Archives March 2010

Archives

March 2010

ARTICLES

Loose ground can create foundation design challenges

When conducting site remediation, jet grouting is one technique to consider for improving poor soils without removing the existing structure.

Soft or loose ground at the site of a new tower can pose challenges to the design of the foundation. Jet grouting can modify this ground into soilcrete; a cemented material significantly stronger than soil. Wind tower foundations bearing on soft or loose ground can experience excessive settlement and bearing capacity failure. If identified prior […]
George K. Burke, P.E.

O&M issues to increase through the decade

Pre-end of warranty inspections assess the service history of a project, vet out troubled turbines, and provide owners with an expectation for post-warranty costs.

By the end of 2010, for the first time in U.S. history more wind turbines will be operating out of warranty than will be covered. This trend will continue through the decade, causing maintenance and repair to become larger issues for project owners. Unscheduled maintenance costs that have degraded profits of turbine manufacturers during the […]
Merritt Brown

Wind systems have gotten more effective and reliable

As designs progress and new technologies emerge, the authors present a value proposition for robust, reliable, cost-effective sensors.

As wind turbines have gotten larger over the last couple of decades, it is difficult to imagine the limitations in size or the future innovation that will be part of next-generation designs. Over time the industry has continued to develop larger utility-scale wind systems to leverage the economies of scale and capitalize on wind resources […]
Jose R. Zayas, Jon White

Foundation ‘gaps’ can prove costly

Leave nothing to chance by utilizing standardized processes that can help reduce or eliminate the gaps in your supply chain.

Wind power companies routinely face performance issues throughout their supply chains. These functional “gaps” often become problems that can prove very costly. Some gaps are more obvious than others. For example, detentions are among the biggest challenges… detentions of trucks because equipment isn’t ready to be picked up, of ships when it’s not delivered to […]
Hüseyin Kizilagac

NEWS

Nordic Windpower Raises Millions in Equity Funding

Nordic Windpower has raised $38 million in a new financing round led by Khosla Ventures, a premier investor in clean technology companies. Joining Khosla Ventures in the Series C equity financing are New Enterprise Associates (NEA), one of the largest venture firms worldwide, Novus Energy Partners, a U.S./Europe-based investor in clean technology, and existing investor […]
March 1, 2010

Capital Safety Opens New Warehouse

Capital Safety has opened a new warehouse in southern California. The new distribution hub enables the company to dramatically improve services to the West Coast by reducing costs, improving shipping times, and introducing a will-call option. “The new warehouse enables us to deliver products quickly, or make them available for pick up, to better serve […]
March 1, 2010

Vibration Acceptance Levels for Wind Turbines

The wind energy sector presents many variables that make reliability and maintenance a challenge for all involved with wind power plants. Wind turbines, by reason of their design, location of installation, and operation, do not abide by any international standard for vibration. According to DIN ISO, condition-based maintenance for wind power plants means to maintain, […]
March 1, 2010

NoiseFree Linings for Wind Turbines from Carlisle

Carlisle Industrial Brake & Friction introduces NoiseFree brake linings for wind turbine yaw braking applications. The NoiseFree range of brake linings have been specifically developed by Carlisle to meet the demanding requirements of yaw braking applications, where a high brake friction coefficient is required in combination with a long service lifetime and noise free operation. […]
March 1, 2010

New Active Harmonic Filter from Arteche

Arteche PQ, Inc.—a leading manufacturer of electrical power quality equipment for the improvement of power factor and reduction of harmonic distortion—has introduced a complete range of active harmonic filters. This new filter product line achieves 5 percent total harmonic current distortion (THD) by monitoring the flow of harmonic currents on a power system and injecting […]
March 1, 2010

Terex Speeds Up Wind Farm Construction

The Schuch Group has expanded its crane fleet to meet new demands in its upper lifting capacity segment. The lifting and transport company needed a cost-effective unit that would be ideally suited to efficient wind turbine erection operations. A Terex® AC 500-2, featuring a maximum lifting capacity of 500 metric tonnes, was selected as the […]
March 1, 2010

UL Listed Power Distribution Blocks from Marathon

Marathon Special Products has released a new series of UL listed power blocks. The features of the 135 Series Power Distribution Block include high current carrying capacity (up to 950A), wide range of wiring options, hinge cover, and suitability for UL508A control panel applications with short circuit current rating (SCCR) up to 100,000 SYM amps. […]
March 1, 2010

New LAF Series Power Sources from ESAB

ESAB Welding & Cutting Products introduces the new LAF DC power sources. The LAF series are three-phase, fan-cooled DC welding power sources designed for high productivity mechanized submerged arc welding or high productivity GMAW welding. They are designed to be used in combination with ESAB’s A2-A6 equipment range and the A2-A6 Process Controllers (PEK or […]
March 1, 2010

REpower Receives Contract for Minnesota Project

REpower Systems AG has received a contract from National Wind LLC, America’s leading large-scale community wind project developer, to supply 20 wind turbines. The REpower MM92 type turbines have a rated power of 2.05 MW (megawatts) and a hub height of 100 meters. The turbines will be used in the first phase of the Lake […]
March 1, 2010

Stanley Proto Expands Line of Torque Testing Equipment

With the introduction of new test and calibration equipment, Stanley Proto has positioned itself as a full torque solutions provider. Most companies that use torque wrenches have regularly scheduled calibration checks. To help meet this need Proto is introducing a new standalone torque tester and expanding its line of transducers. Testing and calibrating a torque […]
March 1, 2010

New Report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

A new report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has been released titled “Revealing the Hidden Value that the Federal Investment Tax Credit and Treasury Cash Grant Provide to Community Wind Projects.” The global financial crisis of 2008/2009 has, in several respects, been a blessing in disguise for community wind project development in the United States. […]
March 1, 2010

AMSC Signs Contract to Develop 5MW Turbines

American Superconductor Corporation, a global power technologies company, announces that its wholly-owned AMSC Windtec™ subsidiary has signed a follow-on contract with Dongfang Turbine Co. Ltd. to design and jointly develop 5MW full conversion wind turbines for the offshore wind power market. Dongfang is one of China’s top machinery companies. The company entered the wind power […]
March 1, 2010

Multimeter Certification from Snap-on Industrial

Snap-on Industrial announces the introduction of a multimeter certification program designed to meet the electrical monitoring requirements of technicians working in a variety of industries, from automotive to wind power. Snap-on Industrial, a division of Snap-on Inc., is a global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of hand and power tools, specialty tools, storage […]
February 24, 2010