Parker Accumulator and Cooler, a motion and control technologies manufacturer, has developed a line of replacement kits for bladder-style accumulators used in wind turbines. The kits let wind turbine technicians replace bladders in the field, avoiding potential downtime and power capacity disruption. The bladder replacement kits are engineered with rubber compounds that Parker formulated specifically…

Siemens Gamesa has upgraded its next-generation onshore wind platform increasing power output to 6.6 MW. The new SG 6.6-155 and SG 6.6-170 turbines will now offer higher individual power, with hopes to deliver a lower Levelized Cost of Energy (LCoE) for customers. Both turbines can now offer greater annual energy production made possible in part…

ONYX Insight has launched a new hardware solution that predicts where and when costly pitch bearing failures occur in wind turbines. This type of failure is a significant problem in the wind industry. Pitch bearings connect the rotor hub to the blades and experience high loading during the life of a turbine. There are many…

Siemens Gamesa has released the RecyclableBlade, the world’s first recyclable wind turbine blades ready for commercial use offshore. With this technology, separation of the materials in the blade is possible at the end of its lifetime, enabling recycling into new applications. The first six 81-m long RecyclableBlades have been produced at the Siemens Gamesa blade…

Offshore wind tower manufacturing venture Marmen Welcon arranged a partnership with Smulders, a European steel construction company, to manufacture transition pieces for the U.S. offshore wind market. The facility will be located at the Port of Albany in New York and will manufacture the support structures for offshore wind towers. It is expected to be…

Danish wind turbine tool company R&D has developed a new product, Bolt-Check, that can measure bolt tension two-times faster than traditional methods, claims the company. Bolted joints on wind turbines need to withstand higher centrifugal and bending forces, as well as stresses and vibrations. Incorrect bolt tension in wind turbines is a common complication that…

Alaska’s largest wind farm has incorporated Emerson‘s automated management software. Eva Creek Wind, a nearly 25-MW wind facility came online in Nenana in 2013. Golden Valley Electric Association contracted Emerson’s services to simplify the management of Eva Creek, providing equipment diagnostics and analytics for forecasting and dispatch. It incorporates Emerson’s Ovation automation platform and OSI…

Duke Energy Sustainable Solutions commenced commercial operation of its 182-MW Maryneal Windpower project in Nolan County, Texas. In 2019, cellular service Sprint signed a 12-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for 173.3 MW of the wind generated by the project, which will reduce parent company T-Mobile’s carbon production by 9%. “Projects like Maryneal Windpower play…

RWE Renewables has started commercial operation on its 250-MW onshore Scioto Ridge Wind Farm located in Hardin and Logan counties in Ohio. Scioto is powered by 75 Siemens Gamesa turbines and represents RWE’s first onshore wind project in Ohio and 28th in the United States. “Scioto Ridge marks our successful entry in the Ohio market,”…

Mayflower Wind and Anbaric Development Partners have signed an agreement for Mayflower Wind to use transmission assets developed by Anbaric to bring offshore wind to the Brayton Point power plant in Somerset, Massachusetts. “Mayflower Wind is committed to helping Massachusetts and New England achieve their ambitious clean energy goals,” said Michael Brown, Mayflower Wind CEO.…

EDP Renewables North America (EDPR) has initiated its first North American repowering construction proceedings at the Blue Canyon II Wind Farm in Oklahoma. The repowering of Blue Canyon II, which is located in Caddo and Kiowa counties and is part of a four-phase project, ensures significant economic benefits and affordable energy will continue with the…

Composite modeling software provider AnalySwift announced that the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has used its VABS blade simulation tool in two recent projects. The software is used to generate accurate blade properties. Modern wind turbine blades can be 100-m or longer with dozens of separate layers of advanced composite materials.…

Commercial operations has commenced at EDP Renewables North America’s (EDPR) 104-MW Crossing Trails Wind Farm. The new wind farm is located 20 miles south of Seibert, Colorado, within Kit Carson and Cheyenne counties, and is within the service territory of Tri-State member K.C. Electric Association. Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association is the project’s sole offtaker…

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…

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…

Hexcel is pleased to announce its latest HexPly XF surface technology that significantly reduces shell manufacturing time within the wind blade surface finishing process. HexPly XF increases overall blade manufacturing efficiency by reducing time in the mold by up to two hours and by banishing surface defects that require rework before painting. As the surge in…

RWE Renewables‘ East Raymond facility, a 200-MW onshore wind farm located in Willacy and Cameron counties, Texas, has achieved commercial operation. “We’re excited to announce our 27th onshore wind farm in the U.S. and our eighth project on the Texas Coast,” said Silvia Ortin, COO, North America, RWE Renewables. “We’re also very happy to be…

The RWE Renewables portfolio in North America continues to expand as Boiling Springs, a 148-MW project, located in Woodward County, Oklahoma, has achieved commercial operation. The facility is RWE’s first project in the state and in the Southwest Power Pool. “Under very challenging conditions, our teams have delivered this project with outstanding dedication to our…

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…

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…