Wind of change

To keep pace with the perpetually evolving wind farm technology, Kanthal remains at the vanguard of innovation, combining material excellence with technical know-how.

Harnessing wind energy requires finesse, consistency, and efficiency. In wind farms, braking resistors dissipate excess energy during high winds, while load banks simulate electrical loads for testing and maintenance. Kanthal's superior electric resistance materials ensure that wind farm braking resistors and load banks are smart, designed for optimal performance, and built to last, guaranteeing that they operate safely and are used efficiently.

Wind farms are a marvel of modern engineering, but their success relies on more than just the towering turbines that take center stage. Behind the scenes, braking resistors and load banks work quietly to keep systems stable, safe, and ready to meet the demands of renewable energy generation. Kanthal is proud to supply advanced electric resistance materials that enable these components to excel under pressure and maintain peak performance.

Braking resistors are the unsung heroes of wind turbines, stepping in during high winds to disperse excess energy as heat. This prevents turbines from spinning out of control, protecting vital components and ensuring everything stays safe and stable.

Load banks are equally important, playing a key role in testing and maintaining wind farm systems. They simulate real-world electrical loads, giving operators the chance to verify performance, troubleshoot potential issues, and ensure everything is ready to handle the grid's demands.

Kanthal’s materials form the nucleus of these critical systems. Designed to withstand extreme temperatures and tough environments, they’re built to perform in the challenging conditions that wind farms, especially offshore ones, often face. Whether it’s the constant exposure to salt air or the pressure of high-speed winds, our materials hold up, delivering reliability when it matters most.

To keep pace with the perpetually evolving wind farm technology, Kanthal remains at the vanguard of innovation, combining material excellence with technical know-how. By enhancing stability, safety, and performance, we’re enabling wind farms around the world to generate the clean energy we all depend on.

Here comes the sun

The sun, the most abundant energy source, fuels the global shift toward cleaner power. Photovoltaic technology converts sunlight into electricity through solar cells. Facilitating this transformative process, Kanthal’s Fibrothal® diffusion cassettes and advanced resistance materials are strategic in the production of these cells. Built to endure extreme heat during critical processes, they ensure precise and uniform heating for crystalline silicon wafers, delivering precision and endurance every time.

As an inexhaustible reservoir of energy, the sun holds the promise of a sustainable future. Tapping its boundless potential through photovoltaic technology has opened new energy-generating avenues. This process relies on precision-engineered solar cells crafted from crystalline silicon wafers under high-temperature conditions. Our offerings – specialized alloys and Fibrothal® diffusion cassettes – excel in these demanding processes, delivering consistency, dependability, and efficiency to the solar industry worldwide.

Our materials – Kanthal® A-1, Kanthal® D, and Kanthal® APM, among others – provide the high-quality resistance needed at various stages of solar cell manufacturing. In particular, these materials are used in applications where high heat and accuracy are essential. Incorporating these materials, our Fibrothal® diffusion cassettes ensure efficient and reliable heating during critical processes like oxidation, diffusion, and nitriding. These processes are key to developing the electrical properties that allow solar cells to efficiently capture and convert sunlight into usable power.

Solar energy's rapid growth underscores its significance. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), solar PV accounted for 75% of new renewable capacity additions worldwide in 2023, highlighting its pivotal role in the global energy mix.

Our Fibrothal® diffusion cassettes and materials are trusted by leading solar technology providers, enabling them to scale production and enhance the productivity of solar cells. By enabling the production of high-performing solar cells, we are contributing to the transition toward cleaner energy sources and mitigating the effects of climate change.

With the rapid proliferation of solar energy, Kanthal continues to upgrade, ensuring that our solutions meet the ever-increasing demands of photovoltaic technology. Each step we take reinforces our role in driving sustainable energy solutions and shaping a future where solar power, alongside other renewables, constitutes a robust energy ecosystem.

Energy storage for peak performance

Wind and sunlight are abundant but not available at all times; therefore, ensuring the wide adoption of these energy sources requires ways of storing them. Kanthal is pioneering innovations in energy storage through advanced heating solutions under development. By leveraging cutting-edge materials, we aim to enhance thermal energy storage systems that support renewable energy integration. From storing excess renewable energy to enabling its efficient use later, Kanthal’s heating technologies are laying the groundwork for a sustainable energy future.

The transition to renewable energy faces a critical challenge: how to store excess energy for use when it is most needed. Renewable sources such as wind and solar often generate power during off-peak times or under ideal weather conditions, creating surpluses that are otherwise wasted. Thermal energy storage offers a practical solution to this issue, and Kanthal is spearheading its advancement.

Thermal energy storage systems work by converting excess energy, preferably from renewable sources, into heat through electric air heaters. This heat is then stored in natural materials like sand or volcanic rock, which have excellent heat-retention properties. The stored heat can remain effective for up to two months, allowing for flexible energy use. When energy demand peaks, the stored heat is released by introducing cold air, which produces steam as it passes through the heated material. This steam can be used to generate electricity or integrated back into industrial processes.

A key advantage of thermal energy storage lies in its ability to repurpose existing infrastructure. Decommissioned power plants, for example, can be retrofitted to incorporate these systems, utilizing their existing steam cycles. This makes thermal energy storage not only cost-effective but also sustainable, as it reduces the need for entirely new facilities.

Our innovative approach is based on our proven porcupine technology, originally developed in the 1970s for air heating applications. The technology’s unique design ensures efficient heat transfer, with a large proportion of the heating element's surface area in contact with the air. Current prototypes can deliver 1.3 megawatts of power and heat air up to 800°C (1,472°F).

These systems also have potential applications beyond energy storage, such as in industrial processes requiring large volumes of hot air, including drying in the ceramic industry. With testing and validation underway, we are preparing to scale this technology to meet industrial-scale demands.

By advancing thermal energy storage systems, we are addressing a major barrier to renewable energy adoption, creating solutions that enable the efficient use of surplus energy and support the global shift toward sustainable energy systems.