What can condition monitoring tell?

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Excerpt: Every monitoring situation has challenges, but keeping tabs on a wind turbine presents a special list, one that includes extreme and varying weather, frequent load changes, and often in remote unmanned locations. The mechanical stresses that variable winds place on turbines demand real-time monitori …

Long overdue: A national standard for wind tower service lifts

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Excerpt: “Recent wind towers 100-m tall are the new norm,” remarked an attendee at a recent wind conference. Towers are likely to reach even higher in coming years. That’s good for power production but not so good for the techs who must climb the towers to service equipment. It makes sense that in addi …

Analyzers measure energy wasted from power-quality issues and more

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Excerpt:   A manufacturer of portable electronic test and measurement equipment announces the availability of the Fluke 430 Series II Three Phase Power Analyzers. The tools use a patented algorithm to measure energy wasted by power quality issues and quantify its cost. By providing ROI data neede …

Tech tool improves frontline network testing

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Excerpt: The NaviTEK II is said to be the fastest, most cost-effective Ethernet Service and Cable Tester for technicians. Today's complex networks require a modern LAN and Cable Tester to let technicians validate, troubleshoot, and resolve challenges that cause slow network performance and downtime. Navi …

Courses in blade production

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Excerpt: As part of an ongoing efforts to help improve production and lower the cost of wind energy, Global Blade Technology (GBT) is offering courses on various components of wind rotor blade production. These courses are designed to improve efficiency and quality in the process, so that better blades are r …

Report: A wind-energy update and look forward to 2016

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Excerpt: A report provides the status of global, country, and future wind-energy installations. The executive summary says that influencing factors for the wind market, including drivers, restraints, and opportunities, are discussed for probing the current and expected trends. The report focuses on the wind …

Clear silicone seals gaps on outdoor electrical equipment

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Excerpt: Polywater RTV Silicone seals voids and seams on outside electrical apparatus such as meters, boxes, light fixtures, and conduit penetrations to keep them weatherproof. The RTV Silicone is said to be well suited for numerous external sealing needs. The material is packaged in a 10.3 ounce (305 …

Regional conference lets Texas transmission community discuss issues

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Excerpt: To encourage the electric-transmission industry in Texas to gather and discuss its most critical issues, Energy Central's TransmissionHub announced a new conference called TransForum Texas. TransForum Texas will be held April 24 to 26, 2012, in San Antonio, Texas. Registration is open; early-bir …

OEMs and owners ready to discuss wind industry O&M issues

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Excerpt: With 6,810 MW of wind capacity connected to the U.S. grid in 2011, wind operators will re-evaluate strategies to get the most from their O&M expenditure as well as maximize generation. They will do so at the 4th annual Wind Energy Operations & Maintenance Summit USA, an event slated for Apri …

Ice detector improves met tower data

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Excerpt: Sensor icing on met towers must be identified to remove wind speed data affected by anemometer icing from the tower’s dataset. Anemometers frequently report lower wind speeds than what are accurate before freezing completely. Then sensors report calm winds. At times, the slowdown in anemometer win …