October 2013
ARTICLES
Unforeseen subsurface conditions: Mitigating the risks of what can’t be seen
Construction contracts require owners and contractors to accept risk as part of the project construction. Two closely related risks on wind energy projects are unforeseen subsurface conditions and pre-existing hazardous materials. Properly evaluating and handling these risks is a necessary part of being a successful wind energy contractor. Wind energy balance of plant (BOP) contracts […]
Listen to the story that turbine data is trying to tell you
I don’t want to waste my time, labor, or money doing unnecessary things. This year I have spent much of my time here talking about data collection on wind turbines in a variety of forms. This is because I want to know when I should do something—when I should react. I am looking for a […]
Tower Ring method for cleaning wind towers significantly raises safety and environmental standards
Health and Safety experts will tell you: “The best way to reduce risk, is to eliminate the risk.” Pretty simple logic, right? Try applying that philosophy to cleaning 300-foot-tall wind towers! Wind power generation has been around for decades now. Local, state and federal initiatives are supporting (and in many cases, mandating) the movement toward […]
NEWS
Toronto Welcomes CanWEA for 29th Annual Conference & Exhibition
The Canadian Wind Energy Association will hold its 29th Annual Conference and exhibition from October 7-10 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario. CanWEA 2013 Conference & Exhibition is Canada’s largest wind energy conference. Organizers expect to attract nearly 200 exhibitors and 2,000 attendees from around the world to the four-day event. Participants can […]
October 8, 2013
Energy Storage Summit Co-Located with Association Conference
The Renewable Energy Storage Summit—hosted by Canadian Clean Energy Conferences—will be co-located with CanWEA 2013 in Toronto on Monday, October 7. By solving key challenges around integration, curtailment and dispatchability, energy storage is set to shift the wind business landscape and open new project opportunities across Canada. The Renewable Energy Storage Summit will bring together […]
October 8, 2013
Dominion Virginia Power Wins Federal Offshore Wind Auction
Dominion Virginia Power, a subsidiary of Dominion, on September 4 bid $1.6 million to win the lease for 112,800 acres of federal land approximately 23.5 nautical miles off the coast of Virginia to develop an offshore wind turbine farm capable of generating up to 2,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for 700,000 homes. “Offshore wind has […]
October 8, 2013
EDF EN Canada Commissions 150MW in Quebec
EDF EN Canada Inc., a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, has announced that the second phase of the Lac-Alfred Wind Project (150MW) in Quebec was declared for commercial operation on August 31.Lac-Alfred represents one of the seven wind energy projects in total awarded to the company in 2008 and 2010 through Hydro-Quebec Distribution calls for […]
October 8, 2013
GE Expands Facility, Installs 500th Turbine in Brazil
GE announced the expansion of its Campinas, São Paulo, manufacturing facility and the creation of 35 new skilled jobs. Co-located with Brazilian machinery manufacturer and GE Group subsidiary GEVISA, the facility will produce machine heads, also known as nacelles, for GE 1.7-100 and 1.85-82.5 wind turbines. The machine head is a primary component of a […]
October 8, 2013
Siemens to Supply Direct-Drive Turbines to France
Siemens has received an order from France for the supply, installation and commissioning of a total of 24 direct-drive wind turbines for four French wind projects, located in the Nord Pas-de-Calais and Picardie regions in northern France. Project investors are Diamond Generating Europe Limited (DGE) and the French renewable energy company EDF Energies Nouvelles (EDF […]
October 8, 2013
Penn State Offers Wind Energy Grad Degree Online
Penn State is now offering an Intercollege Master of Professional Studies in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems (iMPS-RESS), including a wind energy option. This degree program is designed to prepare professionals to lead the transformation from an unsustainable, fossil-energy economy to a renewable, sustainable one. The program is offered through Penn State’s World Campus, a […]
October 8, 2013
NREL Study: Western Renewables Cost Gap Could Narrow
A new Energy Department study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) indicates that by 2025 wind and solar power electricity generation could become cost-competitive without federal subsidies, if new renewable energy development occurs in the most productive locations. The report, “Beyond Renewable Portfolio Standards: An Assessment of Regional Supply and Demand Conditions Affecting […]
October 8, 2013
PRODUCT SHOWCASE: SampleSafe Eliminates Entry into Wind Farm Transformer Cabinets for Oil Sampling
Recent studies on cabinet-style wind farm transformers show a high occurrence of elevated combustible gas levels, particularly hydrogen. Tallmadge, Ohio-based SD Myers Inc. is not only leading in the research of the ever-growing problem of wind farm transformer gassing, but also recently introduced the SampleSafe™ system for installation on cabinet-style wind farm transformers. Designed to […]
October 8, 2013
PRODUCT SHOWCASE: MetalSCAN 3000 Boasts Reliability in a Wind Energy-Specific Design
GasTOPS provides products and services to the wind industry to monitor gearbox health using its flagship MetalSCAN product. MetalSCAN is the leading sensor product available today for on-line detection and quantification of metallic debris in wind turbine gearboxes. MetalSCAN’s advanced in-line, full-flow technology detects both ferromagnetic and non-ferromagnetic metal particles and provides a reliable, early […]
October 8, 2013
