By Georgena Terry, research associate, Clean Energy States Alliance In late March, President Joe Biden announced an offshore wind goal of 30 GW by 2030 in a manner that protects environmental assets and creates employment. Through a coordinated multi-agency approach, Biden plans to fast track the deployment of utility scale offshore wind. The focus will…
An inside look at how safety standards are created for the wind industry
By Wesley Witt, chair, and Kristy Abel, vice chair, GWO North America Committee The amount of standardized safety training continues to increase year-over-year across North America in the wind industry because companies gain productivity and a more flexible workforce, while workers are more easily hired and valuable to their employers. In 2020, the number of…
Maintaining a successful wind industry with efficient maintenance tools
By RAD Torque Systems As we move through 2021, the effects of the last year can be felt across all industries. However, despite some major disruptions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the global wind industry still managed to achieve a record year. According to the Global Wind Energy Council, 2020 saw a 53% year-on-year…
Unlocking the potential of offshore wind with lidar technology
By Elvira Aliverdieva, product specialist; and Mathias Regnier, WindCube product manager, Leosphere, a Vaisala Company All around the globe, offshore wind energy is gaining significant momentum. In 2020 alone, the world added more than 6 GW of new capacity via offshore installations. As global interest in offshore wind energy continues to grow in both near-shore…
Health and safety risks across offshore wind, and how vessel data can minimize them
By Chris Huxley Reynard, creator of the BareFLEET advanced remote monitoring and reporting system, and Managing Director of Reygar Ltd. Providing operations and maintenance (O&M) services for an offshore wind farm can be a grueling task. Consider the complexity of installing or fixing a machine as large and complex as a wind turbine — a…
Adequate up-tower rescue training is paramount to ensure today’s new wind technicians stay safe
By Sam Heim, Media Specialist, Petzl The wind technician career is projected to have the highest job growth rate in the United States for the next eight years. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected percent change in employment from 2019 to 2029 for wind techs is 61%; the average job growth rate…
Time to re-invent the seal for wind turbines
By Andras Kaldos, Product Engineering Group Manager, Key Industries, James Walker In recent years wind turbines have made significant increases in size as operators and OEMs seek to optimize the costs of power generation by building fewer larger and more efficient turbines. Whilst these will produce substantially more energy than they take to manufacture, install…
3 steps wind farm owners can take to keep turbines spinning through extreme cold
By Gareth Brown, CEO, Clir Renewables In February 2021, Texas faced a disastrous power failure as a result of an unexpectedly severe winter storm. Natural gas wells froze, transmission substations went offline, and the grid operator was forced to initiate rolling blackouts, leaving millions of homes and businesses without power for days. This extreme cold combined…
A positive trend: U.S. offshore wind solicitations address equity
By Georgena Terry, Clean Energy States Alliance Energy equity has become an increasing priority at both the national and state levels. As offshore wind moves into a major development phase, ensuring that it advances energy equity and environmental justice is essential. For the federal government, President Joe Biden elevated the importance of an “equitable, clean…
Can wind turbines operate in icy weather?
By Sam Salem and Peter Nyegaard Jensen, Wind Cluster The February 2021 freeze event in Texas attracted attention to wind turbine behavior in cold weather. Wind generation fell short of expected output but was not the main driver of the extensive power outages experienced across the state. Wind turbines have proved to generate power successfully…
The latest developments in wind turbine technology to facilitate radar and windfarm coexistence
By Adam Nevin, Innovation Lead, Trelleborg Over the last few years, renewable energy has become more prominent and features in almost every governmental policy across the globe, with China most recently declaring an ambitious goal to become carbon neutral by 2060. The importance of renewable energy sources is exemplified by the fact that green investment…
Healthcare and safety: Important considerations on offshore wind farms
By Duncan Higham, VP Global Strategy, Remote Medical International As the world continues to grapple with a global pandemic, companies with offshore wind operations are looking at ways to improve processes while reducing costs. A major part of this is maintaining the health and safety of offshore and remote employees. And while every organization has health and…
Common pitfalls to avoid when setting up drone programs
By Scott Duffin, director of client drone strategy and business development, Skyward, a Verizon Company Drones can come in handy for wind O&M technicians, as long as their use is accepted across all levels of the company. In order for wind techs to gain a helping hand from drones, they should avoid these common pitfalls…
Drone checklists play a critical role in disaster response, and wind techs should adopt these practices
By Scott Duffin, director of client drone strategy and business development, Skyward, a Verizon Company In the aftermath of a natural disaster, drones can be critical tools for first responders and recovery workers. As an eye in the sky, drones provide situational awareness that helps response teams target critical locations even when roads are blocked…
The United States needs more transparency around fire data for safer wind operations
By Angela Krcmar, Global Sales Manager, Wind, Firetrace International Fire is one of the most expensive losses for any wind farm owner and operator to manage. Beyond the potential devastation of the turbine, fires pose a serious hazard to human life and the environment. As such, the wind industry is already taking action to prevent…
The case for harmonizing health and safety protocols in the wind industry
By Alan Chivers, chairman, The Renewables Consulting Group The Global Wind Organisation (GWO) was formed in 2012 by major developers, operators and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) with the intent to deliver uniform training designed specifically for the wind industry. In a short period of time, GWO training has become the gold standard and is typically…
Comparing offshore wind turbine foundations
By Marla Keene, technology writer, AX Control U.S. adoption of offshore wind technology has been slow compared to European counterparts. Europe’s first offshore wind installation, Denmark’s Vindeby, came online in 1991 with a capacity of 4.9 MW. The U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has estimated that the winds off U.S. coasts could generate four-times the…
New cable designs are critical for floating wind turbines
By Maxime Toulotte, head of technical marketing, Nexans Subsea and Land Systems business group (SLS) Offshore wind is enjoying a boom time, contributing more and more to the global energy transition with smarter operations and more powerful wind turbines. Europe is still the largest market, accounting for nearly 80% of global offshore wind capacity, while…
Pitch control valves: Built to last longer and lower O&M costs
By Eduardo Gimenez, CEO; Len Kaster, PE, CFPE, technical sales support; Madeline Hanley, technical marketing and sales; ALA Industries The United States is a leader in wind energy — wind generates 7% of the electricity Americans use. But it’s still behind the Europe Union, which receives 12% of its electricity generation from wind turbines. The…
U.S. offshore wind Q&A with Ventolines
The Dutch firm Ventolines has signed on as offshore wind expertise partner for Mayflower Wind, a huge offshore wind project starting 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, and has opened its first permanent U.S. office in Boston. Windpower Engineering & Development connected with Thibaut de Groen, Ventolines’ director of contracting and construction, and Lorry…