Archives March 2011

Archives

March 2011

ARTICLES

There are many challenges to be overcome during wind farm electrical “balance of plant” work

There are many challenges to be overcome during wind farm electrical “balance of plant” work, which includes full wind park electrical integration. Here, the experts share helpful tips.

A privately held national infrastructure engineering and construction firm, Henkels & McCoy has been involved in the construction of wind farms for many years. Our expertise includes, but is not limited to, wind farm electrical “balance of plant” work, which includes full wind park electrical integration. The hard work starts from the nacelle and down-tower […]
Sammy Germany, Ph.D., M.B.A.

Wind project owners, site managers, and technicians alike need to understand the value of troubleshooting skills

Wind project owners, site managers, and technicians alike need to understand the value of troubleshooting skills, passing them along to new entrants in this growing workforce.

Many wind technicians begin their career having already been taught skills in servicing rotating machinery and bring a modest background and understanding of mechanical and electrical principles. Further on-the-job training in such areas as safety, wind turbine operation, bolting, rigging, and electrical systems present a well-rounded service technician who can skillfully perform routine and major […]
Merritt Brown

Obama signals support for the future of renewable energy

When President Obama visited Penn State to introduce a new energy conservation initiative, he signaled the administration’€™s support for the future of renewable energy in this country.

On February 3, United States President Barack Obama unveiled the “Better Building Initiative” to help the country “Win the Future” in a talk on the University Park campus at Penn State. The vision is to improve the energy efficiency of commercial building space by 20 percent over the next nine years. Cutting-edge energy research and […]
Sven Schmitz, Ph.D.

How do you minimize the risks and costs associated with market uncertainty?

How do you minimize the risks and costs associated with market uncertainty? Change past behavior and innovate!

According to President Obama, the first step in winning the future is innovation, but what does that mean for wind logistics? The latest wind energy headlines indicate a decrease in wind development in the U.S. and Europe as compared to 2009, and the high upfront financial investment, increasing competition, and the uncertain regulatory and demand […]
Anne Puhalovich

NEWS

President Obama Visits Broadwind Energy

President Barack Obama underscored key themes from his State of the Union speech of job creation, innovation, and global competitiveness when he visited Broadwind Energy, Inc.’s wind turbine tower manufacturing facility in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Broadwind Energy and its more than 800 employees are playing a critical role in powering up the clean energy industry, stimulating […]
February 23, 2011

GE Energy Financial Services, Partner Purchase Alta Wind I Farm

GE Energy Financial Services, a unit of GE, and Bankers Commercial Corporation, a unit of UnionBanCal Corporation, have purchased the first wind farm to start operations in one of the largest wind energy projects in the United States. GE Energy Financial Services and Bankers Commercial Corporation acquired the 150-megawatt Alta Wind I wind farm in […]
February 23, 2011

LM Wind Power Service & Logistics Makes Acquisition

At the AWEA O&M Project Performance and Reliability conference held in January global service partner for advanced blade services, LM Wind Power Service & Logistics announced that they have acquired Encore Power Services (EPS), a leading provider of field services and component repair for wind turbine generators in North America. John Mullins, president of EPS, […]
February 23, 2011

Vertical VisionGauge Digital Optical Comparator from Methods

Methods Machine Tools now offers the VisionGauge® digital optical comparator (patent pending) in a vertical configuration. In the vertical configuration, parts are mounted flat on the system’s XY stage and the optical axis is vertical (the lens is looking down on the parts). The most appropriate VisionGauge configuration for a given application—either horizontal or vertical—is […]
February 23, 2011

ACCIONA’s Mehta Elected CanWEA Board Chair

ACCIONA Energy announces that Adarsh Mehta, development director of ACCIONA Wind Energy Canada, has been elected as the new chair of the Canadian Wind Energy Association (CanWEA) Board of Directors. At the helm of CanWEA Mehta’s top priority will be strengthening broad public support for wind energy development. “Wind energy development has the potential to […]
February 23, 2011

ServoClass Couplings from Zero-Max

Design engineers looking to reduce heat transfer from servo motors to driven shafts will find ServoClass® couplings from Zero-Max an ideal solution. The ServoClass coupling design minimizes heat transfer and reduces variations in system accuracy caused by thermal expansion. The coupling features stainless steel discs designed into the center of the coupling that dissipate heat […]
February 23, 2011

OSHA, Lake Region State College Promote Wind Industry Safety

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced an alliance with Lake Region State College in Devils Lake, North Dakota, focusing on safety training for workers in the wind power industry. OSHA will provide assistance in the development of training related to working safely when exposed to hazards inherent to […]
February 23, 2011

Mini-Dynafile II Abrasive Belt Machine from Dynabrade

Dynabrade’s Mini-Dynafile II is a lightweight air-powered abrasive belt machine for grinding, blending, and deburring in normally inaccessible areas. Running at 25,000 RPM, the Mini-Dynafile II utilizes 1/8” to 1/2” wide x 12” long abrasive belts. The tool accepts coated and abrasive impregnated non-woven nylon belts. The multi-positioning grinding head pivots 180°, ideal for grinding […]
February 23, 2011