WIND turbines continue to grow in output and dimension, both onshore and offshore. At the same time, the energy debate has shifted towards security of supply and affordability. Against this backdrop, German drive specialist Flender presented a new generator concept under its wind energy brand, Winergy, at WindEnergy Hamburg. Winergy Genera is a validated generator design concept and a technology package from which solutions are configured for individual turbine projects.
“With Winergy Genera we are doing more with less,” said Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, president of Winergy. “We combine very low noise with high power density and improved reliability, while eliminating magnets and rare earth materials – even in high power turbine classes. That reduces material input and improves the economics of wind projects.”
The validated Genera design delivers power densities of up to 700 W/kg. This represents a 10 percent increase compared to previous versions and comparable competing products and is currently unmatched in the wind industry. Generator length is reduced by 25 percent compared with the previous generation, which allows the generator to fit into the nacelle and keeps transport by standard truck and container feasible for power classes above 10 MW. Because the concept does not require external cooling fans, it consumes no auxiliary power for cooling, which increases the turbine’s annual energy production.
Noise emissions are 6 dB(A) lower than in the previous generation, contributing to quieter turbine operation. Lower turbine generator noise levels give project developers more headroom at noise-sensitive sites and supports local acceptance.
Genera is based on a Double Fed Induction Generator (DFIG), is available across power classes, and does not depend on rare earth materials in any of them. The difference becomes relevant above 10 MW: in this range, alternative generator concepts typically rely on permanent magnets containing rare earths, whereas Genera does not. Rare earths are available in limited quantities and their mining and processing are concentrated in a few regions worldwide, which exposes turbine manufacturers to price volatility and supply risk. A generator design that does without them removes this dependency from the drivetrain.
Depending on project requirements, windings can be specified in either aluminium or copper. Copper remains in tight supply: the International Energy Agency projects a global supply deficit of around 25 percent by 2035, and copper prices reached record highs in early 2026. The option to specify aluminium gives turbine manufacturers a second route for a material that affects both project cost and delivery reliability.
“Winergy Genera shows that high performance and cost-efficiency are not contradictory,” added Jörg Sieber, vice president Wind Generators in Flender’s wind segment. “We are increasing power density, reducing noise and lowering material use – in one solution. That helps our customers improve the overall economics of their wind projects.”
Genera is designed to work with any gearbox and is particularly optimised in combination with the Winergy Revo system, Flender’s gearbox concept for wind turbines.
