A new research collaboration is using UK aerospace technology to develop a novel leading-edge protection system for offshore wind turbines. The proposed solution could eliminate the need for intervention related to rain erosion and pave the way for lighter wind-turbine blades and drivetrains. Improving protection for offshore wind-turbine blades against erosion can significantly reduce turbine…
New advances in wind-turbine components
A wind turbine is only as good as the sum of its parts. However, choosing components that operate with minimal maintenance or repair needs is a challenge at wind farms. Almost without exception, turbines operate under extreme conditions that put these powerful machines under considerable stress and wear. Over time, operations and maintenance costs can…
New tool aims to reduce risk and O&M costs of wind-turbine repairs and retrofits
The Danish Government Scheme for Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program has awarded financial support to the CORTIR project, a proposal from 21 partnering industry companies and two universities, headed up by Bladena ApS. CORTIR, an acronym for “Cost and Risk Tool for Interim and Preventive Repair,” includes the development of a sophisticated, yet user-friendly, numerical…
AnalySwift to offer composite software as part of new academic program
AnalySwift, a provider of efficient high-fidelity modeling software for composites and other advanced materials, announced the launch of its Academic Partner Program, through which it will offer universities no-cost licenses for academic research. “We have always been close to the academic community, where both the SwiftComp and VABS software programs originated,” said Allan Wood, President &…
GE completes hiring goal for LM Wind Power’s wind-turbine blade plant
GE Renewable Energy confirms the completion of its recruitment plan for 2018 at LM Wind Power‘s offshore wind blade manufacturing site in France. The site today counts more than 100 employees, 34% of whom are women. On September 10, the first group of 30 newly-hired employees, from all functions, participated in the launch of the…
MHI Vestas factory ready for expansion with arrival of new blade mould
MHI Vestas has received its new blade mould on the Isle of Wight as major preparations are now underway to begin production as early as January 2019. The arrival of the mould signals a chief milestone in the company’s manufacturing expansion efforts, which promises to add 1,100 new jobs — direct, indirect, and induced —…
Clir Renewables develops software to detect wind-turbine blade icing
Clir Renewables has released a new software feature, which detects icing on turbine blades and measures its impact on performance. Weather is uncontrollable but assessable, and that’s what is required when mitigating icing impacts, according to the company. There are thousands of wind turbines located in cold and icing climates around the world and the estimated market…
GE’s LM Wind Power unit inaugurates new U.S. blade technology center
LM Wind Power, a unit of GE Renewable Energy, announced the inauguration of a new Technology Center Americas facility to develop and test new techniques for designing and building wind turbine blades at its facility on the NASA Michoud campus outside of New Orleans, Louisiana. The new facility will provide LM Wind Power’s customers in…
EDF installs 3M Vortex Generators to boost wind-farm performance
EDF Renewables North America has installed 3M Wind Vortex Generators (VGs) on their Chestnut Flats Wind Project in Logan Township, Pennsylvania. The installation follows the successful field verification testing of VGs installed on six GE 1.5sle turbines completed earlier this year at EDF Renewable’s Bobcat Bluff Wind Project in Archer County, Texas. The Bobcat Bluff turbines with VGs were operated for a period…
GE debuts high-speed turbine blade inspection system
Today at Blade O&M Forum in Dallas, GE Renewable Energy announced the availability of a new ground-based blade inspection system, combining thermal imaging technology and wide-band acoustic spectral analysis to detect anomalies on blades across an entire wind fleet, including both GE and non-GE turbines. The system will enable GE’s customers to manage blade assets more…
Windcom services aging wind-turbine blades
OPTIMA, a WindCom Life Extension Program, has been established to address the aging fleet of wind blades. With expertise spanning 23 years, WindCom in association with the parent company TECSIS is uniquely positioned in the industry to provide a complete turnkey solution. OPTIMA – WindCom – Life Extension Program includes wind-farm assessment, blade design, blade…
Wind farms require more active monitoring of blades, finds new report
O&M managers need to more actively and closely monitor the health of turbine blades at newer wind farms under five years of age, according to blade repair and inspection specialist Altitec The company found that the average of seven repairs required per turbine significantly exceeded that of the 2.2 repairs for older wind farms. Altitec…
Reducing O&M costs with ultracapacitors in emergency pitch-control systems
By Joshua Hitt, Senior Product Line Manager Maxwell Technologies While wind-farm operators work to optimize turbine performance and uptime, it’s inevitable that certain components will demand greater O&M attention. One aspect of turbine maintenance that typically causes multiple downtime hours per month is battery-based emergency pitch-control systems. Pitch control is an important turbine component used…
New startup, Clobotics, raises $11 million for retail & wind energy AI
Clobotics, a global provider in intelligent computer vision solutions for the wind power and retail industries, announced that it has closed an additional $11 million (USD) in funding in a continuation of its Series A round of financing. Venture capital raised in this round now totals $21 million. Founded by former Microsoft executives, Clobotics’ solutions…
Wind-farm owners can now detect leading-edge erosion from data alone
Clir has developed cutting-edge software to detect and quantify the impact of leading-edge erosion, enabling clients to identify and request repairs or replacement of blades at the most economically sound time. Mechanical and technological advancements have improved wind-turbine design with ever-increasing tip heights and rotor speeds. These new designs increase the power production making them…
TPI Composites expands blade supply deal with GE
Arizona-based TPI Composites, a manufacturer of composite wind-turbine blades, has announced an extension of its blade supply agreement with GE. The agreement is for an additional two years for one of GE’s production sites in Mexico. The new agreement will expand GE’s access to production lines at one of TPI’s plants in Mexico from three to five,…
DNV GL to assess TMT’s new rotor blades
DNV GL, the world’s largest resource of independent energy experts and certification body, has signed a comprehensive framework agreement with leading Chinese wind turbine blade manufacturer Zhuzhou Times New Material Technology (TMT). The deal covers a range of certification and design assessment services to ensure the quality of TMT’s new rotor blade products, and…
New HighFlow Wind reinforcement fabrics launched for blade manufacturing
HighFlow Wind Energy is the first product launch from Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s new platform, which includes a range of high-performance reinforcement fabrics. According to HighFlow, the material is designed to deliver unrivaled performance for lightweight composite materials. “We are very pleased to introduce Ahlstrom-Munksjö HighFlow to the wind energy industry,” said Pekka Helynranta, VP Building and Wind. “We…
Vestas extends blade manufacturing deal with TPI Composites
TPI Composites, a global independent manufacturer of composite wind blades, announced that Vestas Wind Systems will add two more V136 blade manufacturing lines under an existing multi-year supply agreement. According to the agreement, TPI will produce blades from six lines for Vestas at TPI’s new manufacturing hub in Matamoros, Mexico. Production from this facility will…
Owens Corning & CPIC partner to manufacture wind blade materials
Owens Corning announced that it has entered into a Strategic Cooperation and Supply Agreement with Chongqing Polycomp International Corp. (CPIC) for joint investment in technology, construction, and operation by CPIC of a new facility dedicated to the manufacture of high-modulus glass fiber products in China. “This agreement positions two leading players in the wind industry…