Wind turbines rely on wind and, thus, cannot supply electricity continuously. At the same time, the storage capacity of batteries is limited. To overcome these difficulties, Turbowinds connects a wind turbine in parallel with a diesel generator of the same capacity to obtain its WINDIESEL system.

Not only will the WINDIESEL system supply electricity continuously and provide independence from the grid, it also ensures maximum cost-effectiveness.
The wind turbine will contribute as much as possible to total energy requirements and thereby save to the maximum on (expensive) fuel costs.
The diesel engine runs continuously to avoid any fluctuations in electricity production caused by starting up the diesel generator.

The WINDIESEL system's primary emphasis is on harnessing wind power with the diesel capability as a back up, should wind speeds drop. Electricity is generated with a significant reduction in fuel consumption. An automatic start-up and control software package, called AWDSS (Automatic Wind Diesel Supervisory System), allows electricity to be generated without intervention. Start/stop actions typically occur a few times each week.

Limitation of the wind turbine output is achieved by a very fast PID software algorithm (AWDSS) in combination with the mechanical blade pitch system. Furthermore the AWDSS control system supervises and controls the following parameters: grid frequency, rotation speed of the turbine, power control and management, and diesel engine operation.

The operation of the AWDSS has been thoroughly field tested in extreme weather conditions. The highly successful test involved operation of the wind turbine in very high wind speeds with zero demand for many hours. The quick response of the AWDSS control system eliminates the need for dump loads which are fragile and expensive.

The complete WINDIESEL can operate through the full range of its capacity, with or without wind.

The WINDIESEL system is especially well suited to remote areas where there is no grid system and where fuel is often expensive.

Turbowinds has completed a pilot project for the village of Marsabit, in the desert area of northern Kenya. This hybrid installation, called the Modular WINDIESEL Power Unit or WINDIESEL, consists of a 200 kW Caterpillar diesel generator combined with a 200 kW wind turbine. The WINDIESEL system is ideal for remote areas without an electricity grid where the wind regime is not always adequate and where electricity must be guaranteed 24 hours a day.