Renewable energy developers broke ground Tuesday for a major expansion of wind-power generation in the Mojave Desert, north of Los Angeles. The Alta Wind Energy Center is planned as the world’s largest wind project, with nearly 600 turbines capable of producing 1,550MW of electricity when completed, with the potential to double, according to developer Terra-Gen…
Wind energy manufacturing association sets goals on job creation and more
The Wind Energy Manufacturing Association (WEMA), Inc. has been established to help enhance and promote the wind energy industry in the U.S. WEMA goals are: Job creation – Create manufacturing jobs as companies are able to locate and/or expand their wind energy manufacturing in the U.S. Unite – Bring those interested in manufacturing together to…
Ventilated safety helmet prevents heat buildup
Heat is a hazard that is too easily ignored. To make it worse, wearing semi or non-permeable protective equipment adds to the risk of overheating or fatigue which leads to accidents on the job. The ventilated safety helmet from Gateway Safety can help minimize heat buildup under the shell of the helmet, while offering optimal…
Partnership tests new remote sensing tool for South Carolina’s wind potential
Partners have begun testing tools to provide insight on how much energy potential South Carolina’s offshore winds offer. The goal is the deployment of offshore wind energy to diversify South Carolina’s energy resources and significantly increase the region’s energy independence. This includes the Savannah River National Laboratory (SNRL), the Clemson University Restoration Institute (CURI) and…
Calibration lab certifies high-torque wrenches
MobileCal Inc., a provider of on-site calibration for high capacity torque wrenches, has been certified by The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation of Maryland by certificate number 3040.01. This shows that MobileCal’s system meets requirements of ISO17025 proficiency testing, and proves the validity of the service’s documentation and test results. The company says this accreditation…
More thermal transfer tapes to I.D. equipment
A manufacturer of labeling has added two tapes to the K-Sun LABELShop line: white removable and silver matte. The thermal transfer tapes now include 60 color-and-size combinations with new ½ black on white removable adhesive (Part no. 212RA) and ¾ black on silver matte (Part no. 218SM). “The versatility of repositionable tape and the visibility…
Renewable energy purchase can be easier for large power users
A recently launched Windfrastructure Partner Program lets large power users purchase renewable energy in a financially neutral manner. The program, devised by National Wind, Minneapolis, provides its partners with an economic interest in a new community wind project in exchange for buying electricity from the new project. Participating in the program is income-statement neutral because…
Better blade lets 1.5-MW turbines deliver 5% more power
LM Wind Power’s LM 42.1 GloBlade 1 will extend the life cycle of the 1.5-MW segment by offering a design that provides annual energy production and requires no mechanical upgrading of the current platform. The blade is a way of meeting expectations for high performing rotors. By using its know-how in aerodynamics and structural design,…
Gearbox lube for wind turbines
One way to improve wind-turbine efficiency is with proper gearbox lubricant. Dow recently introduced the UCON GL-320 lubricant for wind turbine gearboxes and those in other applications. The high viscosity index of the lube, addresses the issue of cold weather causing high lubricant viscosity without the need for additional VI improvers. It has higher heat…
In Europe, 118 offshore wind turbines connect to grid in first half of 2010
New offshore wind turbines total 333 MW, well over half the 577 MW installed offshore last year, continuing growth in offshore wind power despite the financial crisis. In addition, 151 offshore wind turbines totaling 440 MW were installed, but not yet connected to the grid, says EWEA, the European Wind Energy Association. Overall 16 offshore…
Ultrasonic wind sensors or cup anemometers? That is the question.
Mechanical anemometers have worked well for years but the rigorous duty on wind turbines may call for a more reliable sensor. Accurate measurements of wind speed and direction from reliable equipment are more important than ever in today’s competitive North American wind industry. Demand for reliable wind sensors is high and manufacturers are responding with…
Laser-based wind sensor lets turbines grab more power
For decades, large utility scale wind turbines have been forced to rely on mechanical wind sensing devices that are mounted on the nacelles of the turbines to measure the wind speed and direction. These signals are fed into the wind turbine control system to adjust the turbine nacelle to account for the variations in the…
4-MW direct drive headed offshore
A quick scan of recent news shows that U.S. coastal waters are the next big development area for wind plants. It makes sense to put the largest practical units in the steady winds offshore. GE, for one, says it will apply its experience to the offshore wind industry as it matures, growing from a 1.5…
Precision alignment in wind turbines
Of all the mechanical maintenance problems in wind turbines, shaft alignments are probably easiest to understand. The high-speed shaft between a gearbox and generator is a critical point of failure. Their misalignment a leading cause. Precision-shaft alignments involve aligning the center line of the shafts of one or more rotating machines. When the shaft center…
An alternative to copper-based grounding
Michael Mattera, Consultant, Bridgeport, Conn. commscope.com Wind turbine towers are a natural target for lightning strikes. A good grounding system plays a critical role guarding against catastrophic damage to the blades, electronics, transformer, nacelle, and collector system out to the substation. Up until now, copper has been the predominant material in wire and cable used…
Texas’ Windthorst-1 ready for next phase
A family owned Texas wind development company and a New York community wind developer have completed their portion of work on a 51-MW wind-power project in Windthorst, Texas. OwnEnergy Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y. (ownenergy.net) and Horn Wind (hornwind.com) located outside of Dallas, developed the project as a joint venture and have subsequently sold a majority stake…
Does the oil need changing? Debris monitor tells
Wind turbines have historically suffered various recurring failures. Some have been eradicated, but other breakdowns continue to plague the industry. Gearbox reliability is one such issue. Early failures were mainly attributed to micro-pitting in gears (or grey staining) but that is now almost eliminated. Bearing failures are now the most prevalent issue. Various vibration monitoring…
Lessons for using tools at height
A structure or machine that requires fasteners also demands tools to maintain it properly. In the wind-power industry, the machine could be 300 feet in the air, which presents a variety of safety and efficiency considerations. Snap-on Industrial has worked in industries ranging from oil and gas production to manufacturing facility maintenance, and so has…
How Federal cash grants help finance projects
Since passing the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), the federal government has been eager to stimulate the renewable energy industry with tax credits and cash grants. So far, the government has awarded $4.6 billion of the $8.5 billion allotted. Cannon Power Group, a San Diego-based renewable energy company, recently secured its second…
Wind work around North America
Wind energy production is growing rapidly, having doubled in just the past three years. As of May 2009, eighty countries around the world use wind power on a commercial basis. Here are a few of the latest projects in North America. Shepard’s Flat, Oregon A wind farm is under construction in Oregon. Shepherd’s Flat, spanning…