NOVELTY - The generator (20) has a rotor element (50) including coils and magnets (90). Modules (80) are provided with the coils for generating wavelets (30) in response to the coils interacting magnetically with the magnets. A control arrangement (70) combines the wavelets for generating a composite synthesized power output (10) from the generator. A stator element (60) is arranged to remain stationary in operation, and the rotor is arranged to rotate and/or reciprocate in operation relative to the stator element. The modules are electrically coupled together in a two-dimensional switching matrix.    USE - Variable electrical generator for use as a direct-drive apparatus in a renewable energy system for converting linear and/or rotating motion of a mechanical apparatus such as tidal water turbine, on-shore or off-shore wind turbine, oscillating wind vane, ocean float, hydroelectric turbine and steam turbine (all claimed) into electrical energy. Uses include but are not limited to a coal power station, a nuclear power station, a gas power station, solar power stations and a geothermal power station.    ADVANTAGE - The modules are spatially collocated with corresponding coils to provide power signal metamorphosis at an early stage within the generator so as to avoid the need for expensive and complex high-frequency electronic switching units. The wavelets can be switched rapidly in response to dynamically changing input rotation directions or rotation speeds of a rotor of the generator. The generator allows mass-produced solid state electronic modules to switch respective wavelets. The generator generates output at any desired frequency, overall waveform shape, voltage magnitude and phase relative to a reference signal. The generator can generate direct current so as to avoid a need for rectification components external to the generator. The generator can perform wavelet switching at lower frequency so as to reduce switching losses, thus improving efficiency and enabling efficient utilization of lower-performance silicon switching devices. The generator eliminates rectification and phase forming stages of the system so as to save cost and to perform efficient and reliable operation. The modules provide mutually different wavelet amplitudes for enabling synthesized waveforms to be synthesized for the output in an accurate manner.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - The modules are operated to switch between a state selected from a group consisting of a non-conductive state, a shorted state, a negative wavelet state and a positive wavelet state. INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are also included for the following:    (1) a method for operating a variable electrical generator for converting mechanical motion to electrical power    (2) a renewable energy system for converting linear and/or rotating motion of a mechanical apparatus into electrical energy, comprising a variable electrical generator    (3) a method for maintaining a variable generator    (4) a method for providing responsive load stabilization to an electrical distribution grid by using a variable electrical generator.    DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The drawing shows a perspective of a variable electrical generator, and a graph illustrating synthesis of an output waveform by combining wavelets in various combinations.    Composite synthesized power output (10)    Variable electrical generator (20)    Wavelets (30)    Rotor element (50)    Stator element (60)    Control arrangement (70)    Modules (80)    Magnet (90)