC of Minneapolis, Minnesota, has already been proven in the field. With a 5 kW demonstrator study completed earlier this year, Wiff emphasizes; "We've demonstrated that wind turbines using ZCT can produce as much power in a year as those almost twice the size using a traditional gear drive."
Windtech's advance into the small wind market with exclusive license to this game changing technology is taking hold. The efficiency gains and reduction in maintenance add up to a rapid return on investment for owners. The controlled investment and growth of the company itself is a welcome shift in a market that has seen its share of would-be entrants come and go.