These aging turbines have their rotors swapped out, their blades replaced, and key components like the generator upgraded in order to enhance the machines’ ability to produce electricity from wind.

But another option, popular in offshore wind, is a permanent magnet generator, which contains an enormous ring of brick-shaped rare earth magnets that spin with the rotor to produce electricity.

The wind power generator uses 24 magnets, copper wire fashioned into coils, and a metal plate for the main generator.

The MagLev wind turbine, which was first unveiled at the Wind Power Asia exhibition in Beijing, is expected take wind power technology to the next level with magnetic levitation.

Wind-farm operators don’t say much about turbine-power demands. But just how much energy do wind turbines use?

ExRo Technologies, a startup based in Vancouver, BC, has developed a new kind of generator that’s well suited to harvesting energy from wind. It could lower the cost of wind turbines while ...

In wind turbines, the rotor is connected to a shaft, which in turn enters an electrical generator made out of an assembly of magnets and a coil of wire. When the rotor spins the shaft, the shaft ...

There’s enough wind energy along our coastlines to power the country four times over, and the race is on to build the best offshore turbines to capture it. Manufacturers worldwide are ...

Each wind turbine's generator contains several tons of magnets, making them extremely heavy. Bigger offshore wind turbines have even larger generators.

But another option, popular in offshore wind, is a permanent magnet generator, which contains an enormous ring of brick-shaped rare earth magnets that spin with the rotor to produce electricity.

Offshore wind turbines need rare earth metals. Will there be enough to go around? China dominates production of the crucial metals, and wind companies are scouring the globe for more sources.