Top-level energy experts and industry decision-makers from around the world met at Bachmann electronic in Austria last month to discuss international safety standards in wind power.
During the last week of April, international wind-related meetings took place at Bachmann electronic in Austria with the goal of reviewing and developing global standards for wind turbine safety and related services.
A total of 81 top-level experts and decision-makers of industrial enterprises, certification companies, power plant operators, universities, and public authorities from 14 different countries out of Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa met at the leading automation specialist for wind power plants in Feldkirch. The meetings occurred under the umbrella of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a worldwide recognized standardization body in the fields of electrical engineering and electronics.
The WE-OMC (Wind Energy Operational Management Committee), which is a part of the IECRE (IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Renewable Energy Applications), kick-started the event meetings. Together, they worked to develop the requirements for the international trade of wind turbines including its components and services in compliance with security standards. The objective of the WE-OMC is to push applications in the area of renewable energies by the establishment of uniform standards to further expand renewable energies in the future.
Afterwards the CAG (Chairman’s Advisory Group), which defines the strategy in the area of wind standards, worked together. The main focus of these sessions lied on the international marketing of these wind standards. On the final days, the TC88 meeting took place. TC stands for Technical Committee and the group 88 develops new wind standards respectively, and revises existing wind standards whereas the standardization work is done in individual groups.
At the TC88 meeting the proceedings of the individual standardization groups were presented and the, approved for developing a new standard within the safety area.
“Bachmann will also make a contribution for this purposes,” explained Peter Nachbaur who is responsible for research development and patent system at Bachmann electronic. “For many years now, the company has been engaged with functional safety, which covers the protection of individuals and the environment. In this field we offer safety modules and development environments for the safe operation of wind power plants.”
Benefits of standards
Wind standards are part of the standardization series IEC61400. One of these wind standards is the IEC61400-26, which covers the availability of wind turbines and wind parks. The benefit of standardization work and systems was examined by the Fraunhofer Institute for System Dynamics and Innovation Research and the Technical University of Dresden in a scientific study questioning 700 companies in the area.
The key findings of this study were:
- The costs of the whole Austrian standardization system are EUR 58 million per year, whereas the annual contribution of standardization to the gross domestic product (GDP) is in the range of about EUR 2.4 billion; this means that every invested euro in standardization has an output of about 40 euros.
- The early recognition and knowledge, in which direction certain matters develop, leads to time savings for companies to introduce adjustment, renewal, and innovation processes on time.
- European and international standards expand sales markets.
- Standards promote the economic efficiency of companies and support cooperation.
Bachmann
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Filed Under: Policy, Safety
