Few companies in the industrial sector have embraced the concept of electrification on a worldwide scale as prodigiously as electrical equipment maker Ingeteam of northern Spain. Addressing multiple technologies to support propulsion, wind and solar energy, and hydrogen power, its products are increasingly spanning the globe.
In just a few recent examples:
- The new Orient Express Silenseas, the world’s largest luxury sailing ship, will be powered by Ingeteam equipment including its trademark Indar motors.
- In the renewable energy sector, Indar permanent-magnet generators have reached significant penetration in wind farms around the world while its electrical systems for solar energy and battery charging have become important solutions globally.
- In May, Ingeteam announced it has begun construction of a major new R&D laboratory that is planned as a test and development center for furthering its advancements in power & control electronics.
- In the hydrogen sector, its newly designed power conversion system to enable large-scale electrolyzer plants has recently been manufactured and installed at locations in Europe.
The Silenseas are expected to become the world’s largest luxury sailing ships. Belonging to Accor Group under the Orient Express brand, they are being built at French shipyard Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Ingeteam will supply a total of 5 motors and 5 converters for their propulsion systems. Specifically, two motors to drive the main propulsion plus the three transverse thrusters, together with the frequency converters for all of them, which will provide optimum onboard comfort thanks to their low vibration and noise. It will also develop two propulsion remote controls, to enable maximum propulsion management and efficiency.
The first Silenseas is scheduled depart in 2026 and be fully or significantly powered by the winds depending on weather conditions with a revolutionary technological design developed by Chantiers de lÁtlantique known as SolidSail: three rigid sails with a surface area of 1,500 meters each will be hoisted on a balestron rig, with three tilting masts reaching more than 100 meters high, able to ensure up to 100% of the propulsion in suitable weather conditions. This hybrid propulsion formula will combine wind power with a state-of-the-art engine running on liquefied natural gas and plans to use green hydrogen once the technology is approved for ocean passenger ships. When the cruiser cannot set its sails due to lack of wind, the electric propulsion will come into operation. The ship will be 220 metres long with a tonnage of 25400UMS. It will feature 50 suites including a monumental 900 square metre presidential suite, two swimming pools, two restaurants and a speakeasy bar.
Designed for a variety of industrial uses, Ingeteam’s Indar motors and generators are often custom-built for particular application. Employing a range of both induction and permanent-magnet topologies, they power an assortment of marine vessels as varied as for silent propulsion on oceanographic vessels in compliance with silent class notation.
More than 22,000 generators for wind power
Active in the design and production of windpower systems since 1940, Ingeteam has built more than 22,000 wind generators, accounting for more than 40.5 GW of installed power throughout the world. The generators are totally tailor-made in accordance to client specifications. They cover a wide range of power up to 9 MW, different topologies including double-fed asynchronous generators, squirrel cage and permanent magnet synchronous generators, in different speeds notably direct drive, medium speed and high speed, with low and medium voltages and through air-to-air or air-water cooling methods.
Manufacturing a high-current rectifier for green hydrogen production
In the green hydrogen sector, Ingeteam has a portfolio of projects, some already delivered and others pending, which currently totals 425 MW. Project sites include the United States, Canada, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands and Australia.
In late 2023, Ingeteam began manufacturing its new converter for large-scale green hydrogen production plants at an assembly line set up at the company’s factory in northern Spain. Initial shipments were destined for green hydrogen production plants being developed in Germany and Spain. The INGECON H2 E-lyzer provides the power electronics needed to power and control the electrolyzers, a factor that is becoming an increasingly important part of the total cost of a hydrogen production plant.
The new converter has a high current density capable of supplying 6,000 amps of DC for electrolysis. Ingeteam has also developed a solution that integrates two such converters combined with the rest of the elements on the same platform or full skid, to facilitate direct connection to the medium voltage grid, thus obtaining 12,000 amps of output current. The power station features a modular design that allows to power between one and four electrolyzers at the same time independently.
New R&D laboratory positioned to become a benchmark in power & control electronics technology
The new laboratory represents an investment of around €25M. Partial tests, type tests and combined power and control electronics tests will be conducted at the new facility, designed to become an international benchmark for the renewables and electrification industries. Systems tested at the laboratory will mainly address the wind and solar sectors, electric vehicle chargers, green hydrogen and battery energy storage. The lab is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
The site is located beside company offices in Pamplona. Ingeteam currently has eight laboratories in the Basque Country and Navarre, where it tests its new developments in the field of rotating electrical machines and power and control electronics, including a recently incorporated 4.0 laboratory. The project will add a further 12,000 sqm of floor space to the existing facilities. Ingeteam invests about 5% of its annual turnover in R&D and employs over 500 people dedicated to research and development. For more info, see www.ingeteam.com.
