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April 2014

EPA’s Clean Power Plan draws support from wind and environmental advocacy groups

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EPA’s Clean Power Plan draws support from wind and environmental advocacy groups

On June 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released its Clean Power Plan guidelines, seeking to reduce carbon emissions from power plants.

According to the EPA, the plan seeks to achieve the following by 2030:

• Cut carbon emission from the power sector by 30 percent nationwide below 2005 levels.
• Cut particle pollution, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide by more than 25 percent.
• Avoid up to 6,600 premature deaths, up to 150,000 asthma attacks in children, and up to 490,000 missed work or school days.
• Reduce electricity bills roughly 8 percent by through energy efficiency practices.

Implementation will involve the federal government partnering with states to set forth a course of action toward achieving the standards outlined under the plan. States are required to draft a plan using existing or new energy generation, as well as methods for pollution control, with the reduction of carbon pollution being the ultimate goal. In developing these plans, states are allowed a degree of flexibility to meet their individual goals. The states can use any number of approved carbon reduction methods, as well as team with other states to create regional plans.

 States have two years to submit their plans to the EPA for approval, with the possibility of extending the time period through a two-step plan submission process. Many states have made significant strides toward carbon reduction to date, and the EPA’s plan will allow those states to build upon practices already in place.

 "Climate change, fueled by carbon pollution, supercharges risks to our health, our economy, and our way of life,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said in announcing the plan. “EPA is delivering on a vital piece of President Obama's Climate Action Plan by proposing a Clean Power Plan that will cut harmful carbon pollution from our largest source—power plants. By leveraging cleaner energy sources and cutting energy waste, this plan will clean the air we breathe while helping slow climate change so we can leave a safe and healthy future for our kids."

The agency has allowed a comment period of 120 days following the plan’s publication in the Federal Register. Public hearings on the plan will be held in late July in Denver, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and Pittsburgh.

 
IMPACT ON THE WIND INDUSTRY
As states move forward and develop their plans to submit to EPA, they will undoubtedly look toward renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, as alternative means of generating electricity.

 The American Wind Energy Association, less than a month removed from its annual WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, of which carbon reduction was a primary theme, is aligning itself with the administration’s climate effort.

 In response to the June 2 announcement, AWEA CEO Tom Kiernan released the following statement:

As one of the biggest, fastest, and cheapest ways to reduce carbon pollution, wind energy can play a central role in state plans to achieve the reduction targets appropriately set by the EPA.

Reducing carbon pollution through the deployment of wind energy can be done in a manner that keeps electricity affordable and reliable, creates jobs, and supports local economic development. This can be seen in the recent 43 percent reduction in the cost of wind energy over four years, the tens of thousands of jobs supported by the wind industry throughout the country, and the 560 factories across 43 states now churning out made-in-the-USA parts for wind turbines.

The good news is that meeting this new rule is very doable. Wind energy is already affordably and reliably reducing power sector emissions by more than five percent nationally — reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 10 percent in 11 states so far, and making some reductions in nearly every state. And, wind energy is poised to play an even more significant role, while providing a much-needed economic boost in many communities and protecting electric ratepayers through long-term price guarantees.

The wind energy industry strongly supports moving forward with the process to develop this first-ever rule from the EPA to limit carbon pollution from existing power plants. We will be reviewing the proposed rule closely and comment on the specifics at the appropriate time. For now, we are pleased it has been issued and that EPA has undertaken such a thorough outreach process in developing it. We look forward to continuing to work with states, utilities and other stakeholders as the EPA rulemaking process moves forward and the drafting of state implementation plans begins.

Also a month prior to the EPA announcement, the Association released “The Clean Air Benefits of Wind Energy,” a report outlining — on a state-by-state basis — wind energy’s efficacy in the states’ compliance with the EPA plan.

 
REACTION TO THE PLAN
Following the announcement of the Clean Power Plan, reaction from advocates and opponents was mixed. Below are released or published statements from selected advocates and opponents in the environmental, public health, labor, government, and international arenas.

Environment
Michael Brune,
Executive Director,
Sierra Club
“Today, the president made good on his promise to American families that his administration would tackle the climate crisis, and clean up and modernize the way we power our country.

“Climate disruption is the greatest challenge facing our generation. Until now, power plants have been allowed to dump unlimited amounts of carbon pollution into our air, driving dangerous climate disruption, and fueling severe drought, wildfires, heat waves and superstorms. Extreme weather, and the costs to Americans’ health and wallets, will only worsen unless we act.”

 
Fred Krupp,
President,
Environmental Defense Fund
"This historic proposal would, for the first time, place meaningful limits on climate pollution from power plants. It's the single largest step our country has yet taken to address the threat of climate change, and the kind of leadership we need to meet this urgent challenge.

"Right now we set limits for pollutants such as mercury and arsenic, yet power plants can put an unlimited amount of carbon pollution into the air. A smart, strong limit on that pollution will be a great stride toward protecting public health and building a prosperous clean energy economy."

 
Frances Beinecke,
President,
Natural Resources Defense Council
"The EPA's proposal to limit carbon pollution from power plants for the first time ever is a giant leap forward in protecting the health of all Americans and future generations.

"It sets fair targets for each state and empowers the states with the flexibility to craft the best local solutions, using an array of compliance tools. And if states embrace the huge energy efficiency opportunities, consumers will save on their electric bills and see hundreds of thousands of jobs created across the country."

 
Carol Werner,
Executive Director,
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
“Climate change is happening and carbon emissions must be addressed. As an organization concerned about providing solid information to inform pragmatic policy solutions to solve difficult problems, EESI is pleased that EPA is seeking to encourage innovation and multiple approaches for states in the quest to reduce carbon emissions. Recognizing that states are all different, this approach provides opportunities to encourage smart actions that can enhance economic competitiveness and improve public health while reducing emissions.”

 
Public health
Kathleen Sebelius,
U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services
“The EPA’s proposed rule setting carbon standards for power plants will help protect public health by improving air quality and reducing exposure to particle pollution.

“With more than 25 million Americans, including more than 6.5 million children, living with asthma, and countless others suffering from the health effects of carbon pollution and climate change, we must act. Less carbon in the air we breathe protects the health of all Americans.”

 
Harold P. Wimmer,
National President and CEO
American Lung Association
“Power plant pollution makes people sick and cuts short lives. Cleaning up carbon pollution will have an immediate, positive impact on public health; particularly for those who suffer from chronic diseases like asthma, heart disease or diabetes. Steps to clean up carbon pollution can reduce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, both poisonous emissions from coal-fired power plants that are also major precursors to lethal ozone and particulate matter pollution.”

“We urge the EPA to set a final standard within a year and will work with health partners across the country to support the strongest limits on carbon pollution. Anything less shortchanges our future, our children and our health.”

 
State governors
Gov. Deval Patrick,
Massachusetts
“I applaud EPA’s new carbon rules, which will unleash clean energy innovation and reduce energy costs while protecting our environment and public health. This is a critical step in moving the nation toward a clean energy future, one that we’ve already embraced in Massachusetts with great results. The Obama Administration is showing leadership in clean energy for American citizens today, and in the future.”

 
Gov. Rick Perry,
Texas
“President Obama's decision to impose drastic new restrictions on America's energy industry is the most direct assault yet on the energy providers that employ thousands of Americans, and fuel both our homes and our nation's economic growth. Americans have seen the disastrous results of federal mandates with Obamacare, and these rules will only further stifle our economy's sluggish recovery and increase energy costs for American families. If President Obama is truly interested in an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy, he would do well to look to states like Texas that have seen tremendous success at diversifying energy sources while protecting the environment from harmful pollutants.”

 
Gov. Martin O’Malley,
Maryland
“Power plants are the nation’s largest source of carbon pollution, representing 34 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. By targeting the number one source of greenhouse gas emissions, President Obama is moving the United States in the right direction toward strongly emphasizing renewable energy, improving air quality for our vulnerable populations, and mitigating the effects of severe weather events and flooding on our coastlines and low-lying areas.

“The climate-related actions in the Plan show that we can use the prospect of a carbon constrained world as the means to invent a more prosperous future, to drive innovation, education, industry, jobs, and expansion of opportunity..”

 
Gov. Steve Beshear,
Kentucky
“During my entire term as Governor, I have remained steadfast in my support of Kentucky’s important coal and manufacturing industries, and the affordable energy and good jobs they provide the Commonwealth and the nation. That’s why I strongly opposed and will continue to fight the rule the federal government released last year for new power plants, which I believe would decimate Kentucky’s economy.

“We plan on being very active and vocal during the 120-day comment period to ensure Kentucky’s families and businesses are protected. The President’s desire to protect our climate is one that I share, but that desire must be attained while also providing economic security to our families and businesses.”
 

Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin
“The EPA’s new rules are an extensive 645 pages long and at first glance, there are several proposals that cause us great concern,” Gov. Tomblin said. “If these rules are put into place, our manufacturers may be forced to look overseas for more reasonable energy costs, taking good paying jobs with them and leaving hardworking West Virginians without jobs to support their families. We must make every effort to create opportunities for our young people, not hinder them.”

 
Labor
Cecil E. Roberts
International President
United Mine Workers of America

“The proposed rule issued today by the Environmental Protection Agency will lead to long-term and irreversible job losses for thousands of coal miners, electrical workers, utility workers, boilermakers, railroad workers and others without achieving any significant reduction of global greenhouse gas emissions.”

 
International
Ed Davey,
UK Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change:

“This is a significant move by the Obama administration. National efforts are crucial in fighting climate change, and in the UK we've successfully cut industrial emissions, particularly from the power sector.”

“We must strive to get all nations to rise to the urgency of the climate challenge. That way there's a real chance the world can sign up to a new global climate deal in Paris next year. These US proposals have come at a crucial time, and could shift the global debate.”

 
Simon Dyer,
Senior spokesperson
Pembina Institute (Canada)
“The EPA’s climate rules send a strong signal that the United States is serious about addressing its largest source of greenhouse gas pollution. In contrast, the Canadian government continues to resist action on addressing its major emissions growth problem – the rapidly increasing greenhouse gas pollution from oilsands production.

"While Canada has the same 2020 emissions target as the U.S., our federal government has failed to produce a plan to meet its goal. As a result, Environment Canada projects that we will miss our 2020 target by more than the current emissions of Canada's entire electricity sector.”

 

AWEA White Paper: “The Clean Air Benefits of Wind Energy”

EPA Clean Power Plan

 

juwi Wind Chooses H.B. White Canada As EPC Contractor For Community Wind Farms In Nova Scotia

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juwi Wind Chooses H.B. White Canada As EPC Contractor For Community Wind Farms In Nova Scotia

The wind energy projects, have been developed by juwi Wind Services Canada, on behalf of the project’s community and institutional owners. The selection was made after a competitive process managed by juwi Wind Services Canada.

“White is a top tier North American wind energy construction company and we saw real value in White’s competitive pricing, capacity, and previous Nova Scotia experience,” said juwi Director of Operations Jed van Sciver.

The 24-MW portfolio of community projects consists of:

• Pockwock Community Wind Project (10 MW)
• Millbrook Community Wind Project (6 MW)
• Truro-Heights Community Wind Project (4 MW)
• Whynotts Community Wind project (4 MW)

“The White organization and their affiliated companies have built over 10,500 MW of wind power projects throughout North America and traditionally builds much larger projects. However, the close proximity of these projects and our past experience working with First Nations made the juwi wind portfolio an attractive opportunity for our company,” said Chris Hanson of White Construction Inc.

Mike Kosiancic of Firelight Infrastructure Partners, the common equity owner across all four projects said of White’s selection, “It is really unique to have such a large and capable contractor building community wind projects this size.”

The projects were developed as a portfolio under the Nova Scotia Community Feed-In-Tariff program, where each project is partially owned by the local community.

“Using the White organization gives our local investors greater certainty that our project will be completed on-time and on-budget,” said Terry Norman, President of Chebucto Pockwock Lake Wind Field Limited.

Additionally, three of the four projects in the portfolio also have significant ownership positions held by Nova Scotia’s Mi’kmaq Bands.

Chief Bob Gloade of Millbrook First Nation said, “As Chief of the majority owner in one of the projects and as Chairman of the Mi’kmaq Rights Benefits Committee, it was important to see that White had experience with First Nation’s labor and contractors and that they will continue that commitment as they build these projects.”

The four projects entered into turbine supply agreements with Vestas in late 2013 to supply a total of 12 V100-2.0 MW turbines.

Representatives from Vestas, White, juwi, owners, and the initial project developer, hosted public open houses in February to share information with stakeholders about the upcoming builds.

Top News from WINDPOWER 2014

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Top News from WINDPOWER 2014

Energy Department announces innovative offshore wind projects
The Energy Department recently announced the selection of three pioneering offshore wind demonstrations to receive up to $47 million each over the next four years to deploy innovative, grid-connected systems in federal and state waters by 2017. These projects—located off the coast of New Jersey, Oregon, and Virginia—will help speed the deployment of more efficient offshore wind power technologies. Building on the Energy Department’s broader efforts to launch a competitive and sustainable offshore wind industry in the United States, these demonstration projects will help further lower costs, drive greater performance and clear hurdles to installing more utility-scale turbines in U.S. waters.

“Offshore wind offers a large, untapped energy resource for the United States that can create thousands of manufacturing, construction and supply chain jobs across the country and drive billions of dollars in local economic investment,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

In December 2012, the Energy Department announced seven offshore wind demonstration projects, which have focused on design, engineering, and permitting work. The three projects selected today are aimed at deploying offshore wind installations in U.S. waters by 2017:

• Fishermen’s Energy will install five 5MW direct-drive wind turbines approximately three miles off the coast of Atlantic City, New Jersey. This project will utilize an innovative, U.S.-developed twisted jacket foundation that is simpler and less expensive to manufacture and install than traditional offshore wind foundations. Fishermen’s project will act as a laboratory for researchers to learn about offshore wind and investigate interactions between turbines.

• Principle Power will install five 6MW direct-drive wind turbines approximately 18 miles off the coast of Coos Bay, Oregon. The U.S.-developed WindFloat semi-submersible floating foundation will be installed in water more than 1,000 feet deep, demonstrating an innovative solution for deep water wind turbine projects and lowering costs by simplifying installation and eliminating the need for highly specialized ships. More than 60 percent of U.S. offshore wind resources are found in deep waters, including the entirety of the West Coast. Deploying offshore wind technologies for deeper water can help capture resources that are found in waters too deep for traditional bottom-mounted foundations.

• Dominion Virginia Power will install two 6MW direct-drive wind turbines 26 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, utilizing a U.S.-designed twisted jacket foundation. Dominion’s project will demonstrate installation, operation and maintenance methods for wind turbines located far from shore. Additionally, the Dominion project will install and test a hurricane-resilient design to ensure that offshore wind facilities placed in hurricane-prone U.S. waters are reliable, safe, and cost-effective.

The proposals from the University of Maine and from the Lake Erie Energy Development Cooperation offered additional innovative approaches that, with additional engineering and design, will further enhance the properties of American offshore wind technology options. This includes concrete semi-submersible foundations as well as monopile foundations designed to reduce ice loading. The Department will continue to work with these teams to advance their designs to deployment readiness.

Texas Tech and Group NIRE welcome Gamesa to the Reese Technology Center
Texas Tech University System and Group NIRE welcome Gamesa Technology Corp., Inc., to its research facilities in Lubbock, Texas at the Reese Technology Center.  Group NIRE and Gamesa Technology Corp., Inc., have completed the installation and commissioning of the first 60Hz G114-2.0 MW wind turbine at the Reese Technology Center in Lubbock, TX.  Erection and commissioning of the prototype was completed mid-March.

The prototype is deployed near Texas Tech University’s National Wind Institute’s field site, and includes a wealth of instrumentation that will enhance collaborative research projects. NWI’s cutting edge facilities include an fully instrumented 200 m meteorological tower, SODAR, a radar profiler, multiple 80 m instrumented towers and other world renowned facilities.

The project is being implemented in collaboration with Group NIRE, whose research facility focuses on testing, certifying and validating the next generation wind turbines and other energy assets.  Group NIRE performs all testing in real world environments as part of their R&D partnership with Texas Tech University and the National Wind Institute.

“The Office of Corporate Engagement at Texas Tech is proud to work closely with Group NIRE to attract industry leading companies like Gamesa to West Texas, the top region in North America for wind resources and research expertise,” said Director of Texas Tech Corporate Engagement, Russell Thomasson.

“The construction of the Gamesa G114 2MW wind turbine is an important project for both Group NIRE and Texas Tech University System as we recruit more companies like Gamesa to our energy asset testing and certification facility.  This is the beginning of a long-term relationship with Gamesa and we welcome them to West Texas,” said Group NIRE’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Harral.

The turbine will be used for validation testing, certification testing and future R&D projects. Testing will include safety and functional tests, load measurements, and power curve measurements among others.  Slated for completion in 2014, Type Certification, a widely accepted industry certificate that is offered to signify a quality product, will soon become the  model for doing business  in this  sector.

GE reports 3.9 GW of U.S. orders since early 2013
GE’s renewable energy business announced a cumulative 3.9 GW of firm and unconditional wind turbine supply orders in the United States since January 1, 2013, the date of the Production Tax Credit extension. Of these orders, 1.1 GW of GE technology was placed into service in 2013. The remaining 2.8 GW will be commissioned or begin construction by the end of 2015.

In May 2013, GE announced it had 1 GW of orders in the U.S. since the January 1, 2013, PTC extension ruling. On May 6, GE announced that since January 1, 2013, the number of orders contracted has increased to 3.9 GW.

“We feel confident that, with our strong backlog of orders, we are strongly positioned for 2014 and 2015,” said Anne McEntee, president and CEO of GE’s renewable energy business. “As we continue to expand our brilliant wind product line, our customers are seeing efficiencies and capabilities greater than ever before in the wind industry. Through these advancements in technology, combined with strong execution and operations expertise, GE is continuing our commitment to our customers’ success and investment in the future of renewable energy.”

GE adds plant-level wind management tools to “brilliant” platform
On May 6, GE’s renewable energy business announced the expansion of its “brilliant” wind platform to include plant-level wind management software applications to improve overall wind farm output. Using the power of the Industrial Internet and turbine-to-turbine communications capabilities, GE’s new software allows the turbines within a wind farm to act as a cohesive unit, rather than individual assets. Wind plant wake management, from GE Predictivity™, is the first farm-level management application launched by GE and enables customers to recapture lost power output from waking effects.

When capturing wind, turbines create a wake that impacts the volume and condition of the wind reaching turbines sited behind. With the wind farm wake management application, turbines balance performance and loads throughout the entire wind farm. In turn, wind farms can achieve greater power output as an overall plant, and customers can expect to see 5-10 percent reduced wake losses and improved mechanical loads due to lower wake turbulence. This translates to up to 8 percent more profit for the wind plant.
 

GE successfully proves blade extension technology
GE’s renewable energy business has announced a technology demonstration of a 7-meter blade extension, taking GE wind turbines from a 77-meter rotor to a 91-meter rotor. The extension increases the swept area of the rotor by 40 percent and increases the energy production by more than 20 percent. There are currently two prototypes that have been in operation for 10 months, which were completed with Noble Environmental Power at Noble’s Clinton Wind Park in Clinton, New York. The technology upgrades GE 1.5-77 turbines to GE 1.5-91 turbines utilizing the entire existing blade asset. The program was developed by GE to help customers achieve significant increase in power output on their existing fleet while maintaining existing product life and acoustics. Throughout the development of the extensions, the GE team filed more than 16 patent applications and developed custom tooling for the extension installation. “The blade extension program for GE is a great example of the magnitude of technology advancements GE is capable of developing,” said Mark Johnson, engineering leader for GE’s renewable energy business. “At GE, we take big swings to help our customers reach their goals and operate more successfully. Achieving production gains of more than 20 percent for existing units is a challenging task, and with GE’s expertise in engineering aerodynamics, material science, structural engineering and controls, we continue to be able to help our customers operate more profitably and efficiently.”

 
Wind PowerUp* now operating on 1,000 GE turbines worldwide
GE’s renewable energy business announces that its Wind PowerUp* platform has secured more than 1,000 units under contract to date. PowerUp, a GE Predictivity™ solution, is a customized software-enabled platform that allows wind farm operators to increase annual energy production (AEP) on their turbines by up to 5 percent, taking into account environmental conditions. A 5 percent increase in energy output translates to up to a 20 percent increase in profit per turbine.

The more than 1,000 wind turbines with PowerUp translate to a potential 194 gigawatt hours of additional energy per year. Leading industry power producers such as E.ON and EDPR are some of the first to adopt the PowerUp platform and see improvements to the bottom line across their fleets.
 

Omega chooses GE’s newest turbine for 70-megawatt order in Brazil
GE introduced the latest in its line of brilliant wind turbines with the 2.2-107 and announced an order of 32 turbines from Omega Energia in the Piaui region of Brazil. This is the first order for GE’s 2.2-107 wind turbine, which was selected by Omega Energia in the A-5 Brazil energy auction on December 13, 2013.

The 2.2-107 machine is the latest in GE’s line of brilliant wind turbines, which harness the power of the Industrial Internet to analyze tens of thousands of data points every second, helping to manage wind’s variability and provide smooth, predictable power. The turbine is an evolution of GE’s 1.5-megawatt series of turbines and is well suited for Brazil’s wind regime. As part of the contract, GE will provide the operations and maintenance on the 32 turbines for 10 years.

 
ABB touts grid connection breakthroughs at AWEA Windpower 2014
ABB, a power technology solutions provider for the wind industry, promoted a series of new grid interconnection technology applications for wind farms from the show floor at the annual AWEA Windpower 2014 conference in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Building off a very interactive, half-day, pre-show technical training session on May 5 entitled, “Wind Farm Best Practices: The latest developments in grid connected technologies,” in conjunction with the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), ABB had “Smart Squad” experts in the booth to showcase an array of new technologies centered around better grid connections—managing reactive power to meet grid codes, as well as the latest breakthroughs in Statcom, microgrids and energy storage. ABB will also offer a full line of low voltage drives, switchgear, transformers and wind turbine converter solutions for wind farms of all sizes, as well as the Ventyx Energy Portfolio Management (EPM) solution for accurately forecasting wind patterns and collecting data.

Another advanced wind automation application ABB is launching is known as Symphony Plus for Wind®, a new SCADA offering designed for effective monitoring and control of fleets for wind plants. Symphony Plus is a robust automation system that is already implemented within a large number of thermal and hydro power plants, but is now available to meet the growing demand in the wind industry. In addition to real time monitoring and control, this solution includes unique features such as condition monitoring of assets and optimal dispatching of plants using a scalable SCADA solution; a single “pane of glass” for operations and maintenance of turbines and substation equipment; and central control room capabilities. This solution is supported both globally and locally for software updates and added functionality.

 
ABB microgrids to stabilize power grid, increase renewables for Alaska island
Also at WINDPOWER 2014, ABB announced it has received an order to deliver two PowerStore units as part of a microgrids solution to stabilize the power grid and increase renewable energy on Kodiak Island in Alaska.

ABB’s Microgrids Business in Raleigh, NC, worked closely with Kodiak Electric Association (KEA) to develop and deliver the microgrid solution. KEA, a rural electric cooperative which generates and distributes electrical power in Kodiak, Alaska, uses hydro, wind, battery energy storage, and diesel generation sets to produce power for the island.

The ABB PowerStore units will provide voltage and frequency support for a new crane to be installed at Kodiak Island’s port facility. They can also extend the life of the battery systems by up to 6 years, and provide renewables integration by helping to manage the intermittencies from a 9 MW wind farm on the island. Longer battery life will improve sustainability of KEA’s power system.
 

DWEA and AWEA enter formal partnership
The Distributed Wind Energy Association (DWEA) has announced that it has entered into a formal partnership with the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) that will enable the organizations to strengthen their representation of the small and community wind industry here in the United States. The two associations will collaborate on building the distributed and community wind markets nationally, as well as coordinating on federal and state policy initiatives.

Community wind is characterized by local participation, usually in the form of ownership and control. Individual landowners have a personal stake in the success of this industry and are looking for ways to maximize the value of wind for their communities. Local communities, including agricultural and rural economic development interests, can help build the industry’s success in their backyards. A variety of business models and applications have emerged in this growing form of wind energy development.

Applications can be "behind the meter" (providing electricity directly to the home /business/school), or mini-wind farms selling power to the local utility. Community wind projects usually range in size from less than 1 megawatt (MW) to 20 MW, and are sometimes larger. Wind projects owned by public power entities (cooperatives and municipalities) are considered community wind, as they are owned by the local electricity customers.

“This partnership will serve to strengthen our relationship with DWEA while better serving our collective members through efficiencies and communication,” said Tom Kiernan, AWEA CEO.

 “We are pleased to partner with AWEA on their distributed and community wind work,” said DWEA Executive Director Jennifer Jenkins. “We look forward to fostering a collaborative network of community and distributed wind members and continuing to build and expand this growing industry together.”

By joining forces, AWEA and DWEA will be able to more effectively secure and allocate resources to support the growing community wind energy market. As members of both DWEA and AWEA, distributed and community wind companies, will have even greater opportunity to take advantage of targeted publications, reports, policy initiatives and networking opportunities offered by both organizations.
 

Siemens, Pattern sign 10-year service contracts for North America
Underscoring growing customer confidence in the valuable benefits Siemens Energy can provide with its flexible, longer term wind service agreements, the company has been awarded 10-year wind service agreements encompassing over 400 onshore wind turbines in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The customer is Pattern Energy Group Inc., based in San Francisco, California. Combined, the scope of these long-term contracts represents one of Siemens’ largest agreements with a single customer in North America.

As part of a multi-project service agreement signed in 2014, Siemens wind service will provide an additional decade of service and maintenance for 400 wind turbines across six Pattern Energy projects in North America. The Santa Isabel Wind project in Puerto Rico has 44 SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines.

Pattern Energy is a leading independent power company with a portfolio of 10 wind power projects in the United States, Canada and Chile.

“This is an important milestone in the continued maturation of the wind industry in North America,” said Tim Holt, CEO of Service Renewables, a business unit of the Siemens Energy Service Division. “As more and more wind energy is placed into service, our commitment is to provide long-term added value to customers like Pattern Energy in order to help them realize favorable performance throughout the turbines’ lifecycle.”

“As an industry leader with vast experience, Siemens brings long-term reliability and technology enhancements to our wind projects, ensuring improved performance and lower operating cost risks from each and every turbine,” said Mike Garland, President and CEO of Pattern Energy.

Helping Pattern Energy obtain continued reliability, availability and performance of the turbines, Siemens will provide the long-term service and maintenance, as well as technology updates, for six Pattern Energy wind projects located in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico with a combined output of over 930 megawatts (MW).

The current operating projects included in the new service agreements are Pattern Energy’s St. Joseph Wind project in southern Manitoba with 60 SWT 2.3-101 wind turbines (138 MW); Spring Valley Wind in eastern Nevada with 66 SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines (152 MW); Ocotillo Wind in Southern California with 112 SWT-2.3s-108 units (265 MW); Hatchet Ridge Wind in Northern California with 44 SWT-2.3-93 wind turbines (101 MW); and Santa Isabel in Puerto Rico with 44 SWT-2.3-108 units (101 MW).
 

Siemens receives turbine and service order for largest wind farm in Ontario, Canada
Today, Siemens Energy announced a major wind turbine and service order in Canada at WINDPOWER 2014 in Las Vegas. Along with the South Kent Wind Farm in Chatham-Kent, Ontario, the 270-MW K2 Wind Ontario (K2 Wind) Project will be among the largest wind power plants in Canada. It is located in Goderich in southwestern Ontario and will feature 140 units of the Siemens SWT-2.3-101 wind turbines. The project owners are Samsung Renewable Energy Inc. (Samsung), Capital Power LP and Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development). The transaction includes a long-term service and maintenance agreement, ensuring the reliability, availability and performance of the turbines.

K2 Wind will generate clean power for 100,000 Ontario homes with commercial operation expected in mid-2015. The blades for the project will be manufactured at the Siemens blade facility in Tillsonburg, Ontario. Towers for the project will also be produced locally in Canada. The nacelles will be assembled at Siemens' U.S. factory in Hutchinson, Kansas.

"Canada is one of the most important wind markets in the Americas," says Mark Albenze, CEO of Siemens Energy's Wind Power Onshore Americas business. "We are proud to once again collaborate with the leading players in this market to bring renewable, clean and reliable energy to the homes and businesses of Canadian residents."

"This is an important announcement for Siemens, their partners and the local communities that will greatly impact Ontario's economy while demonstrating the province's commitment to clean energy," underlines the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Ontario Minister of Energy.
 

Siemens receives Iowa wind turbine and service order
With another order announcement in the U.S., Siemens Energy continues its success in the Americas wind market. The Carroll wind power plant will be located in western Iowa near the city of Carroll, and will consist of nine 2.3-MW geared wind turbines. The customer is Carroll Area Wind Farm LLC, a company of NJR Clean Energy Ventures. Installation of the Siemens SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines is scheduled to begin in October, and commissioning is expected in early 2015.

The Carroll wind power plant will consist of nine SWT-2.3-108 wind turbines. The SWT-2.3-108 turbine features enhanced reliability and productivity in low to moderate wind speeds. With 108-meter rotors, the turbines provide optimized power output for the site-specific wind conditions in western Iowa. The contract also includes a service and maintenance agreement. Siemens will produce the major wind turbine components at Siemens' production facilities in the U.S.

"We look forward to working with NJR Clean Energy Ventures on this project in Iowa," says Mark Albenze, CEO of Siemens Energy's Wind Power Onshore Americas business. "All of the blades will be manufactured at our nearby Fort Madison, Iowa, facility, and all nacelles and hubs for this project will be assembled at our factory in Hutchinson, Kansas. This order is further evidence that the federal production tax credit continues to boost new economic investment in the U.S. and encourages development of proven renewable energy projects."

Wind power and energy service are part of Siemens' Environmental Portfolio. Around 43 percent of its total revenue stems from green products and solutions. That makes Siemens one of the world's leading providers of eco-friendly technology.

In addition to the projects currently in operation, Siemens has also signed a 10-year service agreement for the Panhandle 2 wind project in Texas with 79 SWT-2.3-108 turbines (182 MW), which Pattern Energy has agreed to acquire when the project reaches operation later this year.
 

Gamesa secures 144 MW supply contract in Brazil
Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, continues to consolidate its presence in Brazil, where it is one of the leading wind turbine manufacturers, having just signed a new contract for the supply of 144 MW of its turbines to Eolicas do Sul, a subsidiary of the Río Bravo Investimentos y Eletrosul investment fund (in turn a subsidiary of Brazil's national power company, Eletrobras). With this new agreement, since the beginning of its operations in Brazil, the company has signed firm orders for the supply of more than 1.400 MW of its turbines to projects being built in the country's windiest regions.

Under the terms of the contract, Gamesa will supply, transport, install and commission 72 G97-2.0 MW turbines at six wind farms in the Chui complex being developed in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil. The company will also perform the required civil engineering work and provide the facility's operation and maintenance (O&M) services for a period of 15 years.

The wind turbines, which will be made at Gamesa's local Camaçari factory, are scheduled for delivery during the third quarter of 2014, while the facility is expected to be commissioned during the first quarter of 2015.  

This is the second agreement between Gamesa and Eolicas do Sul, in the wake of the contract executed at the end of 2012 for the supply of 258 MW of turbines to 10 wind farms in Brazil.
 

WINDPOWER 2014 restaurant guide

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WINDPOWER 2014 restaurant guide

Proper Identification And Understanding Of Fasteners Is Critical In Wind Industry Applications

Jack Wallace
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Proper Identification And Understanding Of Fasteners Is Critical In Wind Industry Applications

In the U.S. there are two distinct types of fasteners (bolts) used in wind turbines. One is of metric sizing and the other is a U.S. standard. Metric fasteners tend to cost more in the U.S. as they are still not the norm for our American society.

If a fastener needs to be replaced and you have to call in an order to make the replacement, you may have to determine what type of fastener it is.

In order for a tech to select the correct fastener, he needs to be able to first determine if the fastener that is to be replaced is a standard bolt or a metric bolt.

For bolts this is usually pretty easy. Metric bolts have numbers marking the top of the bolts; while standard bolts typically have hash marks.

The number of hash marks on the top of the bolt determines the grade of the bolt. Metric bolts used in wind have markings such as 8.8, 9.8, 10.9 and 12.9. If you see markings like that, you know it is a metric fastener.

Standard bolts used in wind typically have: no markings; three hash marks; five hash marks; or six or more hash marks. Unfortunately, these hash marks do not directly state the grade of the bolt. You have to add two to the total of the hash marks to get the bolt grade. For a bolt with: no marking, add two, which is a “grade 2;” three hash marks, add two, so it is a “grade 5;” six hash marks is a “grade 8.” What if a bolt has more than six hash marks? It is called “better than grade 8.”

Confused yet? Okay, well just so you know: the larger the number, the better the grade of the bolt.
But there is still more to know. Sometimes you can replace a metric fastener with a standard fastener to save time or money, or in cases when the metric bolt isn’t readily available and you need to quickly get a turbine back online.

When you need to substitute a standard bolt for a metric bolt, you can use the following comparison: A grade 8.8 metric bolt is about the same as a grade 5 standard; a grade 10.9 metric is about the same as a grade 8 standard; and a grade 12.9 is about the same as a “better than grade 8” standard bolt.

Other important factors in identifying fasteners are size and length. Bolt sizes are determined by the diameter of the shank of the bolt, not the head of the bolt. Bolt lengths are determined by measuring the length of the shank of the bolt, excluding the head, in millimeters for metric bolts, and in inches for standard bolts.

The nuts that are used on the bolts are not typically identified and if you had a mixed bag of standard and metric of similar size you would have to test-fit them on the threads to see if they are metric or standard. There is much more, but let’s move on.

It pays to know your washers too. There are a few different types of washers used in wind. Without going into all the different types of washers, let me give you one hint on using washers on critical connections: Always use “hardened” washers. This is because you don’t want to use a soft washer in a critical load path in which the washer can be squeezed, squished out, and thinned.  If it thins out, the bolt will loosen and the connection can fail. This can make you think that you didn’t properly tension your bolt! Using hardened washers will help prevent the washer from causing a failed connection. If you don’t know if the washers are hardened, don’t use them.

Let’s discuss tensioning fasteners a little bit further. Have you ever taken a spring and placed it in tension? Take, for example, the spring from a retractable ball-point pen. At some point, most anyone who works with machinery has disassembled a ball-point pen. If you pull the spring in tension a little bit and then let it go, the spring returns to its original shape. You can pull harder on this spring and it will continue to return to its original shape when you let go. At some point, however, if you pull it hard enough, the spring will reach its “yield point,” and will not return to its original shape when released. This is very similar to a bolt that is being tensioned. We typically are instructed to tension a bolt to within 75 percent or greater of its yield strength. If we over-tension the bolt, it will exceed its yield point. An over-tensioned bolt is just like that over-stretched spring. The bolt becomes damaged and will not function correctly to maintain its tension.

Notice that I said “tension” and not “torque.” When we torque a bolt, we are basically trying to achieve the proper tension. Many things can affect the resulting tension while torquing a bolt. Dirty bolt threads will cause increased friction and can result in a lower tension than expected. The same size bolt with clean and oiled threads will result in more tension while applying the same torque  Did you know that if you handle the threaded portion of a bolt with your hands, that the oil from your skin is enough to affect the friction of the bolt and can result in a tension higher than expected? I find it much easier to use lubricated torques for consistent results and it takes less physical effort to achieve the target tension. 

There is much more to cover but hopefully this has  raised some curiosity and improved your understanding of fasteners used in the wind industry.

 As always, work as safe as possible, and work to prevent surprises. 

Editor’s Desk

Stephen Sisk
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Editor’s Desk

That’s why folks go to Las Vegas, after all. They’re not really trying to strike it rich at the tables. They don’t go for the five-star dining. It’s not even the world-class entertainment. 

Everything about Las Vegas screams “escape.” It’s one-stop shopping for anyone who simply needs time away from the grind—a vacation where you can leave yourself and lose yourself.

Considering all that this industry has been through in recent years—another “boom-and-bust,” political opposition, shaky policy—it would be easy to argue that wind energy needs a break. Raise your hand if you need a vacation.

The truth of the matter is, we can’t afford to take a break. The very reasons we need a vacation are the challenges we continue to face. A record number of projects are in the construction phase. Technology is expanding at breakneck speed. Other renewable energy sources have redoubled their efforts in competing for market share. Coal is expected to remain relatively flat in the short term. The alternative financing models that we’ve been investigating may need to be put into practice.

The good news is, it feels like we’re moving in the right direction. Is it just me, or does anyone else sense a changing of our collective outlook and attitude? Our past frustration now seems to be focused on moving the industry forward.

I think we can attribute much of that to the leadership that the American Wind Energy Association has brought to the table. This time last year, then-incoming AWEA chair Gabriel Alonso outlined a five-point strategy for a sustainable future for our industry.  I’m paraphrasing, but this strategy involved: strengthening AWEA; proving wind’s worth; developing a long-term strategy and acting on it in the short- and mid-term; unifying the industry under one voice; and encouraging a strong, vocal, participating membership.

In just a year, the industry has come a long way in acting on that philosophy. But we can’t stop there. We can’t allow ourselves to be overly distracted by small setbacks or other shiny objects. Admittedly, that will be difficult as we gather next month in the ADD capital of the world.

Thankfully, the Association has taken steps to ensure we stay on task. The theme of WINDPOWER 2014 is “Transformation in Motion.” Personally, I think it’s a spot-on description both of where we are and where we must perpetually be as we push toward a stable future for wind energy. 

It takes me back to just after WINDPOWER 2013 in Chicago. Wind Systems was starting to reinvent itself editorially, and we felt the need to make a strong, yet simple statement that would solidify both our commitment to and position in the industry. What arose was “GIVING WIND DIRECTION,” which in many ways is nearly synonymous with “Transformation in Motion.”

So when you make your way into the Mandalay Bay Convention Center next month, keep both in mind. If you’re fuzzy on what we mean by “GIVING WIND DIRECTION,” stop by booth 3074 (trust me, this time you won’t be able to miss us) and a colleague or I will be happy to fill you in.

Oh, and have a little fun while you’re in town. I’m not much of a gambler myself, but I do have one sure bet…

I’m putting it all on wind.

As always, thanks for reading!

During This Winter’s Cold Snaps, Wind Energy Helps Keep Lights On And Energy Bills Low

Michael Goggin
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During This Winter’s Cold Snaps, Wind Energy Helps Keep Lights On And Energy Bills Low

While the record cold across much of the U.S. in January and February was a top news story, what received less coverage was the role wind energy played in protecting consumers from price increases and reliability problems affecting other energy sources. Electricity supplies across the Eastern U.S. were tight as electricity demand skyrocketed at the same time many conventional power plants stopped producing due to mechanical failures from the cold and natural gas shortages.

Fortunately, wind energy provided large amounts of extremely valuable electricity as the cold successively challenged each grid operator:

• As the cold and high winds first rolled into U.S. on January 6, the Midwest grid operator saw very high wind energy output of around 8,000 MW, enough to supply 6 million average homes under typical conditions.

• Later that morning, the Nebraska Public Power District was able to meet record winter electricity demand with more than 300 MW of wind output, which provided about 13 percent of its total electricity demand. In a press release touting wind energy contribution, the utility explained that “Nebraskans benefit from NPPD’s diverse portfolio of generating resources. Using a combination of fuels means we deliver electricity using the lowest cost resources while maintaining high reliability for our customers.” The utility also noted that “NPPD did not operate its natural gas generation because the fuel costs were up more than 300 percent over typical prices.”

• In Texas, the more than 2,000 MW of wind output that morning was the critical difference keeping heaters running as the grid operator struggled with numerous outages at conventional power plants. More than 13,000 MW of conventional power plants were down for maintenance, while another 2,000 MW of conventional power plants experienced unplanned outages, forcing the grid operator to resort to emergency procedures. In a similar incident two years ago, wind energy earned accolades from the grid operator for helping to keep the lights on as dozens of conventional power plants failed in another cold snap.

• By that evening, the cold air had reached the East Coast. The grid operator for the Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes states, PJM, saw very high wind energy output when it needed it most. Wind output was above 3,000 MW when the grid operator faced extreme challenges due to the unexpected failure of numerous conventional power plants.

• The New York grid operator issued a press release highlighting the major contributions it received from wind energy and the difficulties it encountered due to failures of other energy sources that evening.

• New England consumers also saw major savings as the region’s wind plants ran at nearly full output, helping to mitigate the impact of extremely high electricity and natural gas prices.

Two weeks later, wind energy again provided large amounts of extremely valuable energy as another cold snap roiled the Eastern U.S. During the periods of peak demand on January 22-23, the PJM grid operator received between 3,000-4,000 MW of wind energy output. Wind played a critical role in diversifying the energy mix, protecting consumers from electricity and natural gas prices that skyrocketed to 10-50 times normal levels.

Finally, in early February, wind energy once again demonstrated its value, this time in California. Specifically, wind energy provided the California grid operator with around 2,000 MW of output at the time of peak demand on the evening of February 6, and wind energy output remained high at around 2,500 MW for most of the rest of that evening. This came at a critical time for the operator, which issued a statewide “Flex Alert” because “A shortage of natural gas triggered by extreme cold weather in much of the United States and Canada is impacting fuel supplies to Southern CA power plants and reducing electricity generation.”

Because it has no fuel cost, wind energy plays a critical role in protecting consumers from fuel price volatility. Through four separate mechanisms, wind energy keeps electricity and natural gas prices in check by:

• Directly offsetting the use of expensive energy
• Driving prices down for all consumers in the electricity market
• Driving natural gas prices down for all consumers in the gas market
• Hedging against energy price volatility

While wind energy provides these benefits during everyday grid operations, they are more pronounced during shortages like the extreme cold events seen in January and February.  

Warranty Worries In The U.S. Wind Maintenance Market

Chris Cioni, P.E.
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Warranty Worries In The U.S. Wind Maintenance Market

The scale of the shift from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreements to independent maintenance contracts and its impact on the market is not to be underestimated. According to IHS Energy research, U.S. operations and maintenance (O&M) spending is forecasted to double to close to $6 billion by 2025 as a result of the number of turbines coming out of warranty. Worldwide, we estimate that around 30 to 35 percent of the market has made the shift, or is considering shifting to independent maintenance contracts.

The fate of the Production Tax Credit has driven owner/operators to search for alternative ways to reduce costs wherever possible—and there’s no pretending that cost isn’t the major factor driving this industry development.

With average yearly maintenance costs of over $50,000 per turbine, operators will naturally look for ways to bring this figure down; however, once warranties expire, this exercise becomes increasingly complex.

During the OEM’s standard warranty period, which is often non-negotiable, an operator will have a limited idea of the true operational experience of a wind farm, since not all day-to-day issues are shared by the OEM and the data history accumulated by the operator is not all encompassing.

When it comes to negotiating a follow-on O&M contract with the OEM, the operator is presented with a ‘menu’ of options ranging from basic programs to comprehensive offerings. These packages come at a significant price; hence an inevitable shift towards independent contracts.

Some OEMs have differentiated their offering by providing Energy Yield Guarantees (EYG) or Annual Energy Production Guarantees (AEP), which cover the production of a wind farm, rather than its availability. These offer owner/operators the opportunity to make savings on personnel costs, since the bulk of maintenance work will be performed by the OEM for a price that guarantees a specified production output no matter what.

By comparison, independent O&M providers will offer a similar menu of incrementally priced offerings to the OEM, in conjunction with an availability guarantee, for a lower cost than the OEM can offer. Since the independent contractor is bound to this availability guarantee, it must continue to provide a robust and efficient program in order to meet targets. Owner/operators opting for independent contracts will thereby benefit from upfront cost savings while maintaining availability objectives.

Both of these routes have their benefits for an owner/operator, however, in our view, the biggest difference and greatest advantage is the EYG offered by some OEMs. While independent contractors can guarantee a particular percentage of availability, an EYG takes this one step further with a commitment to deliver a specific energy yield.

Relative experience is another area where the maintenance offerings of OEMs and independents can be differentiated. Manufacturers will naturally claim to know everything there is to know about their machines and will assert that they are in the ideal position to service these. This is a valid point—the OEM will possess the most comprehensive database available and will be up-to-date with a number of trends and issues that might not make it into the public domain.

Independent contractors, by contrast, will stress the value of lessons learned across the sector, having worked with a variety of manufacturers and equipment. They will be able to share these lessons openly with the client to ensure that projects continue to be managed effectively going forward.

Crucially, from an insurance perspective, both OEMs and independent contractors have a vested interest in keeping turbines working properly and minimizing down time. The best way to ensure this will always be to have a proactive maintenance program in place, ideally making effective use of condition based monitoring.

Naturally, however, any switch in maintenance practices is a source of potential concern for insurers and underwriters. An insurer will always feel most comfortable while the original manufacturer warranty is still in effect, and, once this has expired, will be in need of a certain level of reassurance in order to resolve uncertainty and maintain that level of comfort.

As such, when negotiating follow-on O&M contracts outside of the warranty period, there are several areas that operator/owners should consider to ensure that the relationship with their insurer remains positively engaged.

Firstly, the nature of any new contract and service level agreement should be carefully considered. Given the ‘menu’ of choices offered by independent contractors and OEMs alike, it’s important that an owner/operator knows whether a site will be receiving a bare bones offering or a full wrap, comprehensive O&M service.

Secondly, if an independent service contract is being considered, operators should take care to determine the reputation of the company set to undertake maintenance work on their site. While the reputation of the OEM will have been a factor in the original equipment choice, owners will have to consider the experience and scope of operations of any third party contractor to ensure that they are the best fit for the asset involved.

Finally, underwriters are keen to see that an operator can display a commitment to best practice across the board where maintenance is concerned. In addition to a robust and suitable maintenance program, operators should be able to demonstrate that a supply of spare parts is available should a problem arise, that sufficient numbers of experienced technicians are on hand to conduct maintenance work and that strong contingency plans are in place.

Providing all of the above is enacted, insurers will work to develop an insurance program for a site that reflects the best practice of its owner/operator.

However, with a climate of uncertainty surrounding the future of O&M in the sector, the willingness of operator/owners to share information in a timely fashion is increasingly becoming the key requirement for keeping insurers happy and on board.

Having paid more claims in the renewable energy insurance market than any other provider; one of the biggest challenges we regularly face is convincing clients to share information as soon as possible. Although we understand clients’ concern that information will be used against them in an attempt to up their rates, we look at our relationship with the client as a partnership.

Crucial to this partnership is an open dialogue, affording us the opportunity to exchange ideas and strategies for more effective risk mitigation and loss control. It is vital that we receive information early so that we have time to act in a timely and effective manner.

Furthermore, the need to act early will be an ongoing theme as the market matures in the coming years. As wind farms grow older, wear and tear and equipment degradation is only set to increase. We need to see proactivity across the maintenance market. Regardless of who is responsible for maintaining this aging equipment, more real time analytics and condition-based monitoring will ultimately be required in order to minimize downtime and repair costs.

So in the end, it is not only about making a considered choice for a post-warranty maintenance program and demonstrating a wider commitment to best practice that owners and operators can maintain a strong relationship with their insurer; it is also about ensuring that an honest, open partnership is established alongside a commitment to proactive, preventative maintenance and associated technologies. 

Rethinking The ‘Reactive’ Paradigm

Phil Hatch
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Rethinking The ‘Reactive’ Paradigm

As in other heavy industries that utilize rotating machinery, wind turbine operators have come to realize that effective monitoring of critical drive train components can enable proactive maintenance and ultimately reduce operations cost over the long-term life of the producing asset.

Some have characterized this as the evolution of the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) service organization from a reactive, fire-fighting approach to a predictive and optimized maintenance planning and execution mode of operation.

This evolution has not occurred overnight and it is has been a reaction to the various failures that operators have experienced on multiple projects across a wide cross-section of wind turbine types and models. Romax’s customers have realized and acted upon the notion that knowledge is power—whether in securing concessions from a manufacturer at an end-of-warranty discussion, negotiating renewals, or for budgeting for major repair and replacement where O&M is taken in-house.

Shadowing the OEM during the initial warranty period—thinking strategically for the long-term
A top-five global developer and owner-operator of onshore and offshore assets in the U.S. and Europe has engaged Romax to “shadow” the OEM for the duration of the initial warranty period.  The operator approached Romax and made the decision to utilize the InSight monitoring service as a way to gain knowledge of their fleet’s “health.”  While the assets are covered under the OEM warranty for the first few years, there is often not a good alignment of vendor priorities to owner-operator priorities for the long-term operation of the asset. This can lead to incomplete information sharing, less than optimal maintenance practices (e.g. the “hidden” bearing problem that blows up three months after end of warranty) and a focus on contractual issues and their associated implications; as opposed to doing what’s best for the long haul.

Romax Technology is monitoring this operator’s turbines 24/7 with vibration data, oil sample data, maintenance plans and records and other sources of data. These are combined in a manner that gives the operator a big-picture view of the past, present and future condition of their assets in a way that previously only the OEM would have been able to create.  Having access to this range of “big data” has enabled this operator to negotiate from a position of strength with the OEMs, and better plan its operations and maintenance (O&M) budgets and projected spend when considering taking O&M in-house.

End-of-Warranty–Better Information Leads to Better Outcomes
One of the most critical transition periods in the life of an asset is when the OEM warranty is ending. Operators have many choices to make at this point; in order to make the best decisions for the long-term they need all the information they can gather about the current health of their machines.
Conducting a machinery health assessment with vibration measurements can be of significant additional benefit in providing data for the operator in negotiations with the OEM.

Typically at end-of-warranty (EOW) the operator will engage Romax or another party to perform detailed inspection of drivetrain components, hubs, blades and other large components in an effort to determine the state of the machine and any impending problems.  For instance, wide-ranging gearbox borescope inspections are typically carried out (see Figure 1). However, it is difficult and time-consuming to see all contacting surfaces on all components, and it will not necessarily find all damage that may have occurred. Vibration measurements provide invaluable insight and help with focusing these inspections on particular gearboxes and particular components. 

A U.S. operator recently engaged Romax to perform targeted EOW inspections. Romax first performed a machinery health assessment by thoroughly analyzing the CMS and SCADA data and then conducted inspections of particular gearboxes. The inspections confirmed excessive deterioration had occurred as predicted by the data analysis. Though the OEM had been monitoring the site as part of the warranty and O&M agreements, planet bearing faults were detected by Romax that had not been reported by the OEM.  Detecting these faults enabled the operator to negotiate with the OEM from a strong position and get allowances for future gearbox repairs. Had this failure mode not been identified the site would have faced some very expensive repairs—challenging the already slim O&M budgets—instead of replacement under warranty.

Periodic Portable Vibration Sweeps–what you don’t know will definitely keep you up at night
Even after the EOW period is over, Romax recommend performing periodic vibration sweeps with portable vibration sampling equipment.  Romax has developed and maintains its own equipment for use in these sweeps (see Figure 2). 

Many of Romax’s customers who don’t currently have a permanent drivetrain vibration monitoring solution have requested a periodic “sweep” of either an entire wind farm or a subset population of turbines. The subset can be selected by reviewing prior sweeps and temperature data, oil/grease condition information and maintenance history. The periodic vibration sampling along with data from the other sources enables a trend to be developed which, combined with Romax knowledge of component failure histories and prognostics, can give the operator a clear view as to the future state of these components and consequently the costs that will be incurred to repair or replace.

Is it Worth Putting CMS in Your Turbines? A Few OEMs thought So
Most of the fleet of wind turbines installed in the US during the last 10 years did not have OEM installed Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS) as standard equipment.  In those turbines where it is installed the OEM benefitted by being able to manage failures proactively in a cost effective manner. They also benefit from the data as it may be used for future product optimization. Such equipment was offered as an option by OEMs, however, and was not perceived to offer enough value to developers. It is still perceived by many operators as too expensive and there has not been much activity, with a few notable exceptions, in the retrofit of CMS to the installed fleet.

One of Romax Technology’s large global customers did make the decision a few years ago to retrofit their entire fleet with CMS as they determined a significant overall cost saving in doing so. The decision was made with a detailed calculation including the cost of the equipment, the detection efficiency, the predicted drivetrain failure rates and the future value of the cost savings enabled by early problem detections and associated cost avoidance.  Figure 3

Perhaps the biggest driver of any decision to retrofit CMS is the cost of the hardware and the determination of the payback period for the capital investment. The price of CMS hardware including vibration sensors and data acquisition units is reducing, and Romax believe that CMS hardware and services are vital for minimizing the cost of energy from wind. The payback on the capital cost has been demonstrated and it should not be a barrier to wider deployment in the wind industry.

However, installing the CMS hardware is not enough; ensuring quality data analysis, proactive site support and excellent communication are key drivers to maintain the return on investment. Once hardware is installed, the Romax InSight software solution and Romax’s global team of experts can deliver monitoring, analysis and reporting services, utilizing the depth of knowledge of over 150 engineers delivering software and service solutions to designers and operators of rotating machines worldwide.

After the OEM is Gone–Is There a Better Way?
Many operators are now making a choice to not renew O&M services with their turbine OEMs.  It is important not to lose the expert knowledge that the OEM has of “their” turbines during the transition.  This knowledge is gained through access to operating data across their large installed fleet, and can be used for turbine-to-turbine and site-to-site comparative analysis.  Often the OEM will not make an operator’s own site data, particularly from installed CMS, available to the owner without explicit language in O&M agreements. 

As a way to mitigate any ongoing reliance on the OEM for a true picture of their sites’ “Machine Health,” many operators have engaged the Romax InSight team to take over the real-time monitoring of their sites, including periodic reporting on information from installed CMS systems (see Figure 4). Independent service providers and in-house O&M groups may not have staff with the specialized training needed to analyze the many gigabytes of data generated. Such groups are augmenting their internal capabilities by accessing Romax’s extensive experience in drivetrain design, root-cause analysis of failures, knowledge of vibration engineering as well as material and lubricant properties and their associated effects on performance. Specific examples of component faults and pending major catastrophic failures that Romax has identified for these customers are available in other publications, but suffice to say Romax has saved clients millions of dollars of expenses and lost revenues.  Certainly over time these customers could have developed these capabilities in-house, utilizing the Romax InSight software tool, but in the near term the “catches” and savings have been real and quantifiable. Outsourcing monitoring to the Romax team of highly skilled engineers means that an operator can tap into the latest developments in fault-finding techniques and expert engineering knowledge on certain turbine types.

Where are you?
There is an old adage—“money can paper over all bad decisions”—which is fine provided you have a lot of money to begin with. Many wind farm operators in the U.S. inherited O&M budgets that were optimistically planned by development groups in their organizations. Their calculations were based on small, historical sample sets that did not translate well to the multi-MW, hundred-plus turbine sites that have been constructed more recently. 

When faced with a budget that was constructed on a “best-case” scenario of wind turbines actually performing at their market power curves with little to no downtime for repairs or major component replacements, the operator is quite often left to borrow from the future to pay for today’s problems.  A better way forward is to implement the proactive strategies discussed here as a means to measure, predict and adjust how sites are run and maintained.  Utilizing the knowledge gained will enable an optimized maintenance planning process that is sustainable for the long haul. 

Las Vegas & Mandalay Bay To Host WINDPOWER 2014

From Staff and Press Reports
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Las Vegas & Mandalay Bay To Host WINDPOWER 2014

In less than a month, much of the wind energy industry will converge on Las Vegas, Nevada for the industry’s premier event, WINDPOWER 2014, hosted by the American Wind Energy Association.
For the first time, the event will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center Exhibitors and attendees from around the globe will meet to discuss challenges, strategies, and opportunities.

As in years past, WINDPOWER 2014 will be centered dually on the educational conference and the industry exhibition, and flanked with special events, networking opportunities,  technical training, and much more.

The overall theme for WINDPOWER 2014 is “Transformation in Motion,” signifying the core purpose of the event is drawing wind energy professionals together in a collaborative effort in formulating wind energy’s progression into the future.

The four-day event officially kicks off at 5 p.m. Monday, May 5, with an opening reception at House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

Conference
On Tuesday, May 6, the WINDPOWER 2014 opening session at 8:30 a.m. precedes the opening of the exhibit hall and individual sessions.  Conference attendees are able to attend any of 36 educational sessions, categorized into seven tracks. These sessions will feature more than 200 speakers from the wind energy industry, and address both general and specific challenges, trends, and outlooks directly related to the wind energy industry.

Session tracks include: The Business of Wind, Project Development, Driving Demand, Wind Resource and Planning, Technology and the Future, Wind Project Operations, and Community/Distributed Wind.

Following the individual sessions, attendees are invited to stay for the Knowledge Hub sessions for 15 minutes of informal discussion and networking.

At Tuesday’s Power Session, the U.S. Department of Energy will present WINDPOWER attendees with an update and outlook on its “Wind Vision” initiative.

Exhibition
Serving as an opportunity for business and overall industry development, AWEA has gathered more than 400 companies involved in the wind energy industry to participate in the exhibition portion of WINDPOWER 2014. Exhibitors from around the world will be on hand to showcase their services, products, and projects.

The exhibit hall opens at 10 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and at 9 a.m. on Thursday.  The exhibit floor plan can be viewed online prior to the event by visiting www.windpowerexpo.org and navigating to the “Exhibitors” page. The floor plan site allows users to register an account and create a customized plan for use at the exhibition.

Registration
Those who wish to register to exhibit or attend WINDPOWER 2014, are invited to do so online at www.windpowerexpo.org. Early registration for the event has passed, but savings are still available through “Advance” registration through May 4. Registrants have multiple attendance options, ranging from single-day conference or exhibition passes up to the VIP conference pass. Registration price schedules vary depending on date of registration and AWEA membership status.

Special Events & Networking
Beyond the conference and exhibition, WINDPOWER 2014 offers networking opportunities and special events for its participants.

Prior to the event on Sunday, May 4, Suzlon is sponsoring the WINDPOWER 2014 Golf Open at Silverstone Golf Club. Proceeds from the event benefit the Wind Energy Foundation.

On Tuesday, May 6, beginning at 4:30 p.m., participants are invited to join in Exhibition Happy Hour in the exhibit hall. Extended booth receptions follow from 6–8 p.m. on Tuesday only.

The WINDPOWER 5K will be held on Tuesday, May 6 prior to the day’s events at Sunset Park. The run is sponsored by GE.

On Wednesday, May 7, at 4:30 p.m. educational poster authors will be on hand in the exhibition hall to discuss their scholarship.

Giving attendees the option to “take in a show” while in Las Vegas, AWEA has organized “A Sensational Night with a Sweet Bite,” featuring exclusive WINDPOWER seating for Michael Jackson ONE, presented by Cirque Du Soleil. A dessert reception follows. Individual and group pricing are available for this ticketed event. 

Visit www.windpowerexpo.org for complete information on these events.

Lodging
Considering all of the regular events for WINDPOWER 2014 are located at the Mandalay Bay site, participants making reservations for WINDPOWER 2014 lodging may find it beneficial to do so at one of the three hotel properties on the Mandalay Bay site—Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Luxor Hotel and Casino, and THEHotel at Mandalay Bay.  

Conversation with Stefanie Brown

Wind Systems staff
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Conversation with Stefanie Brown

Could you tell us about WINDPOWER 2014’s “Transformation in Motion” theme?

Wind power is rapidly emerging as a key player in the new energy dynamic, and WINDPOWER 2014 puts you at the center of it all. Professionals from all over the world come here to network, learn and advance their organizational missions. Collaborate with colleagues and peers—innovators, thought leaders and policy makers—as you chart wind energy’s course into the future. Modern energy demands modern solutions and everything that propels wind energy forward is assembled here. Be a part of the transformation.

What are your general expectations for this year’s event?

This year’s event not only includes all of the great things attendees have come to expect from WINDPOWER, but also some exciting new aspects as well.  The additions like TIM talks and the industry segment roadmaps were created to enhance the value of the event for attendees and exhibitors alike!

How does this year’s planned event compare with those in years past?

We’ve never hosted WINDPOWER in Las Vegas and we found a great location in Mandalay Bay. One key difference from past events is that all of our registrants will be housed in the same complex between Mandalay Bay and the connected Luxor hotel.  So we won’t need to bus people all around a city to 25–30 hotels like in years past.  I think people will find that this greatly enhances their networking opportunities and ability to meet new people in all of the restaurants, outlets, even the elevators!

How can exhibitors and attendees alike benefit from the event?

With everything hosted in the Mandalay Bay complex, it will allow attendees, and exhibitors to interact more and many exhibitors are taking advantage of the wide range of venues within the building to host their own client dinners, receptions and parties – making it much easier for attendees to continue their experience after the official show activities are over for the day.

Could you tell our readers a little about the networking opportunities at WINDPOWER 2014?

In addition to all of the special events discussed below, we’ve extended last year’s wildly successful Leadership Power Hour, from one to two hours on Thursday morning from 10:30–12:30 local time. The Leadership Power Hour(s) are when top executives from the exhibiting companies will be available in their booths to talk with attendees.  Another networking opportunity for registrants with conference passes are the Knowledge Hubs which occur directly following the concurrent educational sessions, where attendees can stay and chat with presenters over a cup of coffee.

What are the “TIM Talks?”

This is one of the new aspects we added this year to provide more opportunities for knowledge sharing and education, conveniently on the show floor. Transformation in Motion (TIM) talks are dedicated areas where exhibitors can present information on the latest innovations and technologies. Another feature on the show floor is in-booth demonstrations which we will help market to registrants so they can be in the right place at the right time to see some excellent product demos.

Tell us a little about the special events surrounding WINDPOWER 2014.

There are several special events planned for this year. In lieu of the Conference dinner and to take advantage of the wonderful shows in Vegas, we created a special ticketed event by pairing the newest Cirque du Soleil Michael Jackson ONE show with a post-show networking reception on Wednesday evening. Additionally, the 5K race and Golf Open have returned and for the first time DOE’s Collegiate Wind Competition is co-located at WINDPOWER.  And we kick everything off with the Opening Reception which will be held Monday night at the House of Blues.

What do you hope will be the takeaways for event participants?

The key is this year’s theme “Transformation in Motion.” The wind industry is growing and changing and WINDPOWER creates opportunities to facilitation that transformation.

One notable addition for this year’s event is the smartphone app. Could you address that resource?

In addition to Attendee Connect, the online tool that allows registrants to maximize their experience by connecting with other attendees and scheduling meetings at the show, we are adding a mobile app as well.  More details will be shared when we go live with the tool, but we know that attendees are more tech-savvy than in years past, which is also why we will be offering not only a printed Show Directory but also a digital version for those who would prefer it.

Profile: C.C. Jensen A/S

Stephen Sisk
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Profile: C.C. Jensen A/S

In the wind energy industry, being “offline” is generally thought of as a bad thing. Unless, of course, what’s “offline” is helping ensure that you’ll stay “online” for years down the road.

For two decades now, C.C. Jensen has made it possible, through the design and manufacture of its offline oil contaminant filtration systems, for the wind energy industry to conserve oil resources, cut lubrication costs, and extend the serviceable lifespan of wind turbine gearboxes.

“What we’re all about is making clean oil,” said Justin Stover, sales manager for C.C. Jensen. “Clean oil keeps the machinery running. Turbines need to keep spinning, and we feel like we have a part in that. No wind turbine gearbox has ever failed because the oil was too clean.”

In the U.S., the company entered the wind power industry in 2000 when it became a business member of the American Wind Energy Association. The following year, C.C. Jensen attended the WINDPOWER show, which at the time, was held in a modest hotel ballroom in Washington, D.C.
When representatives from C.C. Jensen enter the Bayside Exhibit Hall at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in May to participate in WINDPOWER 2014 Conference & Exhibition, they will do so for the 14th time as a company—a claim few others can make.

In the time between those two events, C.C. Jensen’s involvement in the wind market has tracked with the expansive growth of the industry itself. The company now claims almost 80,000 global installations of its wind turbine oil filtration units.

That success is driven by the consistent validation that the company’s philosophy produces positive results. Established more than 60 years ago, the Denmark-based company has a wide range of oil filtration products for multiple industries. No matter the industry, the approach remains the same. The company’s goals and operating philosophy is two-pronged. It seeks to conserve valuable resources by extending oil life, and to assist its customers in extending the lifespan of their equipment. Figure 1

“The two go hand-in-hand and that’s really what we aim for as a company—to help companies and organizations run smoother, reduce downtime, and increase their bottom line,” Stover said.

“Oil is the one thing that most organizations are using in their machinery,” Stover said. “If they take care of it, they can see it last two to three times longer, saving a tremendous amount of money. It’s good for the environment, and their machines will be happier also. They’ll last a lot longer.”

The key to that result is to maintain clean oil. That’s easily stated, but requires sophisticated equipment and technologies to achieve.

The enemy to clean oil is contamination. The company sees contamination—the introduction of insoluble, often microscopic pieces of metal, dust, oxidation deposits, etc.—as the biggest threat to gearbox lubrication. It claims that oil contamination accounts for around 80 percent of oil system failures.

On the positive side, however, C.C. Jensen also claims that almost 100 percent of these contamination issues can be prevented.

“When people look at a filter, they think ‘a filter is just a filter.’ It’s much more complex than that,” Stover said. “I think we have the most advanced R&D facility in the world for the development of filter media. They really tackle the complex issues that happen inside a gearbox in terms of contamination. So often, the focus is on larger particles, but we’re really looking at improving our fine filters. We are also looking to the future by developing our filters with nano fibers and other technologies that can selectively remove sub-micron particles that contribute to oxidation in the oil, which means the oil life is shorter. We can remove those harmful contaminants without removing the additive package, ensuring that you get longer bearing and gear life. It will also mean longer life for the oil.” Figure 2

The process of maintaining contaminant-free oil begins for C.C. Jensen during the manufacturing process. The company has equipment that can filter oil before it is first pumped into the gearbox prior to testing. For example the Gearbox Flushing Unit is designed to fill, flush and drain a new or repaired gearbox in under an hour. From there, the process involves having contaminant-filtration systems in place throughout operation. C.C. Jensen offers its HDU offline oil filter systems for this purpose. According to the company website, the HDU features “a 3-micron absolute cellulose-based filter insert with a high dirt-holding capacity that removes particles, retains oil degradation products (oxidation, resin/sludge, varnish), and absorbs dissolved/emulsified and free water from oil.”

Further information about oil filtration and purification can be found online at www.ccjensen.com, which has a vast library of articles, case studies, and product brochures. Information ranges from general knowledge about contaminants and oil degradation to applicational studies of specific products.

C.C. Jensen’s headquarters (which generates 40 percent of its power from an on-site wind turbine) is located in Svendborg, Denmark. 

Excessive Water In Gear Oil Shortens Bearing Life

Kevin Dinwiddie
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Excessive Water In Gear Oil Shortens Bearing Life

The additives in wind turbine gear oils can be very different for each manufacturer. Even the same manufacturer may use different additives for specific gear oils. Some of these additives absorb more water than others and may cause excessive gearbox wear1, 2, 3. Excess water in wind turbine gear oil is associated with many negative effects. Some of these are listed in the 2003 ANSI/AGMA/AWEA 6006-A03 wind turbine document3 such as:

• Accelerated additive depletion
• Accelerated oxidation
• Interference with oil film formation
• Contributes to foaming
• May plug filters
• May cause corrosion etch pits and initiate fatigue cracks
• May lead to hydrogen embrittlement promoting fatigue cracks

Even as long ago as 1977, a study by R. E. Cantley at the Timken Bearing Company concluded that water in SAE 20 oil caused increased wear (See Chart 1)2. The Cantley formula associates 100 ppm water to 100 percent bearing fatigue life. When oil adsorbs higher amounts of water, shortened bearing life can result; whereas oil with lower amounts of water can have longer bearing life. Some gear oils like AMSOIL PTN do not adsorb excessive water and are not associated with decreased bearing life.

There have been numerous studies detailing the negative effects that water has on oil. The results seem to be similar regardless of the type of oil being tested (i.e. transmission fluid, engine oil, or gear oil). It is notable that some gear oils absorb only slight amounts of water and are not associated with increased wear, and other gear oils absorb excess water which is associated with increased wear. The U.S. Navy confirmed this with its test on automotive gear oil and concluded that when water increases from 50 to 500 ppm, there was a reduction in L10 bearing life by a factor of three in some oils while others were unaffected5. L10 bearing life is the life at which 10 percent of the bearings in the application can be expected to have failed due to classical fatigue failure (and not any other mode of failure like lubrication starvation, wrong mounting, etc.). This means that the increase to 500 ppm water caused an increase in failure rate three times that of the initial rated fatigue life.

Further documentation in 2011 of the negative effects of water on wind turbine gear oil can be found in the technical paper by M. H. Evans entitled “White Structure Flaking (WSF) in Wind Turbine Gearbox Bearings: Effects of “Butterflies” and White Etching Cracks (WEC)”1.  Section 5.3 discusses how white structure flaking (WSF) was reproduced by adding water to a lubricant. According to Evans, the water contamination enhances hydrogen diffusion into steel which liberates on fresh surfaces in the micro-cracks, causing WSF.  Evans also reports that water pulled in-between contacting surfaces results in collapsed oil film strength, causing rubbing of opposing surfaces or wear from reduced oil film thickness. 

Chart 2 illustrates five different ways water can affect the operation of a wind turbine. The end result to the wind farm operator is shortened oil life, shortened gearbox life, and increased operating costs.

Choosing the right wind turbine gear oil with an enhanced lubrication additive package that resists water can improve operational costs in the following ways:

1. Longer oil life means less money spent on oil  and oil changes
2. Extended gearbox life means reduced rebuild costs
3. Reduced downtime leads to increased turbine production
4. Potential for reduction in WSF related to longer gearbox run time
5. Reduced entrained air and foam relates to optimized oil film thickness and less wear
6. Retention of additives promote longer oil life and reduced micro-pitting wear
7. Elimination of filter plugging and low oil sensor trips and associated bonus climbs

The wind turbine industry is taking water contamination and associated wear seriously, and efforts are underway to reduce the allowable amount from 500 to 300 ppm for monitor level and from 1,000 to 600 ppm for action level6. Even this large reduction in allowable water ppm is not as low as European standards. The Danish Wind Standard, for example, is 200 ppm water for monitor and 400 ppm for action4.

It is often less costly to change the gear oil to a type that does not attract water than it is to extend other efforts, including the installation of a dryer. 

References:
[1] M.-H. Evans, National Centre for Advanced Tribology (nCATS), University of Southampton. White Structure Flaking (WSF) in Wind Turbine Gearbox Bearings: Effects of “Butterflies” and White Etching Cracks (WEC) Section 5.3, August 19, 2011.
[2] R.E. Cantley, “The Effect of Water in Lubricating Oil on Bearing Fatigue Life.” ASLE Transactions, 20 (3), 244-248, 1977
[3] ANSI/AGMA/AWEA 6006-A03, AMERICAN NATION     AL STANDARD
[4] Danish Wind Standard
[5] U.S. Navy Data – Ball Bearing (pg 36, 37, 38)
[6] ISO IEC 61400-4 Design requirements for wind turbine gearboxes, 2012

 

(715) 399-6305 www.synwind.com amsoil.inc
@AMSOILINC amsoil-inc

Construction Event Attracts Nearly 130,000 While Setting Exhibit And Education Records

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Construction Event Attracts Nearly 130,000 While Setting Exhibit And Education Records

The future on display as global industry showcase spotlights new product innovations, technology
CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2014 took center stage in Las Vegas March 4–8 with tremendous energy and serious buyers. Total registration of 129,364 soared past the last edition of the shows as they achieved the second-highest attendance in their history. The shows also set new records for exhibit space, number of exhibitors, and education tickets sold.

The co-located CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, delivered a global showcase of the newest product innovations and technologies for the construction, construction materials and fluid power/power transmission/motion control industries with more than 1,000 new products and services on display.

Attendees also took advantage of the shows’ strong industry education programs and the unparalleled opportunity to connect with industry peers, take the pulse of what’s happening, and learn what the future holds.

“The enthusiasm and traffic on the show floor was just incredible. Exhibitors cited the high quality of attendees; they told us these were serious buyers and reported robust sales to existing as well as new customers that exceeded their expectations,” said Megan Tanel, CONEXPO-CONAGG show director.

Quality Attendance, International Scope
CONEXPO-CON/AGG & IFPE 2014 maintained the growing international scope of the shows with international registrations totaling more than 31,000, or an increase of nine percent from the most recent events.  The number of countries represented increased to 170 from 159 in 2011, and the number of international attendees matched the record 24 percent of total attendance set in 2011.  International attendance drew heavily from Latin America, China, Canada, and Europe.

More than 75 percent of show visitors were in managerial roles (with 36 percent of these with the top titles of president/owner and vice president/general manager/chief financial officer).

Both shows set new records for exhibit space and number of exhibitors, CONEXPO-CON/AGG with more than 2.35 million net square feet of exhibit space and more than 2,000 exhibitors, and IFPE with more than 161,000 net square feet and 400 exhibitors.

A record 41,000 education ticket sales were sold to the shows’ education programs, underscoring their relevance to helping attendees succeed in today’s business environment.

“CONEXPO-CON/AGG and IFPE 2014 reflected the feeling of momentum building in the industry. We are industry-run shows with industry needs put first; these show numbers are a testament to the value attendees, exhibitors, and other stakeholders derive from their participation,” stated Melissa Magestro, IFPE show director.

Global Industry Gathering Place
Among the show visitors were Acting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Patrick D. Gallagher, Acting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation Victor Mendez, and former U.S. Rep. James Oberstar, who served as chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 2007 to 2011.

The shows were chosen for the prestigious U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) International Buyer Program, which helps facilitate global attendance. More than 50 official international attendee delegations were organized by DOC as well as show industry partners.

More than 95 allied associations and groups were official supporting organizations, coming from the U.S., Canada, and 16 other countries worldwide.

Several national industry associations held their annual conventions or high-level board meetings at the shows; they joined hundreds of other industry and company meetings, from large events to smaller committees and other groups, all taking advantage of the shows to meet and share knowledge and learn from one another.

Education and Exhibits
The CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2014 education program covered 120 sessions over 10 targeted tracks. The IFPE Technical Conference anchored IFPE 2014 education, joined by half-day “college-level courses” and a new Fluid Power Seminar series, from Hydraulics & Pneumatics magazine.

CONEXPO-CON/AGG featured a new Demolition & Recycling exhibit pavilion from the Construction & Demolition Recycling Association (CDRA) and the Technology & Construction Solutions pavilion from the Associated General Contractors of America.

IFPE featured exhibit pavilions from the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA) and for sensors manufacturers and product suppliers.

Reinforcing the global scope of the shows were eight international exhibit pavilions: CONEXPO-CON/AGG with China, Ireland, Korea, Spain and United Kingdom, and IFPE with China, Italy and Taiwan.

Show safety and education/training events at the shows included:

• NRMCA International Truck Mixer Driver Championship, from the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association
• Lift Safety Zone, from NCCCO National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators and IPAF International Powered Access Federation
• Crane Operator Rodeo from Maximum Capacity Media

Industry recognition and networking events and programs also amplified the show experience:

• Innovation Awards program (from Diesel Progress magazine and global powertrain specialist ZF Friedrichshafen)
• Young Leaders event (from Construction Equipment magazine)
Quality of Life industry recognition campaign (from Dexter + Chaney)
• 5K Run/Walk benefiting the non-profit Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund (from Maximum Capacity Media) 

LM Wind Power Launches Blade Design Research Project

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LM Wind Power Launches Blade Design Research Project

A leading supplier of rotor blades for wind turbines, LM Wind Power, has announced the launch of an innovative research project to develop blades with flexible tip lengths. The four year project is supported by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and brings together a consortium of partners that includes the Dutch University of Twente and the research institute, Energy Research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN).

LM Wind Power is leading a consortium that will develop a cost effective, flexible blade length concept with the potential to reduce cost of energy by 8-10 percent. This project addresses the untapped potential of optimizing individual wind turbines to their maximum performance by extending the rotor diameter with variable tip lengths.

Energy output of a wind turbine depends on its location in the wind farm as they are subject to different wind conditions, often due to wake effects. Many of the wind turbines running today are not loaded to their full capacity as typically the turbines installed are of similar design regardless of the position in the array. This project seeks to change that.

“The cost of wind power, especially offshore wind power, needs to go down to compete with other energy sources and we are committed to making that happen,” said LM Wind Power’s VP of engineering, Roel W. Schuring. He continued: “This project with our Dutch partners, aims to help wind farm developers and wind turbine manufacturers to design wind farms better and to get the most from each turbine.  This will improve annual energy production (AEP) and reduce cost of energy. The potential is huge.”

The project looks at design, material, manufacturing, and assembly processes to achieve the most flexible and cost efficient solution. The concept is based on a standard basic blade part with variable tip lengths. It builds on an existing lightweight composite blade design, but innovates by using an assembly process, which leads to a permanent assembly of the two blade parts, adding minimal weight. The result is a larger rotor that increases annual energy production significantly for a relatively small investment.

The flexible tips are expected to be manufactured separately, which enables the use of specific techniques and a one-shot manufacturing technology while providing economies of scale. Assembly is expected to be done on or near site. The consortium points to offshore as the area that will benefit most from the method as the improved performance from the blade length optimization will see a quicker pay back at sea. The new rotor blade will also be a universal solution that can be adapted to various turbines and applied in every wind farm.

The four-year project is co-funded by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

SME “Manufacturing 4 The Future” Event Marks The Continued Strength Of U.S. Manufacturing

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SME “Manufacturing 4 The Future” Event Marks The Continued Strength Of U.S. Manufacturing

For generations, the strength of our country has rested on the power of our factory floors—both the machines and the workforce behind them. This May, industry professionals will gather together on another floor, at the Mfg4—Manufacturing 4 the Future event to gain knowledge, network, collaborate and share solutions.

Mfg4, sponsored by SME, is one of the manufacturing industry’s trusted sources of knowledge and information. The event will return to the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, Conn., on May 6–8.

This biennial event convenes professionals from leading manufacturers in aerospace, defense (including arms) and medical industries. New this year, is the addition of the co-located MicroManufacturing and Medical Manufacturing Innovations conferences. With a focus on these three major industries plus one strategic technology, Mfg4 encourages both industry solutions and collaboration through exhibits, education sessions, conferences, and networking opportunities.

The technologies to be exhibited include: additive manufacturing (commonly called 3D printing), automation, finishing and coating, fabrication, micromanufacturing, precision machining and tooling, quality, and more.

“Collaboration is key to innovation. At Mfg4, manufacturers from diverse industries can connect and innovate around their common design and production challenges,” said Debbie Holton, SME managing director of industry and technology. “Surrounded by technology—in a highly interactive format—attendees will leverage the knowledge of industry experts and each other to gain competitive advantage.”

The inaugural event in 2012 attracted registrants from 42 states and more than a dozen countries seeking to share integrated solutions to common manufacturing challenges. This year, SME is looking forward to returning to New England and exposing attendees to the newest technologies and applications in the region.

“Mfg4 is much more targeted to the markets and job titles we look for—the higher level engineer and department people. Our products require an investment so we need to meet management level people and Mfg4 is delivering just that,” said Jeffrey Bourque, communications manager, Nikon Metrology.

This year’s keynote speakers include: Tom Herald, PhD, senior fellow, Lockheed Martin – Global Training & Logistics; Dr. Robert J. Shaw, deputy director, office of technology partnership & planning chief, Venture Development & Partnership Office NASA Glenn Research Center; Peter Walsh, vice president, global operations, Medtronic; Christopher Kaye, vice president of research & technical innovation, U.S. Endoscopy; Lynn Gambill, chief engineer of manufacturing engineering & global services, Pratt & Whitney; Mike Reopel, principal, Deloitte Consulting.

For more information about registering, attending, exhibiting, or presenting at Mfg4, please visit mfg4event.com or call 800.733.4763. For the most up-to-date details, follow @mfg4event on Twitter. 

An Unquenchable Thirst

Stephen Sisk
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An Unquenchable Thirst

Thirst has always been a motivating factor for Honest Tea president and TeaEO Seth Goldman.

It was the thirst of sun-drenched golfers that led him to sell more than a few glasses of lemonade—and scavenged golf balls—at a local golf course at the age of six. It was there that his own thirst for entrepreneurship first took… well… course.

Years later as an adult, his own physical thirst and entrepreneurial thirst would combine with his emerging thirst for integrity, sustainability, and corporate social responsibility to define his career.

In 1997, Goldman and Barry Nalebuff, professor at the Yale School of Management, had a common problem. Both men had been unsuccessful in finding a product to satisfy their shared beverage preferences—flavorful, thirst-quenching, not overly sweet. Drawing on Goldman’s experiences in mixing his own beverages after running, as well as Nalebuff’s recent voyage overseas analyzing the Indian tea industry, the pair began brewing massive quantities of tea—batch after batch—in Goldman’s kitchen.  The end result was what would become Honest Tea’s first product—a high-quality tea that was as flavorful and refreshing as any other beverage currently on the market, without the overpowering sweetness and excess sugar.

“I launched Honest Tea out of my house 16 years ago for two reasons,” Goldman said. “One was because I was thirsty and there weren’t any drinks out there that were what I was looking for. The other element was, I felt like there was an opportunity to take a business and really drive change in the American diet, in the way agriculture works, and to help change the working conditions of people in the developing world.”
 
Seventeen years later, and far removed from those humble beginnings, Honest Tea has grown exponentially, and is now stocked in more than 100,000 stores coast-to-coast. In 2011, Honest Tea was purchased by, and remains an independent business unit of, The Coca-Cola Company—the world’s largest beverage company.

On Tuesday, May 7, at Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, Goldman will share his experiences—the challenges, solutions, and responsibilities—that came from taking a business borne out of passion, practicality, and responsibility, from a start-up to a household name, as he presents the keynote address at the American Wind Energy Association’s WINDPOWER 2014 Conference & Exhibition.

Although the wind energy industry has been establishing itself as a viable part of the energy mix, there are still many parallels that can be drawn to a company like Honest Tea.

For starters, wind energy was developed with the purpose of reducing over-reliance on conventional energy generation methods that are increasingly overtaxing our supply of natural resources. The wind energy industry itself is committed to its mission of creating a sustainable energy economy and reducing excessive carbon emissions—regarded as being damaging to the environment.

With Honest Tea, Goldman said, “We talk about our product with a mission in the bottle. That means that we think about our impact on consumers and on the community, it’s directly in the bottle. It’s not a model where we try to make a lot of profit then give it all away. We look to design our products so that every time we sell a bottle, we’re having an impact on the consumer and an impact on the community.”

In addition, both have experienced exponential growth in a relatively short period of time, and can be considered as Davids facing their respective Goliaths. Honest Tea, through Goldman’s leadership, has been able to make itself a force in the markets in which it serves. Similarly, wind energy has made large strides in recent years, and led all energy sources among new installed capacity in 2012—drawing $25 billion in wind energy investments that year.

And although Honest Tea was able to build its business rapidly, that’s not to say there weren’t challenges. Distribution, at least in the early years, was difficult to manage for the beverage company, Goldman said. In addition, one of the larger challenges was creating new products that people would want to purchase and drink—especially at a higher cost.

“If someone’s just looking to hydrate, Honest Tea is not the cheapest option out there,” Goldman said. “The fact that we’re organic, the fact that we’re small scale… we’re never going to have that advantage.”

Instead, Goldman said, the key is to focusing on the whole of the opportunity you have, and maintaining confidence that people will share and appreciate the totality of the commitment you’re making—commitment to integrity and sustainability.

“You’ve got to understand the long-term opportunity,” Goldman said. “For us, some of the keys were: how do you get people to appreciate that they can be part of that change? How can we help you do something better for yourself, and how do we communicate what organic means and why we think it’s a better option. If we can do that, we’re empowering you to do something better for the world. Not just for the earth, but for the people involved in it. “

In further illustrating his point, Goldman drew from one of the “bottle cap quotes” Honest Tea prints on the underside of Honest Tea caps. It reads: “If we don’t change the direction we’re headed, we will end up where we are going.”

“What wind energy is about to me is changing the direction our society is going, and trying to get it away from being a petroleum-based economy to a more sustainable direction with an endlessly renewable resource.”

Honest Tea operates out of Bethesda, Maryland. More information, including a full listing of products and flavors, a full company history, corporate information, executive bios, and Seth and Barry’s original business plan can be viewed at www.honesttea.com.

Products in the Honest Tea portfolio include:

• Honest Tea—made from high-quality, USDA Organic Certified, Fair Trade Certified tea leaves. Available in more than 20 different flavors, Honest Tea is high in antioxidants, high in flavor, and low in calories.

• Honest Kids— juice beverages packaged in smaller, kid-friendly packaging; and Honest Splash, its larger-portioned counterpart.

• Honest Fizz—a naturally sweetened, zero calorie soda—available in four flavors.

• Honest Ade—organic fruit-flavored thirst quenchers in four flavors.

• Honest Zero—organic 100 percent natural, zero-calorie drinks.

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