Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada), a developer of power electronics for renewable energy applications, announced that it has agreed to collaborate with a Chinese group to advance the development and commercialization of Darrieus-type wind turbines for use in China and other markets around the world. Under a memorandum of understanding signed by Guo Shuyan on behalf of the China Renewable Energy Technologies Delegation, Sustainable Energy will license its technology and knowledge in advancing vertical-axis wind turbine technology, beginning with the construction and testing of a commercial prototype of Sustainable Energy's 250 kW turbine (the Chinook 250) at a test site in Southern Alberta.
"The partnership is an important validation of the value of our wind turbine design and of our expertise with this technology," said Sustainable Energy President and CEO Michael Carten. "But equally importantly, the relationships we are building with the wind turbine partnership will provide the foundation for other partnerships to manufacture and distribute our power electronics products in the Chinese market."
The Chinook 250 design was developed with support from Canada's National Research Council in 1999-2000 to provide a simple, low-cost wind turbine that will reduce costly diesel fuel consumption for power generation on small islands, in remote areas, and throughout the developing world. The agreement with the Chinese is subject to approval of the National Research Council.
