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December 2013

Company Profile: Abilene High Lift Aerial

Stephen Sisk
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Company Profile: Abilene High Lift Aerial

West Central Texas is the heart of wind country in the United States. It is home to many of the nation’s largest wind farms—Roscoe, Sweetwater, Horse Hollow, and Buffalo Gap, among others.

It was out of that rich wind tradition that Abilene High Lift Aerial was founded in 2010 by a group of four Texas investors. Their sole intent was performing wind turbine blade inspections and repairs—initially within the wind-centric 100-mile radius of Abilene, Texas.

 
It all started with the purchase of an aerial lift truck. Actually, make that “THE” aerial lift truck, as far as North America is concerned. Figure 1

The Ruthmann Steiger TTS 1000 is unlike any other model aerial lift truck in the world. To date, the company has built two. The other is operated in South America aiding in the installation of wind turbines. 

The aerial lift is a self-contained unit on a trailer assembly, which is towed by a custom-built, all-wheel-drive Mack semi truck. It was necessary to have an all-wheel-drive semi due to harsh terrain and challenging weather conditions.  At full extension, the lift rises to 328 feet, and has a 131-foot horizontal reach. It can safely operate at wind speeds in excess of 35 miles-per-hour.

“It’s the largest, most stable aerial lift truck in North America,” said Kevin Kutnink, national operations manager for Abilene High Lift Aerial. “When we’re up 200 feet in a 20 mph wind, it sways approximately one inch.”

The stability and height capabilities of Abilene’s lift—along with factors such as in-basket electrical and high-pressure water sources—that make it ideally suited for wind turbine blade maintenance and repair. Those operations make up 90 percent of Abilene High Lift Aerial’s business, according to Kutnink, whose wind energy industry experience includes positions with Vestas and then Siemens as a blade service technician, and later as a project manager. Blade maintenance and repair services performed using the TTS 1000 are done by Abilene High Lift personnel, or contracted to various blade service companies. 

It’s the increased stability at those 200-300-foot heights that lies at the core of Abilene High Lift’s operating philosophy. That philosophy is displayed prominently on the company’s website, and reads:

“The goal of Abilene High Lift Aerial Services is to offer a safer means of accessing high reach locations. We believe safer and faster methods will ultimately lower customer cost and down time on a regular basis.”

That commitment to safe operations at height is why Abilene High Lift is able to assure its clients of the safety of their personnel. Figure 2

“We have a perfect safety record. We’ve never had any kind of catastrophic failure.” Kutnink, said.
Upon setup, the trailer assembly remains connected to the semi truck. The entire trailer assembly lifts off of the ground, using the semi as a counterweight. The entire system is electric over hydraulically controlled. An engine on the semi provides electrical power to the trailer, and the lift itself has an on-board diesel engine that operates the hydraulics. All of the systems are controlled via an integrated computer system. Should there be a malfunction, a secondary 5HP motor can operate the hydraulics to return personnel safety to the ground. All operations for both engines are in the basket. During operation, a second crewmember remains on the ground as an additional safety precaution.
 
“We have a setup where there’s a pickup truck that pulls a support/office trailer that has a workshop in the back with a generator,” Kutnink said. “We hook a power cord to the truck and then it’s wired up to the basket. So we don’t have to hang extension cords. They can plug-in sanders or welders. We have 115 and 220 volt receptacles’ in the basket. For the cleaning of blades we have a water truck on the ground and 220 volt pressure washer in the basket. This allows for complete washing without touching the turbine in any way.”

With the push toward maximum turbine efficiency, towers are getting taller and taller all the time. Coupled with the increasing number of wind turbines that are coming off warranty, the demand for equipment like the Abilene High Lift Aerial truck, according to Kutnink, will only continue to rise.

“Everything’s getting bigger. Nothing’s getting shorter,” Kutnink said. “Towers of the past were 90 meters tall. Now they’re over 100 meters. With a conventional truck, the operating height is about 230 feet to 260 feet. We provide the extra reach needed when you have a tower that is 300-feet tall to begin with. We can reach to the top of the nacelle with no problem.”

The additional height and reach also allows Abilene High Lift Aerial to have a “hands-off” approach in performing maintenance services. Figure 3

“If we need to pressure wash, we don’t have to get out of the basket. We don’t have to touch the tower. We don’t have to touch the nacelle. We don’t have to put cables up. We don’t have to drill any holes,” Kutnink said. “When using an aerial platform, they have to put up all that rigging to go up and down the blade. Those are really susceptible to high wind conditions. If the wind goes up at all, they can’t do the work, where we still can safely.”

 One of the more impressive benefits of the TTS 1000, according to Kutnink, is the cost savings that arise from having highly sought-after capabilities in a self-contained unit—specifically, he mentioned, when compared to using a crawler crane.

“Just to bring in the crane costs $65,000. We charge $5 per mile to get to a wind farm. If it’s anywhere within 100 miles of Abilene, Texas, we don’t charge anything. Our mobility costs are minimal compared to a crane,” Kutnink said.

Regarding agility, the TTS 1000 can move from one turbine site to another in much less time than a crane. “When they have to move a crane from one site to another, it can take days if they can’t crawl,” Kutnink said. “It takes us anywhere from five minutes to 35 minutes to move from tower to tower at the wind farm.” Figure 4

As a recent “real world” example, this past summer, Abilene High Lift Aerial was contracted for warranty work on 40 wind turbines. The company who hired Abilene had seven other projects of the same nature running concurrently throughout the U.S. Due to the agility and efficiency of the TTS 1000, Abilene High Lift was able to complete the work on all 40 turbines. In the same time frame, the most number of turbines completed by any of the other sites was 15. The average number of completions in the same time frame among the other six sites was eight turbines.

 “It’s just so agile. It’s easy to move and easy to operate. We can drive it 70 miles per hour down the highway. It has six-wheel steering on the trailer too. The trailer wheels turn in the same direction as the front wheels,” Kutnink said. “Onsite we can drive the trailer separately from the truck to maneuver into very tight places. Then when in position, raise the whole truck and trailer and then rotate the semi into it’s locked position with the touch of a button.”

Response from customers who have chosen Abilene High Lift Aerial has been overwhelmingly positive, Kutnink said. These affirmations about the company’s lift truck and services most often surround the speed and efficiency of the equipment, as well as Abilene High Lift personnel’s ability to quickly, thoroughly train site staff on the important safety aspects of the lift truck.

In one recent review, a customer rated Abilene High Lift very highly, using words like “professional,” and “productive” and extremely “safe”. He went on to say that he was very “pleased with their workmanship.”

After word began to spread about the capabilities of Abilene High Lift Aerial’s truck, demand for its services has increased dramatically. Figure 5

“We had business come in from all over the United States,” Kutnink said. “From everywhere—from Montana to California to Iowa.”

As far as the future is concerned for Abilene High Lift Aerial, it’s looking quite bright.

 “The schedule is very full for the next few months,” Kutnink said. “We’re only going to get busier and busier.”

There are more than 5,000 wind turbines currently operating in the West Texas area that have gone out-of-warranty within the past year, Kutnink said. Abilene expects that its services will continue to be in high demand, as those out-of-warranty turbines account for thousands of blades that now need leading edge or other repairs due to weather conditions and various other issues. 

The company does plan to purchase several smaller lift trucks, mostly for leading edge repair. There are no present plans, Kutnink said, to acquire an additional TTS 1000, but would not rule out the possibility going forward.  Side Bar

In addition to wind turbine blade maintenance, Abilene High Lift Aerial offers a variety of services to other industries and clients. This month, the truck will be headed to Memphis, Tennessee for several months to assist other contractors with interior structure work, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC at The Pyramid.

The company also does regular sanding and painting maintenance on the outside of the U.S. Army’s F-14 simulator in Maryland. 

 

For more information about Abilene High Lift Aerial’s “largest, most stable aerial lift truck in North America,” visit www.abilenehighlift.com, or call 800-588-5012.

A New Foundation?

Julian Bell
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A New Foundation?

Being part of the United States wind industry is challenging right now. For contractors to manufacturers, to developers, and every sector of the supply chain in-between, it’s challenging. The boom-and-bust cycles created by the lack of consistency in the United States market for renewable energy and the uncertainty surrounding the passage of the Production Tax Credit significantly hinder the industry’s ability to develop a consistent outlook. To overcome these challenges, we must learn how to fashion our business plans around them and become active participants in doing everything we can to be part of the solution. In this article we will explore some of the major challenges facing wind power and five ways to overcome them as an industry, so as we enter a new year we can understand the task before us.

While wind must compete on a price basis for power purchase agreements against large and mature industries (oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear), it has never had the stability over a long enough period of time that it needs to develop the reliable and solid supply chains necessary for true competitiveness on a price level.  For sure, wind is closer now than ever before to “grid-parity,” but more work remains to be done.  While we all look forward to the day when regulatory support is no longer needed to assist the industry in competing on a price level with fossil fuel-produced electricity, the fact remains that a stable and consistent market for wind power is a prerequisite for the industry to reach its natural price point.  Figure 1

Until the wind sector has that stable and consistent market, all industry sectors need to be aware of the major challenges facing the wind sector.  We must learn how to fashion our business plans around these challenges and become active participants in doing everything we can to be part of the solutions to these challenges. We are all proud that we produce an end product (i.e. wind powered electricity) that is both valuable and noble.  Wind-powered electricity is produced without any harm to our environment through emissions or other production byproducts, and without any fuel cost. However, despite the significant societal and economic benefits of wind-produced electricity, our ability to continue to produce wind power is uncertain without a long term and consistent market.  

As a nation, we continue to produce the vast majority of our electricity using fuel sources that will eventually be exhausted, whose use harms our environment, that require vast amounts of water (itself a limited resource), and that leave behind harmful byproducts for future generations to handle. Our collective challenge as an industry is to face all of the hurdles before us and together carve out a market that is consistent, sustainable, and profitable. Wind power and other renewables cannot provide all of the power needed by our nation; they are not technologically suited to do so. However, there is a great economic value over the long run, and great value to generations to come, in having renewable energy as a significant part of the total mix of electricity production sources in the United States.  Figure 2

The primary challenge we have is to develop a market for wind energy that is not subject to the dramatic up and down swings in the amount of installed wind energy capacity that we have historically seen. This feast-or-famine atmosphere—created by a number of complex and significant factors—prevents anyone in the industry, be they balance of plant contractors, subcontractors, material suppliers, equipment manufacturers, or project developers, from developing consistent business plans and pricing levels. This uncertainty requires any company in the wind industry to develop a survival strategy. In addition, anyone that desires to participate in the industry must have a clear understanding of the fundamental reasons that our industry has such high swings. Without such an understanding, companies will not be successful in being profitable in the industry over the long term.

The absence of an energy policy in our country that values anything other than the lowest apparent price of energy to the consumer has prevented the industry from being able to create the momentum necessary to build the appropriate supply chain and labor force resulting in a true low cost of energy. Despite this lack of policy, the wind industry—particularly since 2006—has consistently driven down the overall cost of installed wind power. With the Production Tax Credit (PTC) expiring again this month, contractors, suppliers, and others in the supply chain must once again take a look at the major issues facing our industry as they evaluate their business plans for 2014 and beyond and assess the best ways to be successful during this very challenging time.

Push for A Level Playing Field
All forms of energy production in the United States benefit from one form or another of governmental support. That is, no power producing sector in the U.S. is “subsidy-free.”  The wind industry’s primary regulatory support is the Production Tax Credit and the industry has been the subject of a considerable amount of criticism over the past several years as Congress has taken a more partisan approach to “subsidies.”

The fact is, however, that wind is not alone in receiving government support. Nuclear power could not exist in its present form in the U.S., if at all, without governmental action shifting a number of major industry risks from nuclear project owners and investor to U.S. taxpayers.  The coal industry benefits from significant subsidies, among them a tax credit for the production of non-conventional fuels.  Natural gas and oil benefit from a number of significant subsidies, including favorable tax treatment for expenses for drilling costs, deductions for income earned from extracting oil or gas in the United States (Domestic Manufacturer’s Deduction), the percentage depletion deduction, and other permanent tax code provisions.  Figure 3

While every industry with which wind competes benefits from significant government support, wind and other renewables are alone in having to fight year after year to level the playing field, as theirs are the only energy sectors without permanent support.

The PTC has been valuable in giving the wind industry an extra push forward in its march to be price competitive with better funded and more mature forms of power production. However, the PTC has become a highly partisan issue and its renewal becomes more challenging and less certain each time it expires. The industry, through the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) spends an extraordinary amount of time working with members of Congress to assure PTC renewal.  In recent years, although the PTC has been renewed, it has come at such a late date that development efforts for new projects has been put on hold, thus creating a period of time in which construction of projects is delayed so that development and financing efforts can be completed.  The uncertainty surrounding PTC renewal has been the primary reason for the abrupt up and down swings in the number of installed capacity of wind over the years.

Most industry participants acknowledge that the PTC will not stay in place indefinitely and that the industry needs to prepare for a future with no PTC.  However, consistent governmental support for wind, and other forms of renewable energy, is both important and justified. Figure 4

It is truly unfortunate that the PTC (and any other form of government support for wind and other renewables) has become a partisan issue.  It should not be.  We should base the necessity for government support for the wind industry on the non-partisan fact that there is economic and societal value in energy production from sources of energy, like wind, that:

• Offer consistent power pricing to the consumer because they will never be subject to an increase in the price of its fuel;
• Foster good stewardship of the earth’s limited resources because they will never use a fuel source that will eventually be exhausted and whose extraction from the earth is dangerous and results in illness, injuries and loss of life;
• Do not use a fuel source that harms the environment as it creates electricity;
• Do not use a fuel source that creates hazardous and potentially lethal wastes as a byproduct of electricity production; and
• Use little or no water in the production of electricity.

Lowering Cost of Energy through Innovation
As an industry, we must continue to push forward with technological improvements that will result in a lower overall cost of wind energy.  Lowering the cost of energy is always going to be an important issue for the wind industry, as long as we continue to compete with more mature power sources. Over the past several years, turbine manufacturers have done an incredible job of increasing the output of their turbines through improvements in turbine efficiency, longer blades, and higher hub heights. One of the next advances in the U.S. will be the use of even higher hub heights through the use of concrete towers. Full, or partial, concrete towers will allow turbines to reap the power available from the richer wind resources available at heights well above 100 meters. As hub heights increase, areas of the country that have been all but written off for wind energy will be potential development sites, such as the Southeast.

Need for More Financing Models
Wind projects have historically been built using two primary models: balance sheet financing and project financing. Balance sheet wind projects are funded by entities (typically investor owned utilities, well-financed independent power producers, turbine manufacturers, or publicly owned oil companies) with sufficient internal capital to fund a project without the need for outside funding sources. On these projects, there is no reliance on third-party debt or outside lenders. On the other hand, project-financed projects are funded by debt secured by the project’s assets and its ability to produce electricity and generate revenue. While these funding models have provided the vehicles for a tremendous amount of installed wind capacity, the industry needs a wider variety of funding models to increase the available funds for wind projects. A wider variety of funding models will also help to lower the funding costs of wind projects. Figure 5

The most commonly talked about models are real estate investment trusts (REITs) and master limited partnerships. REITs can potentially provide a large source of new funds and significantly lower funding costs for wind projects. However, before REIT financing is available for energy projects, further IRS guidance is needed on the eligibility of energy assets as a REIT investment. As an industry, we need to continue to press Congress for the needed approvals and open up REIT financing for wind projects. 

In addition, the use of master limited partnerships (MLPs) as a vehicle for ownership of wind projects can dramatically lower funding costs, and dramatically increase available funds for wind projects.   Again, governmental action is required in order to allow the use of MLPs for renewable energy projects.  Although current law permits the use of MLPs for oil and gas projects, MLPs cannot invest in wind projects.  As an industry, we need to continue to press Congress to open up MLPs to investment in wind projects. Figure 6

Overcome Transmission Constraint
A quick look at a map of the U.S. showing wind resources, load centers and available transmission reveals that a great deal of the land with the best wind resources is located in areas far from any significant load center and with no existing transmission line available to carry power to that load center.  The U.S. electrical transmission system is not—as many in the general public assume—a national system built with an overall plan to provide power to the nation. Our existing transmission grid is a collection of local and regional systems that have been built over the last century with local and regional interests largely in mind. Figure 7

Traditional forms of power production that use transportable fuel have a great deal of flexibility on where they locate. They can be built closer to load centers and within reasonable distances of available transmission. In addition, they are typically larger facilities and have more available capital to include in their construction large and lengthy transmission lines if necessary to reach existing transmission.  Wind farms, however, are typically smaller than the average fossil fuel or nuclear power plant and must be located where the wind blows.  Accordingly, the proximity of available grid transmission is a critical component of every wind project.  

In order to carry wind-produced electricity from the resource rich areas to the load centers, new transmission is needed on a large scale.  Companies like Clean Line Energy Partners, a privately held company working to develop, design, fund and build transmission lines from the windiest areas of the U.S. to distant load centers, are stepping in to fill this transmission void.  As an industry, we need to support the very important work being done by companies like Clean Line.  In addition, we need to work closely with AWEA to develop regulatory solutions to streamline the process of building new transmission and encouraging proper regulatory oversight and guidance.

Monitoring Natural Gas Pricing
There is no easy way to sidestep the fact that the wind industry must successfully compete with natural gas pricing for the foreseeable future. The increased use of fracking as a means of extracting natural gas from shale deposits has greatly increased the supply of domestic natural gas and driven its price to historically low levels. Many utilities and other power producers are choosing to supplement their base load power production with gas plants instead of wind because of the attractive fuel pricing. There is wide disagreement on how long natural gas pricing will remain at or near these levels, and every segment of the wind industry supply chain must play a part in helping overall wind energy pricing remain competitive. 

The U.S. wind industry provides a valuable product-clean energy from a renewable source. Despite the current efforts of the fossil fuel and nuclear industry to turn public opinion away from renewables, we must work together as an industry to put forth our message that there is inherent value in the production of clean power. It will take efforts at every level of the supply chain for the wind industry to remain cost competitive and establish the stable and consistent market needed for long-term sustainability. 

Building Responsibly

Josh Bagnato
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Building Responsibly

Wind energy is both clean and renewable and it helps offset two of the most damaging impacts of conventional electricity generation—air pollution and natural resource depletion. For example, a traditional fossil-fuel plant of the same scale as the recently completed Sheffield Wind project in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom would burn 61,000 tons of coal or about 221,000 barrels of oil per year.

However, like any other form of development, construction of wind energy facilities does have impacts. As states throughout the U.S. look to expand their renewable energy production capabilities, this article will provide a developer’s perspective on steps to minimize habitat effects by illustrating the importance of considering habitat and wildlife impacts during every step of the development process—from initial planning to erecting turbines to constructing transmission lines.

In addition, for a project to be successful in both the short-term and long-term, it must represent a mutually beneficial partnership with the communities it is located in and with its key stakeholders.  These economic benefits to communities include property tax arrangements, increased income from land leases with local landowners, and increased local business activity to support development, construction and operations.

Minimizing Habitat Impact
As the first developer to build a commercial-scale project in Vermont in decades, First Wind worked hard over many years to develop and build the Sheffield project the right way. In designing and building it, we were highly attentive to protecting the natural resources at the site, and we believe this project is one of the most innovative in the country in taking steps to reduce overall impacts to the natural resources.

Beyond producing clean energy, the Sheffield Wind project has also undertaken several cutting-edge environmental mitigation and conservation measures. One of these measures is an intricate system of storm water ditches, which transport runoff from the roads to 27 basins designed to clean storm water and return it to the local habitat.  During the development and planning of the project, the potential wetland impacts were minimized to less than a 1/10th of an acre), while the footprint of the project was shrunk. These reductions in impacts occurred due to multiple redesigns and the construction of two bridges which spanned higher elevation streams.

The reduced footprint took special care to recognize and protect the natural water resources wherever possible near the proposed project. It has been a highly successful effort.

The project also features narrower roads and smaller turbine pads than most utility-scale wind projects. In previous wind project construction jobs, the crews cleared large areas for the turbine pads, so as to raise the blades into the turbine. But at Sheffield, smaller areas were cleared and blades poked into the forest. This meant that acres of forest were not impacted when they might have otherwise been impacted.

In addition, other efforts were made to protect local wildlife—including bear and moose habitats. In fact, all of the bear habitat was identified pre-construction through mapping trees which had bear scratch marks. This habitat was subsequently avoided by the project.  Similarly, a large area that is known to provide important moose habitat was avoided.

In an effort to protect wildlife and habitat for animals in the area, in cooperation with the landowner, 2,700 acres of land surrounding and including the project were set aside and will be conserved for the life of the project. As a result of these efforts, a large tract of undeveloped land around and including the project is preserved as critical habitat for several large mammals that are frequently observed near the turbines. Figure 1

Measuring Environmental Impacts
Sheffield Wind was the first utility-scale wind project in Vermont to go online since Searsburg in 1996. The project was able to move forward in large part due to agreements established with the state and federal regulators, as well as partnerships with Vermont-based utilities. 

These agreements with state and federal environmental regulators resulted in the many mitigation measures, and included several operational studies to measure water quality, sound output and impacts to birds and bats.

The State of Vermont conducted water quality monitoring at streams surrounding the project from 2006–2013. This monitoring occurred pre-construction, during construction and after construction.  The monitoring concluded that there have been no water quality impacts to these streams as a result of the project and in many cases water quality has improved since the project was completed in 2011.

First Wind also agreed to partner with state, federal and non-profit bat experts to study the efficacy of curtailing turbines in reducing bat fatalities. As a result of this partnership, a two-year bat curtailment study was conducted by Bat Conservation International at the site in 2012 and 2013. 
This study will likely be published and used to set the standards for curtailment to reduce bat fatalities at this site and others.

The renewable power generated by the project has been sold to three Vermont utilities including the Burlington Electric Department (BED), the Vermont Electric Cooperative, Inc. (VEC) and the Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC).  VEC and WEC both provide power to several towns in the Northeast Kingdom so much of the power produced in Sheffield stays within the area. 

Since the project began operating on October 19, 2011, it has  generated enough clean, renewable electricity for the equivalent of 14,000 homes in Vermont with no associated emissions or pollution. 

Maximizing Economic Impact
In addition to producing in-state renewable energy, Sheffield Wind has assisted in Vermont’s economic growth by providing hundreds of full-time jobs during construction while utilizing about 50 different Vermont businesses for equipment, environmental services, fuel, maintenance and lodging.
 
For the duration of the contract, the project’s host community, the Town of Sheffield, will receive $520,000 annually, which can be used to lower taxes or toward local services including roads, schools, police, firefighters and more.  In total, including payments and services for land, property and state taxes, and local maintenance contracts, about $1 million a year will be paid into Vermont for the life of the project.

As Vermont continues to diversify its energy supply, we believe that wind power should be an important part of the mix.  No wind project or site is alike, so when approaching new projects, it is important that developers always consider how to balance the impacts instead of taking a one-size-fits-all approach. Careful siting and community-focused development are key to striking that balance to ensure that Vermont wind power provides long-term benefits to future generation of Vermonters.

High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission Super Highway Benefits to the Plains and Southeast

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High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) Transmission Super Highway Benefits to the Plains and Southeast

The South is the new frontier for the wind industry. As the rest of the country struggles with a lack of electricity demand growth, the South is expected to continue its robust growth demand in addition to retiring up to 30 gigawatts of coal-fired power plant capacity (Brattle Group 2012). In addition to developing in-region onshore and offshore wind energy resources, importing wind energy from the plains will be an important way to serve load in the South. Two large-scale high voltage direct current (HVDC) projects have been proposed to connect the Plains’ strong wind resource to the South’s strong energy demand. Figure 1

PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
Plains & Eastern Clean Line
Developer: Clean Line Energy Inc.
HQ: Houston, Texas
Project Length: 700 to 800 miles
Capacity: 7,000 megawatts (in two phases)
Estimated cost: $2 Billion

The Plains & Eastern Clean Line is an HVDC project designed to connect up to 7 gigawatts of wind energy from the plains to Tennessee and the South beyond. Project developer Clean Line Energy estimates the 50% capacity factor wind energy resource from the Plains could be sold into the Tennessee Valley Authority system for approximately $55-$60 per megawatt hour. General Cable (an Arkansas-based transmission cable manufacturer) and Pelco Structural (an Oklahoma-based tubular steel manufacturer) are preferred suppliers for construction materials. The company estimates approximately 5,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent jobs will be created by the Plains & Eastern project and associated wind farms while the South will benefit from low-cost, highly available wind resources. This project is currently under National Environmental Policy Act review through the Department of Energy Section 1222 authority. Clean Line Energy is also developing three additional HVDC transmission projects connecting the Plains to other regions as well.

SOUTHERN CROSS
Developer: Pattern Energy
HQ: San Francisco, CA
Project Length: 400 miles
Capacity: 3,000 megawatts
Estimated cost: $1 Billion

The Southern Cross is an HVDC project designed to connect up to 3 gigawatts of wind energy from Texas to northern Mississippi, and from there into other parts of the South. Potential off-taker utilities may include Entergy, Southern Company, TVA or another southern utility. Project developer Pattern Energy has received a ruling from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allowing the Texas system operator (ERCOT) to remain independent while connecting the Southern Cross to the rest of the South. This ruling was vital for ERCOT participation. Figure 2

Why HVDC?
Constructing new HVDC transmission is not a new concept. Several HVDC transmission lines already operate in the United States and abroad. However, constructing HVDC infrastructure intended to move large quantities of high-quality wind energy from the plains to large demand loads in the Southeast has never been done. HVDC transmission provides benefits over alternating current (AC) transmission including lower cost, reduced line losses and a reduced footprint despite large-scale power transmission.

In order to access high-quality wind energy resources in the Plains states, transmission is required. Some wind farm developers have found existing transmission routes (AC) to deliver power to Alabama Power, Southwestern Electric Power Company and the Tennessee Valley Authority; however, without additional transmission capabilities, expanded use of existing infrastructure will be limited. Additionally, some wind farm operators must utilize available transmission through multiple regional transmission organizations which increases the cost and complexity of delivering power to the South. Figure 3

What are the Chanllenges?
Like any other billion-dollar project, HVDC transmission projects face their own challenges. Collecting anchor tenants, conducting interconnection studies and agreements, selecting component manufacturers and construction crews, managing environmental review and project routing are some of the steps in the development process. However, perhaps the most important factor to ensure a streamlined process is stakeholder engagement. Local, state and federally elected officials must be informed on how these projects will benefit their communities, even if the projects’ benefits are spread across several states. Presenting facts in a clear, timely and easily accessible way to local stakeholders encourages better siting practices and community relations. These relationships are extremely important to develop trust and prevent unnecessary ill-will or potential opposition.

Where’s the Demand?
Between 2015 and 2020, the Energy Information Administration estimates that the South will be the only region with an increase in net summer generation capacity. The South’s electrical demand is estimated to grow by an extra 78,000,000 megawatt hours – 36% more demand growth than the West, and more demand growth than the Plains and East, combined. (EIA Annual Energy Outlook 2013, early release. Figure 4

Where’s the Supply?
In a National Renewable Energy Lab analysis, Southern wind energy resources at 100 meters could achieve at least 30% capacity factors. In the South, NREL estimates some 128 gigawatts of total wind energy potential may exist onshore. However, this amount only represents approximately 1% of the country’s total resource. The rest of the country also has substantially higher estimated wind resources – perhaps reaching past 50% capacity factor. (NREL 2011). 

REFERENCES
1. Alabama Power 2012 http://alabamapowernews.com/doubling-down-on-wind
2. Brattle Group 2012 http://www.brattle.com/_documents/UploadLibrary/Upload1082.pdf
3. Clean Line Energy 2013 http://www.cleanlineenergy.com
4. Energy Information Administration 2013 http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/aeo
5. National Renewable Energy Lab 2011 http://www.windpoweringamerica.gov/windmaps/resource_potential.asp
6. Plains & Eastern EIS 2013 http://plainsandeasterneis.com
7. Southern Cross Transmission 2013 http://www.southerncrosstransmission.com
8. SWEPCO 2013 https://www.swepco.com/info/projects/WindPowerPurchase
9. TVA 2012 http://www.tva.com/power/wind_purchases.htm

Maintaining personal physical fitness can go a long way toward preventing workplace injuries

Mary Lou Friedman
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Maintaining personal physical fitness can go a long way toward preventing workplace injuries

In our industry, many of the wind turbines are more than 150 feet tall, and technicians often scale the turbine to perform routine maintenance and repairs on a daily basis. Being physically fit and having the ability to climb those heights are primary criteria for any wind technician.

You might think climbing daily would be enough to keep you fit. However, many studies have shown that if you are not taking care of yourself outside of the workplace, you are more prone to injuries in the workplace.

Below are some of the most important things you can do to outside of work to help keep yourself healthy and fit for those daily climbs.

Cardio
Cardiovascular exercise is important as it helps to strengthen the heart and lungs for that daily climb. Your daily climb—especially when gear, weather, stress, and protective clothing factor in—can tax the cardiovascular system of even the healthiest individuals. Some of the things that you can do to keep your heart healthy for work can be something as simple as walking. Even a brisk one-mile walk just a few times a week can provide great benefits. The conditioning and health of the heart and blood vessels are the basis for safety and performance in nearly all physical or athletic endeavors.

Strength
Strength training helps to strengthen the muscles that you use to climb, and will help keep your knees sound and your anterior cruciate ligaments (ACL) intact. The function of the ACL is to provide stability to the knee and minimize stress across the knee joint. Damage to the ACL, then, will cause climbing to be painful, and in more severe cases can make climbing impossible. Studies have shown that repetitive motion is the most common cause of knee injuries.

If you keep your knees and the muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the knees healthy, strong, and sound, you reduce your risk of injury. With strength training, as you progressively train and increase the load on a specific joint, the muscles, tendons, and ligaments all adapt and get stronger. As strength rises, so does the joint’s resistance to injury.

Stretching
Stretching helps to reduce the risk of injury by increasing flexibility. When you incorporate stretching into your exercise routine or prior to a climb, it is important to follow certain guidelines while stretching to avoid any onset of injury. Many believe stretching is considered a warm-up. However, the opposite is true; stretching cold muscles can make you prone to injury. Recent research has shown that stretching before exercise may actually make muscles contract and become shorter, rather than loosening muscles, which is obviously the desired effect.  Instead of beginning with a traditional stretching routine, like bending over and touching your toes, experts recommend walking in place with high knee lifts, for instance, to simulate the climbing action, prior to the traditional stretching.  This gets the blood flowing and primes the specific muscles that will be used in the stretch and subsequent climb.

According to MayoClinic.com, avoid any bouncing-type movements; these can cause small tears in your muscles. When stretching, you should hold the stretch for 30 seconds before releasing. It is important to stretch both sides of your body. For example, if you stretch your right quadriceps, you should also stretch your left quadriceps.

Hydration
Hydration is not only important on those hot days. Being properly hydrated year round holds many benefits. Water helps transport oxygen and other essential nutrients to your cells, which can help the body to fight fatigue. Your brain is 85 percent water; if you’re dehydrated, both your body and your mind will feel stressed. Sufficient levels of water in your system will reduce muscle cramps and will increase lubrication in the joints of the body; water is also the most natural cleanser for our organs and digestive system.  Recommended intake of water is 64 ounces daily—more if physical exertion is occurring.  Caffeinated and sugary drinks such as coffee and soda can actually reduce your hydration levels.

Following your company’s safety policies and climbing procedures, eating right and having a good routine outside of work will keep you fit and ready for that hard day of work that lies ahead. 

Stay safe, my friends! 

MAINTENANCE

Jack Wallace
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MAINTENANCE

For much of the United States, the wind season is on!

Everyone is ready for the wind to blow. It makes sense to take some time to review the dangers of your wind farm. Of all the potential dangers in our industry there are few that make me do a double-take before I begin to work on a turbine.

One such danger is the potential for electrical arc flash and arc blast. Turbines today have the potential for the release of huge amounts of energy in an accidental arc flash or arc blast. You can bet that someone somewhere has put themselves and their partner at risk by rushing past the smart and prudent use of protective procedures and safety gear—procedures as simple as shutting off the power or using a face shield and gloves.

Many of today’s technicians started on a wind farm with new wind machinery. As this machinery ages, the likelihood for failures in the electrical system grows. Electrical connections loosen from thermal cycling and/or vibrations; contactors wear; relay coils fail; and sensors stop sensing. All of these problems require the technician to spend more time poking and prodding in the electrical panels. They search for the problems and troubleshoot for a solution. Some problems are very evident due to the burnt look and smell. Others are complete mysteries until found with test equipment.

Who are these people that are performing these troubleshooting events for you? In the past, I ran a wind farm of 120 or so turbines with two technicians. We didn’t have a large support staff and there was no OEM support. For this wind farm I would always hire people that had a minimum of a two-year degree in electronics or electrical systems. I did this to provide reassurance in the event of an electrical accident. I figured if something bad happened with the electrical system with these techs—even if it was due to me failing to train them on something specific—that I would know that these technicians had spent two years of their time studying electrical systems and that they should know better. This made me feel that it wouldn’t be all my fault if they made a mistake with an electrical system.

There were times when accidents did happen—even with all that training. That was years ago and the turbines back then didn’t have as much potential energy available for arc flash or arc blast dangers as the wind turbine systems do today.

I am not saying that your technicians need a two-year degree in electrical systems. I’m asking that you consider what you are doing to ensure that techs understand the electrical dangers so they all go home safe.

How do you train your people to troubleshoot these electrical systems safely? How do you ensure that they always wear the “complete” arc flash protection gear? In my experience, the number one item that technicians don’t use while donning their arc protection gear are the ear plugs. I imagine it is probably the same within your group. The technicians wear their arc flash clothing, put on the gloves, their face shield, but fail to insert ear plugs. They are focused on the visual of the arc flash and don’t think about the energy in the arc blast. You know that you might survive the arc flash but not the arc blast.

Some turbine controller cabinets today have the proper markings indicating the level of protection you should wear if you open a panel. Even so, there is no lock that prevents you from doing so. Just a quick look in a panel at the wrong time is all it takes to ruin someone’s life. Safety managers should take time to review and to ensure that technicians take to heart that the safety meeting and the safety rules are not just for good insurance rates.

Wearing all your protective gear may help save them lots of pain, and their loved ones too. If you are a technician reading this and you do not have an electrical background or training, I recommend that you go get some. You may be able to wing it and learn on the job but taking time to understand what you are working with will make your job all that much safer for you and your coworkers.

There are many electrical systems on a turbine.  You may troubleshoot a control system of low voltage A/C and then have to start checking the AC power system.  Next, you may be in the DC power system.  Most of us are experienced with low voltage DC used in low voltage, low current systems.  On some wind turbines there are DC systems that can supply or operate at greater than 100v DC and can supply a substantial amount of current.  Having a close encounter with direct current is a bit different than an A/C system.  The direct current doesn’t let you let go and locks you on.

Have a good start to the wind season, be safe, and prevent surprises.  

Proper assessment of all wind farm risks — not just turbines — can pay dividends

Eileen R. Kauffman
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Proper assessment of all wind farm risks — not just turbines — can pay dividends

When it comes to identifying risk exposures on wind farms, owners and operators should not fall victim to tunnel vision and focus only on the turbines. While turbines do present risk exposures, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. From determining the right location where to build a wind farm to managing the actual construction process, there are overlooked risks at every turn.

These parties can manage and prepare for these risk exposures by working closely with an informed risk management professional. Engaging an insurance agent or broker with specific and extensive experience in wind energy risks may help minimize and manage the risks associated with building and operating a wind farm. Doing so may even help secure optimal financing for a project.

Location, Location, Location
From fields in Kansas to the shores of the North Atlantic, location is paramount to a wind farm’s success. When selecting a site location, owners and operators need to take more into consideration than wind resources. The topography of the site to be developed may have a significant influence on the types of risks that may impact the wind farm’s operations.

Many developers, for example, fail to research whether the plot of land they have selected is prone to flooding. This raises the potential for equipment damage, generation interruption, and safety hazards. Beyond advising building on higher ground whenever possible, a risk manager should be able to suggest preventive measures that could be taken by the developer. Examples of such advice may include: creating a levee around the farm’s substation; having a contingency plan in place to handle rising water; and noting where flood plains intersect access roads to provide contingencies in the event of washouts.

Careful Contracting
Once a suitable location has been determined and construction begins, additional risks come into play. These risks may range from selecting third party logistics providers to preventing work site theft, and should be considered while wind farms are being built.

For example, the substation for a wind farm could be built by any contractor with substation experience. However, if the contractor specializes in wind farm substations, he will have a better understanding of how all the elements work together for the best possible power output. Careful contracting matters, and finding expert, specialized contractors can be the difference between simply getting the work done and getting it done properly, leading to  long-term success. Risk management professionals with wind farm experience can be a reliable resource for references. Their history working with wind farm builders puts them in a position to recommend the specialized help when needed.

Additionally, Builders’ Risk insurance helps guard against the many issues that could arise during construction, such as material transport issues or theft, which could potentially put the project on hold. Coverage typically includes an extensive definition of covered property, automatic soft costs coverage with an option to tailor it to the specific project, multiple additional coverage extensions specific to wind farm construction, equipment breakdown coverage, and replacement cost valuation.

Monitoring for Maintenance
Once a project is complete, the operator’s risk concerns turn to proper equipment operation and preventing breakdowns. Put simply, downtime for a wind farm means lost revenue.

From turbines to substation components to company vehicles, there are a variety of materials that require regular maintenance. A thoughtful wind farm operator does not rely solely on warranties, but also implements proactive maintenance measures. Scheduling diagnostic tests as part of a regular maintenance program allows owners to troubleshoot areas that are prone to malfunction. Battery load tests, oil and vibration analyses, and borescope inspections can expose early indicators of potential problems. Technology allows operators to prevent major malfunctions while also performing their critical maintenance during downtimes.

On the Ground
A reliable wind source is not the only thing that keeps a wind farm running. Employees are the backbone of the day-to-day operations of any successful wind farm. However, they also present business risk exposures, from basic slips-trips-and-falls to more serious electrical burns and shocks when coming in contact with energized circuits. Additionally, if a wind farm has vehicles on site to travel between turbines, those vehicles also present a business risk exposure. Wind farm operators should work with their insurance representative to ensure they are adequately insured against these and other types of risks specific to their wind locations.

Similarly, if a wind farm operator hires out work to subcontractors or maintenance providers, the wind farm operator should consider having its contracts with those subcontractors or maintenance providers reviewed by an attorney to ensure that the operator is protected in the event of a claim arising out of the subcontractor’s or maintenance provider’s work. 

Q&A: Paul Coenen

admin
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Q&A: Paul Coenen

Tell us a little bit about your background and your role at Boldt as VP of wind?
Since joining The Boldt Company in 1985, there has always been a focus on environmental responsibility. The Boldt Company was an early adapter of sustainable construction techniques and we have a long resume of working on projects that are LEED-certified. Expertise we gained in LEED-certified projects naturally translated into other sustainable fields, including wind energy.

We built our first wind project in 2006. It was a single Vestas 1.65MW turbine for St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN. That single turbine can provide up to one third of the campus power needs.

Our first large wind project was in 2007, a 145MW farm built in Wisconsin. I was very involved with establishing the project team and contractual agreement for that project, which was a new industry for us at the time. I have supported building quality wind project teams that are current with training, safety and have the best tools and equipment to be successful.

I also represent The Boldt Company in the wind industry with respect to professional and trade organizations on the front ends.

What services does Boldt offer to the wind energy industry?
Boldt provides early “indicative” pricing estimates and site planning services for crane paths, lay down yards and operations and maintenance facilities. During construction, Boldt can provide project scheduling and construction management services as well as all turbine erection services, foundation construction, as well as earthwork services. We also partner with many of the industry’s best electrical firms.

There are key skills needed in wind turbine construction: crews need to be able to plan and execute extremely heavy lifts that require precision placement. Customers also need construction companies that are going to execute high quality work safely. Boldt has a long history of making complex, heavy, precision lifts due to our decades of work in the paper industry. Our safety record in excellent and we were named one of the safest companies in America.

Can you give us an idea of Boldt’s project experience as a wind energy contractor?
Regarding different delivery and contracting methods, we do our best to respond to the needs of the individual customer. In some cases, we construction manage the entire project and act as the BOP contractor. In other cases we have been brought in by OEM, utility or developer to just erect and commission wind turbines.

Is there a certain area in which Boldt specializes or is specifically known for?
We often think if the customer needs the tough jobs done, we get the call! Our jobs have been characterized by very tight deadlines and extremely remote locations. In many cases, there is no infrastructure in these locations—no cell phone towers, limited roads and utilities. We have continually met the challenge of siting foundations and erecting towers in difficult conditions—several wind farms were constructed in the dead of winter! Unlike the largest players in the industry, we feel no project is too small. We are always willing to react to each customer’s specific needs, large or small.

Boldt has trademarked its operating philosophy. Tell us about BoldThinking.
BoldThinking is a blend of philosophical beliefs and practical applications that provide the highest value to our customers. We use innovation, flexibility and imagination to help building owners create environments that achieve their highest possible use. In practical terms, we use a proprietary process called Integrated Lean Project Delivery that applies traditional Lean processes to the highly customized world of construction. We use the latest in modeling technology, planning, collaborative processes and on-site oversight to eliminate waste in our process. The result is our customers get the highest value for their construction investment. 

What are the company’s expectations for wind energy construction over the next 24 months? Can you give us some insight into current or future projects?
We have seen an uptick in wind projects with many just getting started prior to the end of 2013. Next year and 2015 look to be good years for wind projects. We are actually pricing and planning projects. We will be mobilizing the spring onto a large west coast project.

What is it that makes Boldt unique? How does it separate itself from the pack?
Boldt is uniquely positioned to serve the wind industry. Certainly we have proven expertise in building wind farms, but our aggregate experience in all construction sectors help us to bring best practices to the wind industry. Our crews are experienced at working collaboratively with owners, engineers and subcontractors to execute the best construction plan possible. We continually are focused on providing maximum value and challenge our teams to find new, innovative ways to achieve our goals. 

 

For more information on construction services offered by The Boldt Company, visit
www.theboldtcompany.com, or call 800-992-6538.

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