There are many ways we can help cut the cost of electricity in our homes. Some homeowners unplug gadgets and appliances when not in use. Others line dry clothes instead of using the dryer. While most install ceiling fans throughout the home taking much of the load off air conditioners. But have you ever thought
Welding and Fabricating 101
February 6, 2012 : 0 Comments
Although the U.S. wind energy industry seems forever changing, one of its constant goals is to lower costs by mounting turbines in windier areas, which means offshore and higher up. To take advantage of the stronger and steadier winds in both places, tower manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce the higher costs associated with
Machining and Metal Cutting 101
February 6, 2012 : 0 Comments
A speaker at a supply-chain conference remarked that power from a wind turbines will have to compete power from natural gas. Hence, costs will have to come out of components. One way to lower turbine costs is with new manufacturing ideas and equipment. In the machine tool industry, manufacturers have responded with a variety of
Turbine Manufacturers 101
February 2, 2012 : 0 Comments
Original equipment manufacturers are the brand-name turbine producers. They do most of the turbine research although often with the assistance of government labs such as Risø in Denmark and the NREL in the U.S. These companies are responsible for most of what goes into the nacelle. Although they may not manufacturer it, they specify most
Towers 101
February 2, 2012 : 0 Comments
Turbines erected in the 1970s and 1980s may have been perched on lattice towers, a design that can scale to 200 ft and more. However, for the protection of the techs who must climb the towers, it make more sense to build them from rolled steel. These protect the technician in long climbs, and better
Wind Measurement Systems 101
February 2, 2012 : 0 Comments
Wind measurement systems: Measuring wind speed and direction is now done at least three ways: mechanically (cup anemometer with a vane), with ultrasonics, or with laser-based devices. There are variations to each. Mechanical sensors, for instance, use moving parts and can connect to data recording devices. The anemometer uses spinning cups for wind speed and
Site Assessment 101
February 2, 2012 : 1 Comment
A first step in the development of a wind farm is to identify land with sufficient wind to support a commercial project. This calls for a series of studies, one of which is the wind-study assessment that looks at historical wind data. There may be a meteorological or met tower in the area that has
Owners & Developers 101
February 1, 2012 : 0 Comments
Owners and developers of wind projects play a crucial role in the industry, but it’s often unclear who does what. Developers are contracted by the project owner to plan and develop a project, often from the beginning stages of site assessment through the final stage of commissioning. Developers will start by selecting a project site
Tools 101
February 1, 2012 : 0 Comments
One of the great efforts of wind-turbine OEMs is to take cost out their products without lowering quality. One way to do so is in manufacturing with special tools. For instance, a particular profile on a turbine hub often required several tools and machining techniques to impart required features. In previous setups, the profile was
Operations & Maintenance 101
February 1, 2012 : 0 Comments
Maintenance crews acknowledge that frequent lubrications with small amounts of grease extend the working life of bearings and seals. But long hours of hub crawling is physically and mentally demanding work. To minimize that work, centralized and automated lubrication systems are useful. One version for lubrication tasks in a nacelle can also handle main-shaft bearings.
