Micro wind energy becomes serious business
More than 4000 Windsave 1kW wind turbines have been sold since the product was launched by B&Q on October 6th 2006, according to Nigel Evenett, managing director of Lafert Electric Motors, which was until today known as AEG Electric Motors.
The Italian made generators are redesigns of a family of products optimised for ‘Green’ power and ‘Green’ vehicles, that combine the company’s permanent magnet rotors, developed for servo motors, and stators developed for induction motors. Sales Director Brian Bannister explained that this is possible because the main Lafert induction motor and brushless servo motor plants near Venice are only a few km from each other. However, in order for the generators to maximise performance, “The rare earth magnets have been placed in a particular orientation in order to maximise power and reduce cogging effects. That’s where a lot of the development effort has gone”.
Ian Cheshire, B&Q’s chief Executive previously said that, “This has by far been the highest turnover product ever experienced out of 40,000 lines that B&Q have available in their stores.”
More information from Lafert Electric Motors
