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February 2020

Improving the Service Life of Rotating Equipment

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Wind turbines are typically designed to support a 20-year life cycle. Components are often subjected to extreme operating and climate conditions that can affect reliability, productivity, and, ultimately, service life. However, when properly maintained, they can continue to operate well beyond their expected lifespan.

Operators are continually looking for new ways to help extend the service life of bearings in wind turbines. This article explores how technicians can prolong rotating equipment life in wind-turbine operations through proper bearings selection and installation, appropriate maintenance practices, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance.

Specification to Improve Bearings Service Life

One of the best ways to extend the life cycle of a wind turbine is by ensuring the correct bearings are specified and installed for every application. Each bearing has a unique set of design features and characteristics that often cannot be detected simply by looking or even handling the bearings.

The conditions in wind turbines require special bearing features and specifications that generate different and special part numbers. Many bearings are designed specifically for the wind industry.

Components in turbines undergo thorough testing before being placed in operation, but parts have historically been evaluated individually instead of evaluated according to how they work with other components in a system. This approach is changing with more comprehensive testing involving all interacting components, and with the use of advanced simulation of conditions to mirror real-world applications. This should go a long way in extending the lifespan of wind turbines.

Over time, the final product designation is often changed through several design and testing iterations. Referring to the product designation marked on each side of the bearing is a good start. Technicians are best suited to consult a bearings engineer to confirm an accurate product selection.

Vibration, high mechanical loads, contamination and moisture are all threats to bearing and gear service life in wind turbines. (Courtesy: SKF USA)

Getting the Right Assembly

Once the bearing is selected, correct installation in each application is also important — particularly bearings installed in the gearbox to achieve the right preload. To save on initial costs, OEMs may guide operators to buy single bearings and then machine the spacer themselves. This can pose a challenge since bearings are made with a certain tolerance range that can affect the desired preload.

One important consideration for bearings in the gearbox is to ensure they have optimum clearance since preloading generates additional heat and friction. Ideally, bearing replacements should be made in the workshop so technicians can measure and dial-in each component and gauge. Servicing wind turbines makes up-tower repair a necessity where space is at a premium. Bearings experts can help define acceptable tolerances and identify steps to be completed in a workshop so technicians can carry less equipment and save time for up-tower repair — while still achieving the desired outcome.

Reducing Premature Bearings Failures

The reliability of equipment is an ongoing concern for wind-farm operators — and the dependability of bearings at all points in a wind turbine is a critical part of the mix. Fatigue of bearings may be caused by higher-than-expected stresses driven by a variety of factors, including heavy moment loads, friction, and heat. It may also be caused by diminished material strength due to environmental factors, including water contamination and corrosion, as well as stray electrical currents. There are several ways to help mitigate the risk of early bearing failure.

To prevent the early onset of cracks due to potential chemical attack on steel bearings, SKF recommends using special surface treatments like black oxide. When applied to bearings rings and rollers, black oxide coating has also been shown to reduce other damage mechanisms, such as corrosion, smearing, and adhesive wear.

Proper lubrication management and regular maintenance can help prevent surface distress, like micropitting and smearing damages. Correct sealing design to maintain appropriate levels of available lubricant help to mitigate lubrication starvation.

Another example is electrical damage in wind-turbine generators, which is the cause of 70 to 80 percent of bearings failure. Depending on the conditions, there are a variety of insulation methods to reinforce the bearing’s performance. These include specialized protective surface treatments and coatings such as aluminum oxide INSOCOAT® coated bearings and hybrid bearings integrating extremely hard and durable ceramic rolling elements.

The reliability of equipment is an ongoing concern for wind farm operators — and the dependability of bearings at all points in a wind turbine is a critical part of the mix. (Courtesy: SKF USA)

Advancing Standard Lubrication Practices

Like any mechanical system, wind turbines need proper lubrication to function optimally. Studies have shown that 36 percent of premature bearing damage is due to improper lubrication. Used grease can harden up in the bearing. Fresh grease pumped in is competing for space with this hardened grease. The new grease might find an easier way out of the bearing instead. There are several methods to remove this used grease and replenish with fresh grease. A properly designed and executed lubrication program helps prevent lubrication-related damage and supports optimum bearings performance and service life. Vibration, high mechanical loads, contamination, and moisture are all threats to lubricant life in bearings and gears. High temperatures and speeds inside the generator require specially formulated lubricants and an efficient automatic lubrication system.

There are some common misconceptions when it comes to proper lubrication practices — particularly as it relates to both quantity and frequency. Over-greasing or under-greasing, sporadic or ill-timed lubrication intervals, as well as the risk of introducing contaminants, makes manual lubrication less desirable. Up-tower lubrication points may be difficult to reach or inaccessible — further contributing to manual lubrication being more challenging and dangerous.

Automatic lubrication systems can provide a quick return on investment by increasing turbine system availability, extending maintenance intervals, and service life of major components. Additional savings can be achieved through proper lubricant handling and consumption.

A Safer, Smarter Solution for Inspections

Technicians often ask how to predict the remaining life of a bearing during routine manual inspections, as well as what wear characteristics to look for in components surrounding the bearing. There is a range of issues to look for in bearings, including pitting, denting, false brinelling, and thermal cracking. However, these characteristics are not always visible without specialized equipment. Due to the equipment required and lack of access, regularly scheduled manual inspections do not always provide an accurate assessment of bearing health.

Having the ability to collect vibration reports and temperature readings through condition monitoring helps identify the onset of bearing damage. Enabling operators to monitor and track deteriorating component conditions in real time allows maintenance decisions to be made based on actual machine conditions, rather than arbitrary inspection schedules. This may also permit maintenance intervals to be extended while consolidating risky, costly, manual activities.

One of the important considerations for bearings in the gearbox is to ensure they have enough clearance since preloading generates additional heat and friction. (Courtesy: SKF USA)

Monitoring Assets to Prevent Failures

As much as possible, bearing replacements are done up-tower. Large bearing replacements cannot be done up-tower and require a workshop. Workshop repairs for wind turbines can be as much as $250,000. Maximizing productivity involves more than just conducting routine maintenance — it requires using condition monitoring tools, such as smart sensors connected to the cloud, to help service technicians predict equipment issues promptly before they require up-tower or workshop repair.

Advancements in condition monitoring allow companies to track bearing vibrations, temperature, and other data to establish baselines. Operators can also collectively monitor all the turbines on a wind farm and establish trend analyses to make future predictive maintenance decisions.

Having the ability to cross-functionally compare factors such as vibration, temperature, and oil analysis allows operators to get an overall snapshot of machine health. These analytics can deliver actionable information for quick and strategic decision-making. Connecting, collecting, and correlating data provides a new way for people to interface with machines to increase efficiency and productivity.

The Value of Predictive Maintenance

Optimizing machine uptime is key to increasing energy output while reducing life-cycle costs. Predictive maintenance (PdM) is a strategic approach to monitoring machine health by using connected devices to collect data on a variety of assets. Data is then aggregated and analyzed to deliver valuable, actionable insights.

Implementing a PdM program with condition monitoring enables the detection of faults before they progress to failure. The result is optimized bearing service life over the long term, more turbine uptime, and reduced man-power costs — all combining to help make wind farms more profitable. Optimizing the existing bearings selection and installation, maintenance practices, and condition monitoring can help unlock the value of predictive maintenance to a wind farm.

ICUEE names new 2021 chairman, vice chairwoman

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ICUEE – The Demo Expo recently announced Dave Hughes, vice president of global sales for McElroy Manufacturing, Inc., has been named 2021 show chairman. He will be leading the ICUEE management committee, a volunteer group of utility construction industry executives for overall show planning.

ICUEE, or the International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition, is the largest of its kind, known for the invaluable and numerous interactive product demonstrations that take place over the three-day show. The biennial show last took place in 2019 and is set to reopen September 28-30, 2021.

“AEM is more than pleased to have Dave on board as the new chair for ICUEE 2021,” said ICUEE Show Director John Rozum. “His expertise and participation will be incredibly valuable to our team as we continue to work toward our goals for 2021. We know that Dave and the rest of our management committee all have a great vision of what ICUEE can and will be, and we look forward to announcing some exciting changes in the coming year.”

Dave Hughes

“I am extremely pleased to accept this position for the 2021 show,” Hughes said. “I know that everyone on the committee is dedicated to best serving industry professionals by providing an interactive and valuable experience at ICUEE.”

Hughes lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has served in many capacities at McElroy since joining in 2001. He is also the president and COO of Southern Specialties (SSC) based in Tulsa.

Hughes is returning to the ICUEE management committee as he served as the 2019 vice chairman.

He is also active in Young President’s Organization (YPO) and has served his Tulsa Chapter in all of its major offices, including chairman.

Serving as vice chairwoman of the ICUEE 2021 Management Committee is Julie Fuller, vice president of engineering, marketing, and purchasing for Tadano Mantis Corporation.

The full roster of the ICUEE 2020 Management Committee includes:

  • Chris Brahler, president and CEO, TT Technologies Inc.
  • Joe Caywood, director of Marketing & Product Management, Terex Corporation.
  • Andrew Christopher, director, Corporate Business Division, John Deere Construction & Forestry.
  • Mark Core, executive vice president & CMO, Vermeer Corporation.
  • Bruce Farrar, director – Industrial OEM Sales & Support, Cummins.
  • Alessandro Ferrari, VP Sales, Prinoth.
  • Jim Glazer, president, Elliott Equipment Company.
  • Brian Metcalf, CEO, Ring-O-Matic.
  • Sam Miceli, VP and GM, Vactor.
  • Laura Ness Owens, VP Marketing, Doosan Bobcat.
  • Bob Pettit, CEO, HAWE Hydraulics.
  • Mike Popovich, VP Sales & Marketing – Excavators, Vacall/Gradall Industries Inc.
  • Jim Rauckman, managing member, Rauckman Utility Products.
  • Mark Regan, director of Sales, NA, Versalift.
  • Kevin Smith, president, Hammerhead.
  • Grant Williams, marketing campaign manager, Altec Industries Inc.

ICUEE is the leading event for utility professionals and construction contractors seeking comprehensive insights into the latest industry technologies, innovations, and trends.

More infowww.icuee.com

NOIA announces new staff changes

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The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) recently hired Richard England and Ashley Parkins. England is the new NOIA vice president of Government Affairs, while Parkins is joining NOIA as the director of Meetings and Events. In addition, Justin Williams has been promoted to vice president of Communications.

“I am very pleased to welcome Rich and Ashley as the newest members of the NOIA team and congratulate Justin on his expanded role,” said NOIA President Erik Milito. “Their experiences will enable them to hit the ground running in their respective roles. I am excited for them to strengthen our voice and brand and help NOIA reach our strategic objectives.”

England spent nearly seven years as a staffer for U.S. Rep. Pete Olson (Texas-22), most recently as Olson’s Deputy Chief of Staff. Among his broad responsibilities, England oversaw Olson’s policy team for the House Energy & Commerce Committee and helped strengthen the energy and environment portfolio. Before joining Olson’s staff, England was an Energy Policy Analyst for Washington Analysis, LLC. England is a graduate of the George Washington University.

Parkins brings strong event and meetings experience to NOIA. Past stops include the District of Columbia Bar and, most recently, the American Petroleum Institute (API).

Parkins’ experience includes planning and executing dozens of meetings and events every year, ranging from intimate events to large-scale, multi-day conferences and receptions. Parkins is a graduate of the Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business.

Williams joined the NOIA communication’s team in 2015 as the director of Digital & Public Affairs. Prior to NOIA, Williams worked for the trade consulting firm, International Development Systems, and the multinational engineering and construction firm, Fluor Corporation. Williams earned his B.A. from the University of South Carolina and his Masters of Public Policy (MPP) from American University.

More infowww.noia.org

Allete secures tax equity funding for its two newest wind sites

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Allete Clean Energy recently sold Class A passive membership interests in Great American West Wind LLC to JPM Capital Corporation in support of the Glen Ullin Energy Center wind site in North Dakota.

The Great American West Wind LLC tax equity transaction also will generate future funding for Allete Clean Energy’s South Peak wind site in Montana.

“This tax equity deal highlights the appeal of our wind-energy growth strategy among investors. The combination of high-quality projects like Glen Ullin and South Peak, respected counterparties, the latest technology, high-quality wind resources, and our development experience and relationships have led to success in the tax equity market. We plan to carry this winning formula forward on future projects,” said Allete Clean Energy President Allan S. Rudeck Jr. “Transactions such as Great American West Wind help build the low-carbon economy of the future. The clean-energy projects they support also bring immediate and substantial economic benefits to the areas where they operate and the customers they serve.”

Allete Clean Energy’s wind developments. Glen Ullin Energy Center is about 40 miles west of Bismarck, Montana. (Courtesy: Allete Clean Energy)

Glen Ullin Energy Center is a 106-MW wind facility about 40 miles west of Bismarck in Morton and Mercer counties that delivers power to Xcel Energy customers in the Upper Midwest through a 20-year power sales agreement. It will employ about 10 people during operation and provide property tax and other business benefits to area communities and lease payments to landowners.

Allete Clean Energy’s 80-MW South Peak wind site in Montana will sell power to NorthWestern Energy through a 15-year power sales agreement. JPM Capital Corporation will purchase additional Class A passive membership interests when South Peak begins commercial operations.

Allete Clean Energy acquires, develops, and operates clean and renewable energy projects. Allete Clean Energy currently owns and operates, in five states, approximately 661 MW of nameplate capacity wind-energy generation contracted under PSAs of various durations. Allete Clean Energy also engages in the development of wind-energy facilities to operate under long-term PSAs or for sale to others upon completion, with nearly 400 MW of projects scheduled to come online in 2020.

More infowww.allete.com

Vestas to become carbon-neutral by 2030

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Vestas is excited to announce it will be a carbon-neutral company by no later than 2030 — the first of many initiatives to increase our sustainability performance.

For Vestas, the reality of the climate crisis is at the center of our business. In more than 40 years of pioneering and leading the wind energy industry, Vestas has worked with customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by driving the transition to replace carbon-based energy generation with renewable energy.

To become carbon-neutral Vestas will reduce its global carbon footprint through a 55 percent CO2 reduction by 2025, reaching 100 percent by 2030. As Vestas is committed to leading the transition to a world entirely powered by sustainable energy, it will not use carbon offsets but only deliver CO2 reductions through its own actions. Taking the first steps this year, the company will be transitioning to electric vehicles for its company cars, will start replacing its global service vehicle fleet with renewable fueled vehicles, and will be exploring further steps to reduce heating- and transport-related CO2 emissions from its operations. The factories and offices have been powered by 100 percent renewable electricity since 2013.

After installing more than 108 GW of clean energy — enough wind energy to displace 167 million metric tons of CO2 every year, equivalent to burning 70 million metric tons of coal every year — Vestas’ 25,000 employees are committed to developing competitive sustainable energy solutions to meet the world’s growing electricity demand. However, Vestas’ aspiration to be the global leader in sustainable energy solutions means going beyond delivering sustainable solutions — it means making sustainability part of everything we do and taking full responsibility for the company’s environmental footprint.

To become carbon-neutral, Vestas will reduce its global carbon footprint through a 55 percent CO2 reduction by 2025, reaching 100 percent by 2030. (Courtesy: Vestas)

Therefore, Vestas does not believe reducing CO2 emissions in its operations is enough. Vestas is also committing to reduce the CO2 emissions from its supply chain by 45 percent per MWh generated by 2030. The measurement has been chosen because it incentivizes sustainability partnerships with suppliers that both reduce CO2 emissions and allows for the continued growth of the global renewable energy sector. Vestas will therefore actively seek sustainability partnerships with its suppliers.

“At Vestas, we are proud of our shared purpose and passion to make the planet a better place and to make our work as sustainable as possible,” said Vestas CEO Henrik Andersen. “To remain at the forefront of the energy transition, we must do even more than today to meet the growing sustainability expectations of our customers, partners, investors, and employees. Our commitment to become carbon-neutral is the right thing to do for all of us. Together, we will not just make products that build a more sustainable planet, but we will do so in the most sustainable way possible.”

“Becoming carbon-neutral in our own operations and reducing CO2 emissions in our supply chain is the next phase of our journey to ensure a more sustainable planet for future generations — which is our purpose as a company and as individuals,” said Lisa Malmquist Ekstrand, Vestas’ head of Sustainability. “Going beyond our promise to continue developing energy solutions that reduce CO2 emissions, we are now making sustainability part of everything we do.”

These commitments are shaped based on recommendations from the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), an initiative led by the Carbon Disclosure Project, the United Nations Global Compact, the World Resources Institute, and the WWF. It advises and assists companies in defining a pathway to future-proof growth and driving the transition to a carbon-free future. Vestas joins at least 730 other leading companies who have already committed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions under the umbrella of the SBTi.

More infowww.vestas.com

A Renewable Future is Now in Reach

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Companies in the renewable energy industry have historically faced cost challenges in creating a sustainable business model, preventing renewable energy sources from challenging traditional oil and gas. However, now the technologies behind harnessing wind and solar energy for low-carbon electric power generation are reducing in cost, boosting the global renewable energy capacity. This means that for the first time in history, a renewable future is within our grasp, bringing with it both a plethora of job opportunities for skilled professionals and growing talent pools for companies seeking to staff their worksites.

Renewable Energy Investment

The sustainability of our energy sources is vitally important for our planet, and this is driving many major energy companies to invest in alternative power sources. Several major oil companies, such as Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron have all entered into the renewable energy sector and invested in non-fossil fuel businesses. Because of this, energy consumers are seeing utility-scale solar and wind, combined with the battery storage needed to implement these power sources, becoming increasingly more competitive and attainable. The renewables industry is experiencing remarkable advances in cost-competitiveness because technologies that were once immature and hugely expensive are becoming a thing of the past.

Between 2009 and 2017, prices dropped by 76 percent for solar panels and by 34 percent for wind turbines, making them, for the first time, more competitive alternatives to fossil fuels and other low-carbon energy sources such as hydropower and nuclear.

Utility providers are not only seeing falling costs in the technology needed to harness renewable power, but also seeing the installation costs follow suit, especially when more established technologies of onshore wind and photovoltaic (PV) solar are concerned. Projects that initiated construction at the start of 2019 cost $50 per megawatt-hour, which is 10 percent lower than it was this time last year, and solar projects are, on average, 18 percent cheaper at $57 per MWh.

Renewables Playing a Vital Role

Renewable energy may be becoming more affordable, but it’s still not able to take on the full weight of providing power to our homes and communities. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2017, the average annual electricity consumption for a U.S. residential utility customer was 10,399 kilowatt-hours (kWh), with an average of 867 kWh per month. Louisiana had the highest annual electricity consumption at 14,242 kWh per residential customer, and Hawaii had the lowest at 6,074 kWh per residential customer. The criticism has always been that renewables can’t meet residents’ electricity demands as the sun doesn’t always shine, and the wind doesn’t always blow. This is where fossil fuels, currently, have a significant advantage.

At the end of 2018, the installed wind capacity across the world reached 597 GW, which was an increase of 18 percent compared with 2017. (Courtesy: NES Global Talent)

However, there is a crucial role renewables can play thanks to battery storage. Battery storage can provide “dispatchable power,” meaning it can be delivered when it’s needed, rather than only at the time it’s being generated. This missing link would enable the power that’s generated to be saved and kept for future use, and the good news is that the prices of batteries are also decreasing. New research from Bloomberg NEF (BNEF) shows that the cost of lithium-ion batteries has fallen by 35 percent over the past year to $187 per MWh, while the cost of offshore wind is almost a quarter (24 percent) lower than this time 12 months ago.

Tackling intermittent Power

In the past, renewables have struggled to meet the peak times of electricity use whereas fossil fuel companies thrived with the use of open-cycle gas turbines and gas reciprocating engines. Now, batteries are shaking up the energy industry with their ability to store up to four hours of energy to meet peak time demands. Although, while the current battery technology can handle peak hours, they are still unable to compete with the bulk power function served by combined-cycle gas plants.

However, when battery storage works in conjunction with clean-energy sources such as solar power and wind power, renewables can compete with gas and coal power, even without subsidies. Making this even more of a reality is the plummeting costs of battery storage and offshore wind farms.

Offshore wind farms, constructed in bodies of water where higher wind speeds are available, are larger and taller than their onshore counterparts with no physical restrictions such as hills or buildings that could block the wind flow, allowing for more energy collection. Also, offshore wind farms have a relatively low impact on the environment. They are not built in shipping lanes, fishing areas, or in a delicate environment. It is clear that wind power is increasing in popularity around the world as the technology becomes more financially sustainable and global policies and targets on climate change are created.

At the end of 2018, the installed wind capacity across the world reached 597 GW, which was an increase of 18 percent compared with 2017. Once more, many countries outside of the traditional energy markets of Europe and North America are driving the trend. At the end of 2018, China accounted for roughly 34 percent of global installed wind power capacity, roughly the same as the whole of Europe.

The Rise of Renewables

Renewable energy now accounts for a third of our global power capacity, according to new data released by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and almost two-thirds of this generation capacity was led by emerging and developing economies.

They report that Asia accounted for 61 percent of total new renewable energy installations and grew installed renewables capacity by 11.4 percent, with Africa following closely behind with a rise of 8.4 percent. But despite this, growth was fastest in Oceania as they observed a 17.7 percent rise in 2018.

In April 2019, the U.S. renewable energy sector generated more electricity than the country’s coal power plants for the first time in history, according to analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). This is a trend that’s predicted to continue as time goes on. Not only is the renewables sector providing price parity, it is also providing grid performance parity. Grid performance parity is made possible because PV solar and wind-power providers have scaled their operations driven by the improvements in technology, thus expanding their capacity for power generation and driving down installation costs.

Utility providers are not only seeing falling costs in the technology needed to harness renewable power, but also seeing the installation costs follow suit. (Courtesy: NES Global Talent)

Additionally, the market announced late last year the world’s largest wind-turbine blade specifically for offshore wind projects. Astonishingly, the wind turbine blade is more than 300 feet long. With larger blades and a larger machine, we will see bigger yields, larger outputs, and better economies of scale for the same type of technology, therefore a lower cost per MWh. Thanks to these technological advances and innovation, the costs associated with the renewables industry have fallen much quicker than predicted.

Building a Renewables Talent Pool

The energy industry is evolving, and the new generation of renewable energy engineers needs to be mobile, innovative, technology-focused, and work across the organization to ensure knowledge is shared and competitive advantage is gained. According to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), over the next 20 years, renewable energy will be the fastest-growing energy source in the world, meaning there will be many job opportunities for skilled energy professionals. NES Global Talent, an award-winning workforce solutions specialist, is helping renewable companies build the talent pools they need for the future. Using their in-depth understanding of the current and future challenges facing the renewables industry, NES works in partnership with its clients, offering a global network of talent and local market knowledge that can deliver complete renewables workforce solutions.

For more information: www.nesgt.com

Siemens Gamesa is preferred supplier for large U.S. wind project

Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy was recently named as the preferred turbine supplier for the massive 2,640-MW Dominion Energy Virginia Offshore Wind project in the U.S. This is the largest offshore wind power project in the rapidly increasing U.S. market to date. A long-term service and maintenance agreement is included for the site off the coast of Virginia. The agreement furthermore foresees using turbines from Siemens Gamesa’s Direct Drive offshore wind turbine platform.

The final number of units and turbine model remain to be determined. All installations are expected to complete by 2026. The agreement is subject to certain conditions including Dominion Energy’s final investment decision, governmental permitting, and other required approvals.

“Signing this preferred supplier agreement with Dominion Energy attests to the enormously exciting growth taking place in the U.S. offshore wind industry and across the globe,” said Markus Tacke, Siemens Gamesa CEO. “We’re thrilled to have been chosen to support them in their commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to once again do our part in combatting climate change on a global level.”

The agreement comes on the heels of Siemens Gamesa’s recent commitment to the “Business Ambition for 1.5ºC – Our Only Future” pledge, contributing toward the fight for a zero-emissions future.

“Internationally, every Siemens Gamesa Direct Drive offshore wind turbine we install increases the impact made by the renewable energy industry in avoiding CO2 emissions from power generation,” said Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Siemens Gamesa Offshore Business Unit. “Locally, we help our customers provide cost-efficient clean energy as well as additional economic benefits.”

Once online, the Dominion Energy Virginia Offshore Wind project is expected to provide enough clean energy to power 650,000 homes at rated wind speed, avoiding 3.7 million tons per year of carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel-based power generation. (Courtesy: Siemens Gamesa)

Once online, the project is expected to provide enough clean energy to power 650,000 homes at rated wind speed, avoiding 3.7 million tons per year of carbon emissions compared to fossil fuel-based power generation.

This is another milestone agreement for the United States as it aims to add 25 GW of renewable energy by 2030, enough to provide clean, renewable energy to approximately 12 million average homes, or 10 percent of total U.S. households.

“We’re confident that offshore wind power is already one of the fastest-growing, most important contributors on which Virginia state agencies can draw to reach their ambitious renewable energy goals,” said Steve Dayney, head of Offshore North America at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. “Receiving 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 is fully feasible, and we are eager to lead the way for the citizens of the Commonwealth. We have always believed that the Coastal Virginia demonstration project currently underway with Dominion Energy is a gateway to something bigger, and now Virginia is poised to benefit from the wide-ranging economic benefits the Dominion Energy Virginia Offshore Wind project will bring.”

Dominion Energy Virginia Offshore Wind expands on knowledge gained though the current two-turbine, 12-MW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project.

It is the first offshore wind project to be built in U.S. federal waters and will use Siemens Gamesa’s 6-MW SWT-6.0-154 wind turbines. CVOW is set to be online in 2020 within a research lease area adjacent to site of the 2,640-MW project will be located.

The agreement for Dominion Energy Virginia Offshore Wind also provides for certain early works to support project development, including turbine layouts that will be used in the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) submittal to the United States Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in late 2020.

More info www.siemensgamesa.com

Vestas receives multiple orders from around the globe

  • U.S.: Vestas has received a 162 MW order for a project in the U.S. Demonstrating Vestas’ product flexibility optimizing all site needs, and including previously purchased PTC components, the full project consists of a mix of V110-2.0 MW and V136-4.2 MW wind turbines delivered in various operating modes. The order includes supply and commissioning of the turbines as well as a 10-year service agreement, designed to ensure optimized performance for the lifetime of the project. Turbine delivery will begin in the second quarter of 2020 with commissioning scheduled for the third quarter of 2020. The project and customer are undisclosed.
  • U.S.: Vestas has received an order for 149 MW of turbines, consisting of 12 V110-2.0 MW turbines and 57 V120-2.2 MW turbines for a wind project in the U.S. The order includes supply and commissioning of the turbines as well as a multi-year service agreement, designed to ensure optimized performance for the lifetime of the project. Turbine delivery will begin in the first quarter of 2020 with commissioning scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2020. The project and customer are undisclosed.
  • China: Vestas has received a 55 MW order in China that includes supply of 25 V120-2.2 MW as well as a 2-year Active Output Management 4000 (AOM 4000) service agreement. Deliveries are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2020, while commissioning is planned for the third quarter in the same year. Customer and project names are undisclosed at the customer’s request.
  • Italy: PLT Engineering has placed a 37 MW order for two projects in Italy that showcase the versatility of Vestas’ 2 MW and 4 MW platforms. Both projects, located in Calabria and Basilicata, will feature a mixed site configuration of both V110–2.0 MW and V136–4.2 MW wind turbines to optimize energy production. The order includes supply and installation of the turbines as well as an Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement for the next 15 years. The energy produced by both wind parks will be commercialized through a PPA contract with PLT Puregreen for the next 12 years. Since installing its first turbine in Italy in 1991, Vestas has led the country’s wind industry with more than 4.3 GW capacity installed, being the main contributor to the country’s expansion of wind energy with a 40 percent market share. Turbine delivery is planned for the second half of 2020, while commissioning is expected by the fourth quarter 2020.
  • Russia: Vestas has been awarded an order for 252 MW for three wind energy projects in Russia from WEDF (Wind Energy Development Fund), a joint investment fund created on a parity basis by PJSC Fortum and JSC RUSNANO. Located in the Kalmykiya and the Rostov region, the projects will comprise 60 V126-4.2 MW wind turbines. With this fourth order from its framework agreement with RUSNANO and Fortum to supply wind-energy solutions in Russia, Vestas marks another key milestone in further strengthening the country’s renewable energy sector. The projects will increase Vestas’ footprint in the country to a total capacity of almost 600 MW, underlining the company’s leading position in the market. The contract includes supply, installation and commissioning of the wind turbines, as well as a 15-year Active Output Management (AOM 5000) service agreement. The projects will feature a VestasOnline® Business SCADA solution to lower turbine downtime and optimize the energy output. Turbine delivery is scheduled for the third quarter of 2020, while energy production is expected to start during the fourth quarter of 2020.
  • Denmark: Vestas has secured a 36 MW repowering order for the final phase of the 94 MW Overgaard 1 wind park in Randers Municipality in Denmark. The order is derived from the energy-neutral auction in November 2019 in Denmark, and it is placed by SE Blue Renewables, a joint venture between the Danish energy company Norlys and Denmark’s largest pension company, PFA Pension. The firm order includes supply, installation, and commissioning of 10 V126-3.45 MW turbines delivered in 3.6 MW Power Optimized Mode as well as a 20-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement. The order comes six months after Vestas announced the first phase of the project. Once completed, the repowered wind park will almost quadruple the current site’s energy production, underlining the strong business case in replacing older turbines with newer and more efficient variants. Deliveries are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2021, while commissioning is planned for the fourth quarter of 2021.
  • South Korea: Vestas has secured its first V136-4.2 MW order in South Korea for the Cheongsong Myeonbong Mt Wind Power project with EPC contractor Kumho Industrial Co., Ltd. The 42-MW order consists of 10 V136-4.2 MW wind turbines at a hub height of 112 meters as well as a 20-year Active Output Management 4000 (AOM 4000) service agreement, designed to maximize uptime and ensure optimized performance of the project. To optimize operation in the site’s specific wind conditions, the turbines will feature Vestas’ High Wind Operation (HWO), an intelligent control option that allows the turbines to continue operating beyond standard cut-out wind speeds. The result is improved output stability, energy production, and reliability, helping the project to deliver the maximum return on investment for the customer. Each turbine will be equipped with a full-scale converter, enhancing the wind park’s compliance with grid requirements. The Cheongsong Myeonbong Mt Wind Power project is in Cheongsong county, North Gyeongsang Province. Turbine installation is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2021.

More infowww.vestas.com

Semco, Bladt ink substation contract with Mayflower Wind

Mayflower Wind Energy LLC has awarded a contract for the fabrication and delivery of the Mayflower Wind project’s offshore substation approximately 40 kilometers south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, to a joint venture comprised of long-standing business partners Bladt Industries and Semco Maritime. The offshore substation project was initiated in January 2020.

Bladt Industries and Semco Maritime have formed a joint venture for the design and construction of the 1,200-MW offshore substation. The offshore substation will consist of a topside of 4,700 tons and a 3,000-ton jacket foundation. The project scope comprises engineering, procurement, and construction works, including steel structure and jacket foundation by Bladt Industries, as well as design, procurement, and installation of electrical equipment, auxiliary systems, and inter-array cables by Semco Maritime. The offshore substation is scheduled for delivery from Bladt Industries’ site in Denmark in 2024.

“We are proud that Mayflower Wind has selected Bladt and Semco for this comprehensive offshore substation project on the U.S. East Coast,” said Nils Overgaard, chief sales officer with Bladt Industries. “We consider it an important recognition of our joint competencies and our strong focus on HSE during the construction phase. We are very much looking forward to the close cooperation with the strong team behind Mayflower Wind, and we do hope this will be the first of several projects.”

The Mayflower Wind project has been chosen by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to supply 804 MW of clean, renewable energy from offshore wind with expected start-up in 2025. (Courtesy: Semco Maritime)

“Semco and Bladt’s strong track record of providing competitive turnkey offshore wind electrical infrastructure is a door opener in the market,” said Carsten Nielsen, senior vice president, Renewables, Semco Maritime. “The Mayflower Wind project provides a unique opportunity to firmly establish our companies as highly experienced pioneers in the nascent and promising U.S. offshore wind industry. We will build strong relationships with Mayflower Wind’s parent companies — Shell and EDP Renewables — as well as other involved parties. We will draw on the experience gained, as well as the resources and capabilities, that we have built up over the years to put further focus on our offerings to bring offshore energy to shore.”

The Mayflower Wind project has been chosen by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to supply 804 MW of clean, renewable energy from offshore wind with expected start-up in 2025. Once in operation, the project will provide enough electricity to power approximately half a million homes in the state and eliminate 1.7 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually.

“Mayflower Wind is focused on launching a safe and reliable offshore wind project to help meet Massachusetts’s greenhouse gas reduction goals,” said Michael Brown, chief financial officer, Mayflower Wind Energy LLC. “We look forward to working with Bladt Industries and Semco Maritime — companies with a proven track-record in the industry. Recent changes to U.S. tax law now allow projects that meet qualification standards in 2020 to secure Federal Investment Tax Credits at the 18 percent level. This contract is a key step for us to meet these standards and secure tax credits that would ultimately result in a lower rate for electricity customers in Massachusetts.”

Bladt Industries and Semco Maritime will act as equal partners in the new joint venture.

More infowww.bladt.dk | www.semcomaritime.com

Study: Fall protection equipment market size worth $2.9B by 2026

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The global fall protection equipment market size is expected to reach $2.9 billion by 2026, according to a new study by Polaris Market Research.

The report “Fall Protection Equipment Market Share, Size, Trends, Industry Analysis Report By Product (Hard Goods, Soft Goods, Rescue Kits, Full Body Harness and Body Belts); By Application (Oil & Gas, Construction, Transportation, Mining, Telecom, Energy & Utilities, General Industry); By Regions, Segment Forecast, 2019 – 2026” gives a detailed insight into current market dynamics and provides analysis on future market growth.

The global demand for fall protection equipment is escalating, with increasing focus on workers safety in construction, mining, energy, and oil and gas industries. They include the use of controls that are preferably designed to protect staff from death and injury. Incident and occupational risk, including falling off overhead platforms or elevated workstations, is expected to contribute to the protection of industry demand.

(Courtesy: Polaris Market Research)

Market growth is driven by a growing awareness of industrial security and stringent government safety regulations in various industries. One of the main drivers is increasing demand for fall protection equipment from the construction industry. However, increasing automation is expected to limit market growth in the end-use industries. In addition to this, the lack of awareness is expected to hamper the growth of this market over the forecast period. Increasing stringent regulations pertaining to safety of employees is also expected to bring in new opportunities for the key players in this market.

It is estimated that the body belts segment may surpass consumption of 53 million units by 2026 in the overall market. These are used primarily together with a full body harness for injury protection. OSHA also recommends the use of body belts from elevated platforms. Construction market segment is anticipated to hold major share in the global market till the end of forecast period. In addition to this, the mining industry is also expected to witness significant growth in the global market over the forecast period.

During the forecast period, North America will be followed closely by Europe. The market is expected to grow enormously due to rapid industrialization in both of these regions. The high demand for fall-protection equipment in the ever-growing energy and utility industry of Latin America market is expected to register a significant CAGR during the forecast period. In Asia Pacific, due to anticipated growth in the construction industry during the forecast period, will be seen to increase the demand for fall protection equipment. This market growth can be mainly attributed to the rapid development of infrastructure, high investment in new industries, and the rise in construction in residential and commercial buildings in countries such as India, Indonesia, Thailand, and China.

Some of the key players in the market include 3M, MSA Safety Company, SKYLOTEC, Capital Safety, Honeywell Miller, Eurosafe Solutions, ABS Safety, Gravitec System, French Creek Production, FallTech, and DBI-SALA. The key players in this market have adopted the strategy of mergers and acquisitions as a part of their strategy in order to gain competitive share in the global market.

More infowww.polarismarketresearch.com

Pattern Energy starts repowering project on Gulf Wind facility

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Pattern Energy Group Inc. recently announced it has closed financing and started construction on the repowering of its Gulf Wind facility in Kenedy County, Texas.

Repowering the Gulf Wind facility will consist of removing the current wind turbines and replacing them with 118 new Siemens Gamesa SWT-2.3-108 turbines, which will generate 271 MW of capacity, the equivalent to the annual energy usage of approximately 80,000 Texas homes. Construction began on December 3, 2019.

“Repowering Gulf Wind with brand new turbines made strong economic sense due to its unique location on the Gulf Coast, where the winds blow strongest at the times of Texas’ peak energy demand and pricing,” said Mike Garland, president and CEO of Pattern Energy. “Gulf Wind was our first wind-power facility, and technology has improved rapidly since it first began operating over a decade ago. By installing the latest technology turbines, we expect the repowered facility to have more efficient production, lower operating costs, renewed production tax credits (PTCs), and longer life, which combine to increase the long-term value of our fleet.”

“Repowering provides an opportunity to increase the efficiency, reliability, and longevity of existing wind farms,” said José Antonio Miranda, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, CEO Onshore Americas. “We have a long-standing partnership with Pattern Energy and are excited to bring new life to the Gulf Wind facility.”

The repowering consists of replacing nacelles, towers, and blades for the 118 turbines at Gulf Wind with new Siemens Gamesa 2.3 MW turbines, each with 108-meter blades on 80-meter towers.

The Gulf Wind facility has entered into a new 20-year power purchase agreement with Austin Energy for the majority of the facility’s energy production. The remaining output will be sold at merchant power prices. Gulf Wind is strategically located on the Gulf Coast in Kenedy County, Texas, where favorable wind conditions allow the facility to maximize energy production during times of peak demand and peak pricing.

For more than 25 years, Gulf Wind is expected to contribute approximately $90 million to the local economy through tax and landowner payments. The Gulf Wind facility sits on 9,600 acres leased from the Kenedy Memorial Foundation. All money received by the Foundation supports its charitable causes to fight poverty, boost education, and build stronger communities.

Gulf Wind began operation in 2009. In late August 2017, the facility withstood Hurricane Harvey, one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the area in recent history. Following the storm, when the facility was deemed undamaged and safe to resume operations, Gulf Wind returned to supplying much-needed energy to the Texas grid.

More info www.patternenergy.com

Acciona puts its ninth U.S. wind farm into service in Texas

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Acciona recently put the Palmas Altas Wind Farm into service. Its second Texas project and ninth U.S. wind farm, the project represents a total investment of about $200 million and increases Acciona’s generating capacity in ERCOT to 238 MW.

The wind farm features 46 Nordex technology wind turbines totaling 145 MW capacity.

Palmas Altas is in Cameron County, about 20 miles north of the San Roman wind farm that Acciona started up in December 2016. The new facility will produce about 524 GWh of clean energy per year, equivalent to the consumption of 43,000 U.S. households. It will offset the emission of 503,000 metric tons of CO2 — the equivalent of taking more than 100,000 cars and trucks off the road.

Palmas Altas wind farm features 46 Nordex technology wind turbines totaling 145 MW capacity. (Courtesy: Acciona)

The Palmas Altas project employed about 170 people at the peak of construction. Now completed, a 10-person operations team will staff the wind farm over its 25-year lifespan.

The wind turbines installed in Palmas Altas are Nordex’s AW125/3150 model with a rotor diameter of 125 meters, mounted on an 87.5-meter steel tower (hub height). The energy produced by the wind farm will be sold in the ERCOT-South Texas wholesale market.

Acciona has 1,047 MW of wind power capacity in the U.S. and Canada.

More infowww.acciona.com

Vestas to Produce Zero-Waste Wind Turbines by 2040

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At Vestas, enabling a more sustainable future has always been at the core of what the company does. Now, Vestas is expanding its sustainability focus beyond the positive contribution of its products to also address waste generated in the value chain. Vestas is excited to announce its intention to produce zero-waste wind turbines by 2040, further underlining our commitment to make sustainability part of everything we do.

Vestas is the first turbine manufacturer to commit to zero-waste wind turbines, meaning running a value chain that generates no waste materials. This will be achieved by developing and implementing a new waste-management strategy, introducing a circular economy approach in the different phases of the value chain: design, production, service, and end-of-life. The strategy will be presented within the next two years.

“Establishing such an ambitious goal for waste reduction is paramount to ensuring a better world for future generations,” said Anders Vedel, executive vice president of Vestas Power Solutions. “Leading the wind industry is not enough to combat the global challenges we face today. If we are to spearhead the energy transition, we must be an example for doing so in the most sustainable way, and this involves making sustainability part of everything we do.”

“As the world’s largest supplier of wind energy, Vestas has a responsibility to eliminate waste across its value chain,” said Tommy Rahbek Nielsen, Vestas interim Chief Operations Officer. “Wind energy will continue to grow rapidly, therefore the time for a conservative approach is behind us. I am proud to be part of an organization that is making sustainability an integral component in all business operations”.

Industrial waste is a growing threat to environmental ecosystems and to global health. An estimated 11.2 billion metric tons of solid waste is collected every year, posing a serious risk to resource depletion, air pollution, and water and soil contamination. Furthermore, solid waste is estimated to contribute to 5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Waste generated from turbine blades alone is estimated to be around 43 million metric tons accumulated by 2050.

With the global wind energy market set to grow by an average of 3 percent per year in the coming decade, Vestas is mitigating its environmental impact as the market leader by committing to eliminate waste across its value chain.Today, Vestas wind turbines are, on average, 85 percent recyclable; however, wind turbine blades are currently comprised of non-recyclable composite materials.

Vestas will consider all aspects of the turbine lifecycle, aimed at improving the recyclability rate of blades and nacelles. As a first step, Vestas will be focusing on improving the recyclability of all wind turbine blades. Incremental targets will be introduced to increase the recyclability rate of blades from 44 percent today to 50 percent by 2025 and to 55 percent by 2030. Several initiatives designed to address the handling of existing blades after decommissioning will be set in motion. These will cover new recycling technologies optimal for composite waste, such as glass fiber recycling and plastic parts recovery.

Vestas also will be implementing a new process around blade decommissioning, providing support to customers on how to decrease the amount of waste material being sent to landfill.

More infowww.vestas.com

Vestas Develops Wind Solution for 50-MW Intertidal Project

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Using onshore wind technologies to harvest wind resources from the sea, Vestas has developed a customized solution for a 50-MW intertidal project in Bac Liêu Province, Vietnam, for the local EPC construction company Bac Phuong JSC. The intertidal project site is covered in water at high tide and some of the turbines will be uncovered at low tide.

Working closely with the customer to overcome the complex operation of planning and executing an intertidal project, Vestas will supervise the installation of the turbines in shallow waters close to shore in the Mekong Delta region to exploit the full potential of the region’s favorable wind conditions. The project includes a combination of V150-4.2 MW turbines in different power ratings with site-specific towers placed on reinforced onshore foundations that are raised above sea level.

The contract includes the supply and supervision of the installation of 13 V150-4.2 MW wind turbines with 10 turbines delivered in 3.8 MW, and three turbines delivered in 4.0 MW operating modes to boost energy production for the site’s specific wind conditions. Each turbine will be equipped with a full-scale converter, enhancing the wind park’s compliance with grid requirements.

The contract includes the supply and supervision of the installation of 13 V150-4.2 MW wind turbines. (Courtesy: Vestas)

“This project demonstrates Vestas’ ability to develop wind-energy solutions that unlock high wind sites in complex and challenging environments,” said Tommaso Rovatti Studihrad, sales director of Vestas Asia Pacific. “We are very proud to partner with Bac Phuong JSC, and we look forward to taking part in the region’s large potential for intertidal wind projects.”

“Using locally produced towers and local contractors, this project will create jobs and support the Vietnamese government’s ambition to promote renewable energy and a more sustainable energy mix, for the benefit of the population,” said William Gaillard, sales vice president of Vestas Asia Pacific.

“We would like to thank Vestas for their engineering and technical support,” said Mai Trong Thinh, chairman of Bac Phuong JSC. “We have been working closely together to ensure the foundation design is suitable for the marine environment and allows for building the project using local labor and equipment. With the FIT deadline in November 2021, it was critical for us to find a partner that would ensure a successful and timely project completion. We believe that with the technical support and supervision from Vestas during installation of the wind turbines, Dong Hai 1 will catch the finish line ahead of time.”

The project also includes a 10-year Active Output Management 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement, designed to maximize energy production for the project. With a yield-based availability guarantee, Vestas will provide the customer with long-term business case certainty. Turbine installation is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2021.

More infowww.vestas.com

VpCI Technology Helps Sustain Wind Farms

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Wind and solar power are fast becoming the renewable energies of choice in countries across the globe. Offshore and onshore wind energy is emerging in and around the seas of the world. Now engineers are battling the question of how to make renewable infrastructure last. Corrosion is a general problem for these infrastructures, and corrosion protection systems are crucial to maintaining structural integrity. Stopping corrosion on solar and wind farms has become a major goal for energy providers.

Newly engineered systems are designed for up to 30 years of service, but exposure to environmental corrosion, UV rays, extreme temperatures, and salt corrosion are challenging to component durability and quickly result in corrosion at vulnerable points. Excessive component failures can lead to high maintenance costs and underperformance of overall energy output. Fittings, solar cell support structures, wind generators, and heat exchangers are exposed to pollution-related corrosion and extreme environmental conditions. Additionally, systems in coastal environments are exposed to high salt levels, which can lead to component corrosion and failure.

Corrosion of bolts that hold wind-turbine towers to their concrete bases is a common problem at wind farms, especially those in marine environments. This was the case at a new wind farm in Brazil, where the base bolts were corroding due to constant exposure to the extremely corrosive environment of strong wind and blowing sand near the ocean. Clamps inside individual transformer boxes next to the tower bases were also experiencing corrosion.

Due to an extremely corrosive environment, a wind farm in Brazil was having significant corrosion issues which were successfully overcomed by applying VpCI® Technology. (Courtesy: Cortec)

To protect against future corrosion, the base bolts were cleaned with Cortec’s VpCI®-418 and coated with VpCI®- 368 prior to capping them off with a rubber gasket. Any severe rust on the base bolts or base flange faces was passivated with CorrVerter® Rust Converter Primer.

The flange faces will also be top-coated with VpCI®-396 and VpCI®-384 as the customer works through its corrosion maintenance plan one wind tower at a time. The corroded clamps inside the transformer box were unbolted and cleaned with VpCI®-415 and dried. ElectriCorr® VpCI®-239 was applied before they were bolted back into place. VpCI®-386 was used to protect external clamp surfaces.

The same system was used inside transformer boxes across the wind farm. VpCI®-396 and EcoShield® 386 will also provide protection to components inside transformer boxes. The use of VpCI® products in severe environments will greatly extend the service life of the base bolts and flange faces used to keep wind towers safely standing.

The maintenance of cooling systems in wind turbines is also challenging due to inaccessibility and tight spaces. Cleaning and filling of systems and the recovery of aged coolants are difficult and demanding procedures. Fortunately, VpCI®-649 BD additive is successfully used in small dosages to address these issues and enable long term corrosion protection.

More infowww.cortecvci.com

Greenbyte Energy Cloud supports Skyline Renewables

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U.S. independent renewable energy company Skyline Renewables has selected Greenbyte’s Energy Cloud to monitor and maximize the performance of its growing portfolio.
With its ability to pull data from technologically and geographically diverse sources, the cloud-based asset management and monitoring platform will effectively support Skyline’s growth ambitions as the business targets 3 GW of wind and solar assets across North America.

The North American renewable energy market offers attractive investment opportunities for Independent Power Producers (IPPs) that are able to take a sophisticated approach to improving asset management of large wind and solar portfolios.

Skyline Renewables, backed by Ardian Infrastructure Partners and Transatlantic Power Holdings, is bringing together significant expertise in renewables project acquisition, development, and operation. Since its inception in 2018, Skyline has rapidly expanded its portfolio of assets under management from zero to more than 800 MW.

Greenbyte’s innovative asset management software will enable Skyline to ensure productivity across this growing portfolio, adding value for its investors. Greenbyte Energy Cloud’s user-friendly dashboards will give Skyline full visibility of asset performance, enabling swift identification of emerging issues and boosting transparency and trust with third-party operations and maintenance (O&M) teams.

Skyline Renewables is bringing together significant expertise in renewables project acquisition, development, and operation. (Courtesy: Greenbyte)

With Skyline’s current portfolio containing technologies from three different wind-turbine manufacturers, the company is seeking to further diversify its asset base by expanding into the solar market. Greenbyte Energy Cloud’s ability to gather data from multiple technology sources will offer Skyline flexibility when acquiring, developing, and optimizing future renewable energy assets.

Furthermore, the platform will continue to evolve over time to incorporate the latest asset management and monitoring technology, keeping Skyline ahead of the curve and giving the company the freedom to maintain best practices as they continue to expand.

“Greenbyte’s Energy Cloud not only enables Skyline to work more openly and effectively with the third-party asset operators currently looking after the portfolio, but also to continue building its own understanding of operational performance trends across its asset base,” said Patrick Strom, senior sales manager at Greenbyte. “After opening our Chicago office earlier this year, Greenbyte is well-equipped to support Skyline and other sophisticated IPPs as they continue to develop their renewable energy portfolios in North America, while delivering consistent returns to their stakeholders and enabling continuous growth.”

“Greenbyte’s Energy Cloud is the platform that best aligns with our need to centrally view, analyze, and report on data from a variety of renewable assets with a user-friendly interface that is both intuitive and powerful,” said Brad Kallenberger, vice president at Skyline Renewables. “We’ve been able to quickly familiarize ourselves with many of the capabilities and immediately identify opportunities to optimize the performance of our fleet.”

Greenbyte Energy Cloud is used as a renewable energy datahub by asset owners and IPPs in North America and worldwide, covering more than 20 GW of wind, solar, and hydro assets globally. As owner-operators continue to expand their portfolios and become more data-driven, by 2022, Greenbyte expects to have more than 100 GW of assets monitored in Greenbyte Energy Cloud.

More infowww.greenbyte.com

Conversation with Chris Hardy

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What is your role with Cv International?

I’m the director of Sales. My position involves interacting directly with customers, working with our team here at Cv International on advancing the technology of our current products, and working with our engineering department on new innovative products. I work with great companies such as Avangrid, Vestas, EDPR, and E.On to name a few.

What is the Wind Farm Nitrogen Service Suite?

The Wind Farm Nitrogen Service Suite is basically the entire high-pressure nitrogen servicing package — soup to nuts. From high pressure nitrogen generation or nitrogen storage to our high-pressure nitrogen Wind Kit point-of-use servicing equipment.

The majority of land-based wind farms will order their high-pressure nitrogen in bulk and have it delivered to their wind farm. Cv International will supply them with a nitrogen booster, which will pull the nitrogen out of the cylinders, utilizing almost all of the nitrogen that’s in those high-pressure storage cylinders. If they didn’t have our booster hooked up, they would end up leaving a good amount of nitrogen in the rented cylinders once the cylinders equalized. That would unfortunately, over time, become a substantial amount of wasted money.

The next piece is the Safety Fill Station. The Safety Fill Station is designed to help you safely fill our high-pressure nitrogen Wind Kits; you slide our lightweight carbon fiber cylinder in there; hook it up, close it, and turn on the booster. The booster pulls out the nitrogen from the storage tanks and fills it to 4,500 psi. Having the Safety Fill Station definitely gives you peace of mind when dealing with such high pressures.

At that point, you take the Wind Kits’ lightweight carbon-fiber cylinder out of the Safety Fill Station and carry it up into the nacelle of the wind turbine where you can use it for servicing accumulators and other high-pressure nitrogen needs. The Wind Kit is lightweight and ergonomically designed with the maintenance provider in mind. Use of the Wind Kit greatly cuts down on injuries and maintenance servicing time.

Why is this important for wind?

The way techs used to perform this service was with big steel cylinders that were roughly five feet tall and weighed about 250 pounds — obviously heavier than one person should typically lift.

They used to have to take those up into the nacelle and maneuver them around to fill the accumulators in order to service the turbines, which is not a very safe thing to be doing.
Our Wind Kits are lightweight and ergonomic — they’re just a lot easier for these techs to handle.

Our products help with reducing injuries and also help with time spent on servicing the accumulators.

The Wind Kit is lightweight and ergonomically designed with the maintenance provider in mind. (Courtesy: Cv International)

What else makes your products unique to wind?

I think our product’s inherent safety features, ease-of-use, and time saving abilities in helping to complete these specific tasks separates Cv International from the competition and helps make these products unique in this industry.

These products are specifically built for this type of work, and our equipment is designed to last for years. We stand behind our warranty.

As the wind industry has evolved, how has Cv International evolved with it?

It’s definitely becoming a bigger part of our program. We continue to see more and more interest all the time.

Wind-farm-maintaining companies continue to come to us to supply them with our high-pressure nitrogen systems. We are the standard in this industry when it comes to high-pressure nitrogen servicing equipment. We have a whole bank of engineers here to help with whatever challenges may come up.

At CvI, our tagline is, “Global challenges, innovative solutions”; that’s who we are and what we do. We believe that as industries evolve, we can evolve with them. We have that ability. We’ve done it before, and we will continue to do it. We see things on the horizon like the offshore wind farms that have come to the coasts of America. We are already having conversations here at CvI on what we can do differently to help mitigate the challenges associated with offshore farms. We’re open and willing to work with people in this industry to help them overcome their challenges.

How do you work with a customer when they come to you with a challenge?

When a customer comes to us, we download whatever information they have, and we take it to our team to see how we can best help with whatever challenge they may be facing.

Where do you see the growth of wind in the next decade, and how do you see your place in that future?

Whether it is land-based wind farms or offshore wind coming to the coasts of America, our Wind Kits will continue to be a big part of high-pressure nitrogen generation and servicing in this sector. You will have to ship or fly everything out to the offshore turbines. This will especially be an area where our products really make sense.

I especially see nitrogen generation as something that CvI will play a big part in. We have been supplying nitrogen generation for the U.S. military for over 30 years. We’re on military bases all around the world with our stationary and mobile nitrogen generation. This is something that is going to be needed for this growing sector. CvI can help wind-farm maintainers to save money by removing the logistical nightmare of delivering high-pressure nitrogen to these offshore sites while also trimming man hours and improving safety.

For us, our products just make sense for this sector. One of the reasons why we know it makes sense is because of how many customers continue to come to us for their high-pressure nitrogen needs.

We recently supplied Avangrid with our serving equipment at nearly every one of their sites. By doing a group buy such as that, we were able to provide them with a discount on the equipment, which saved them thousands of dollars. The group buy is a direction where we see a lot of our customers heading.

Whether it is calls from Vestas, Siemens, EDPR, Avangrid, or companies operating in Canada, we stand at the ready to help them get exactly what they need in this area of high-pressure nitrogen servicing.

More info www.cvintl.com

Brüel & Kjær Vibro

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With more than 550 GW of wind power installed world-wide, this renewable energy source is finding its way into all segments of society. Not just to our homes but also to industry, hospitals, nursing homes, fire stations, and schools.

What happens if wind turbines stand still because of mechanical problems? Simple, no energy is produced. This not only affects the profitability of the owners and operators of these assets, but this shortage of energy may have to be imported from a polluting thermal power plant to compensate, or worse yet, someone will be left without power.

This is where Brüel & Kjær Vibro (BKV) steps in.

“Simply put, our dedicated mission in life is to keep the wind turbines turning,” said Christian Klostermeier, head of the BKV Windpower Business Unit. “Not only these machines, but also steam turbines, gas turbines, hydro turbines, compressors, pumps, motors, generators, and many other critical and balance-of-plant machines in every walk of life. This is our only business.”

BKV is a machine condition monitoring company that provides solutions to the industry to maximize machine uptime while minimizing the life-cycle costs with reduced maintenance. (Courtesy: BKV)

Healthy Insights

BKV is a machine condition monitoring company that provides solutions to the industry to maximize machine uptime while minimizing the life-cycle costs with reduced maintenance. One of the areas of its strategic focus is on the renewable energy market with a special emphasis on wind power.

“We help our customers reduce operational and maintenance costs by providing early insight into the health of individual wind turbine components,” Klostermeier said. “This enables them to replace only a single bearing or gear, for example, instead of replacing the entire gearbox that failed catastrophically because it was not properly monitored. Unplanned maintenance is every owner and operator’s worst fear, but this can be avoided by implementing cost-effective, planned maintenance through an effective condition monitoring solution.”

Renewable energy profitability is closely tied to how effectively asset health is managed. For wind turbines, there are no additional operational costs like those found in thermal power stations, such as for feedstock purchase or water and air pollution treatment.

Health management is so important to the wind industry, that basically every offshore wind turbine today is delivered with a condition monitoring system because of the high maintenance costs associated with their remoteness, according to Klostermeier. Land-based wind turbines are now following that lead, especially as their production capacity increases. Health insight obviously plays a critical role for these assets, both offshore and onshore, but how dependent is it on the type of condition monitoring solution offered?

Condition Monitoring Solutions are Not Equal

BKV, headquartered in Darmstadt, Germany, with the wind division based in Denmark, has been providing condition monitoring solutions to the wind industry for 20 years. During that time, there have been more than 25,000 BKV DDAU data acquisition systems sold world-wide, with up to 12,000 of these being remotely monitored as a service, according to Klostermeier.

“In addition to successfully providing value to so many owners and operators, this vast customer base also provided experience that enabled us to fine-tune our condition monitoring solution to what we’re offering to our customers today,” he said. “Very few in the industry dispute the merits of machine condition monitoring and the important role it plays in the predictive maintenance strategy, but what many fail to understand is that there is a big difference in what system suppliers offer. The big value difference is largely based on experience.”

BKV’s condition monitoring experience goes back more than 70 years ago, but enormous strides have been made within the last two decades while monitoring in the wind power industry, according to Klostermeier.

“Early and reliable detection of potential failure modes is one of the most important hallmarks of an effective condition monitoring solution, and this is an area where we did a lot of research on, combined with our experience,” he said. “An example of this is a series of early fault detection descriptors we have developed over the years based on statistical analysis of time waveforms. As a result of this, for some rolling element bearing faults, we can detect the onset of a fault two years before it has to be replaced.”

A BKV diagnostic data acquisition unit. (Courtesy: BKV)

Another area where BKV puts a lot of resources is its web-based monitoring platform, VibroSuite, according to Klostermeier. It enables advanced diagnostics to be done on the time waveform data for the individual wind turbine and drive-train components, as well as used for turbine performance comparison through fleet monitoring.

“We also give a lot of attention to the user’s needs with respect to flexibility and control from the customer’s side,” he said. “We accommodate their expertise and combine it with ours to provide the optimal solution for the application.”

Service Minded to the Customer and the Industry

BKV has four surveillance and diagnostics service centers in Houston, Texas; Nærum, Denmark; and Beijing and Shanghai in China. Thousands of wind turbines the world over have been monitored by these service centers for many years. BKV’s renowned monitoring and diagnostic reports don’t just provide data, but they also include a call-for-maintenance action with a specified timeline, according to Klostermeier. The diagnosticians and analysts who do the monitoring and diagnostics, most of whom are Category III or Category IV certified for vibration analysis, are recognized for their expertise.

Service is not just limited to diagnostics. When a customer approaches BKV, Klostermeier said the first steps in working together are developing a customized monitoring strategy for their specific needs.

“It usually starts out with a standard model, but then we would develop a customized strategy on how we monitor these turbines,” he said. “That starts with us going onsite, inspecting the turbines, and looking for the best place for the sensors. We know from the setup how many sensors that we need. And once we have placed the sensors and have commissioned all the sensors in the set up, we would run it for two to four weeks to learn the system. The system needs to learn what is the baseline condition of the turbine or what is considered a healthy stage of the turbine.”

Often, as soon as the system is switched on, it immediately detects faults, according to Klostermeier, so a customer is advised to repair any faults picked up during that initial run in order to establish that baseline.

“The beauty of BKV’s services is that it often detects problems that are overlooked by visual inspections,” he said.

Sometimes sensor data will indicate specific faults and when the company investigates with a borescope, it discovers that a small chip is missing on the ball of a bearing or a tooth may have a slight crack, according to Klostermeier.

“I think these are very proud moments,” he said. “Especially for our diagnostic guys to be able to say, ‘Hey, we were spot on again,’ and proves that we have the right tools in place.”

Service is not limited to the customer either. The experts at BKV also have been active in writing and developing ISO and IEC standards for condition monitoring of wind turbines, according to Klostermeier, as part of their contribution to the entire industry. They are also active in presenting papers at conferences, writing case studies, and organizing webinars.

VibroSuite enables advanced diagnostics to be done on the time waveform data for the individual wind turbine and drive-train components, as well as used for turbine performance comparison through fleet monitoring. (Courtesy: BKV)

“We have a collaboration with the Mobius Institute, which certifies training for diagnostic engineers,” he said. “And we cooperate a lot with various international institutions and universities. We feel it is important to share our expertise to help make for a better world, not only for our customers, but also for their customers and stakeholders.”

Evolving Technology

Over the years, BKV has accumulated a vast database of monitoring data that includes fault data on almost every imaginable potential failure mode. This database fits very well into artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) development, according to Klostermeier.

“We have this huge treasure trove of data, and what we are working on at the moment is automating our diagnostic systems, so that the algorithms can automatically detect faults without human intervention,” he said. “For us, the future will be the integration of ML and AI algorithms. We’re deep into development in this area, and we already have prototypes in place that are currently being tested against live data we get from the turbines. It is something I’m really pumped about in relation to what the team is currently developing.”

Looking toward the future and looking back at what has already been accomplished, Klostermeier says he is confident that BKV is best positioned in the industry to ensure the turbines keep turning.

Building an American CTV supply chain

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It’s no secret that, to build an offshore wind industry, you first need to build boats. U.S. offshore wind is still nascent, but, with considerable state-driven ambitions and a national strategy in place, the Department of Energy found that the U.S. could install a total of 22,000 MW of offshore wind projects by 2030.

Bringing about this huge increase in capacity will not just depend on the availability of specialist jack-ups, SOVs, and large installation vessels, it will also require a full modern fleet of crew transfer vessels (CTVs), which are essential for transporting technicians and equipment safely to the turbines.

In turn, ensuring a steady supply of specialist Jones Act compliant CTVs — while capitalizing on the proven attributes that characterize the most successful vessel designs in the global offshore wind market — requires ongoing investment in a robust domestic supply chain and significant international cooperation.

U.S. shipyards and vessel operators have an opportunity to gain a first-mover advantage by identifying the vessel designs that will both meet the standards expected by international offshore wind farms and fulfill the unique demands of operation off the East Coast.

Thus far, this has manifested itself in a number of cross-Atlantic consultancy agreements between vessel operators in the U.S. and Europe, alongside more substantial arrangements that will see European operators — for the time being — effectively manage the operations of CTV fleets built and owned by American firms.

It has also, excitingly, led to the first vessel orders being placed with U.S. shipyards. Blount Boats claimed the milestone of building the first U.S.-flagged CTV back in 2015 with Atlantic Pioneer, but now the expected demand for vessels has become increasingly clear, the building of the first full batch of American offshore wind workboats is starting at shipyards on the East Coast.

CTV (Seacat Reliance) pushes on to a turbine. (Courtesy: Seacat Services)

Next-Generation Vessel Designs

Significantly, these boats will be a new breed of “next-generation” CTVs that capitalize on a decade of experience in offshore wind construction and operation. In terms of design, this means that they will be optimized to allow vessel operators to meet the core metrics of safety, technical performance, and availability that are critical to offshore wind support.

The Chartwell 24, for instance, has been designed to maximize technician safety and comfort with features such as a completely step-free foredeck. The role of the modern CTV encompasses “crew transfer” and logistical support in equal measure, so the foredeck is also as large as possible to accommodate essential supplies and equipment. In terms of technical performance, which is essential to keep vessels on the water and projects on track, the Chartwell 24 design benefits from a tank-tested hull form that is proven to handle challenging sea states and built-in redundancy in its propulsion systems to minimize any potential downtime.

Similar attributes are shared by the other CTV designs that are expected to see widespread adoption in U.S. waters. These will largely follow the principle that the vessels that have proven most effective in European operation — i.e. the 22- and 24-meter catamaran — will also most effectively meet U.S. needs, with the exception of some market-specific adaptations.

These adaptations include hull forms that have been modified to meet the requirements of legislation protecting the migration route of the right whale off the U.S. East Coast and propulsion configurations optimized to meet EPA Tier 4 emissions standards. Chartwell recently announced a new deal with U.S. companies, Atlantic Wind Transfers and Blount Boats, for a pair of vessels meeting these specifications, a Chartwell 24 variant modified specifically to perform optimally in rough Atlantic conditions while complying with local regulations.

Maintaining Vessel Supply

The “formula” for East Coast CTV support is, by now, becoming increasingly established — as demonstrated by this agreement. The growing trend of proven vessel designs that are tailored for the U.S. market highlights the benefits to be gained from building knowledge transfer between global OESV markets into best practice going forward.

However, vessel design is just one part of the equation; maintaining vessel supply in order to meet expected demand is another. Global experience — and, indeed, U.S. experience in the onshore sector — dictates that offshore wind follows “boom and bust” construction cycles. Periods of heightened construction are often followed by natural lulls in activity, and a long-term outlook is required to find a balance between putting sufficient numbers of boats into build to meet demand during the high points, while ensuring that existing fleets are kept busy in quieter periods.

The Chartwell 24 (currently in build for Seacat Services in the U.K. (Courtesy: Chartwell Marine)

In Europe, for example, following a temporary slowdown in new builds a couple of years ago, the most capable 22- and 24-meter CTVs are currently in very high demand, which in some cases has created constraints for project owners.

This is naturally a scenario that American vessel operators and the wider supply chain will look to avoid. A slowdown in offshore wind vessel orders and competition from other thriving maritime sectors could encourage U.S. shipyards to look for opportunities elsewhere, so it is important that the industry builds momentum now in order to ensure it is well-placed to meet future demand.

Hitting the Ground Running

It has been said numerous times before, but, with the significant ambitions of U.S. East Coast states turning into concrete plans, the U.S. offshore wind sector has a clear opportunity to start on the front foot in critical areas such as CTV support.

By establishing a robust CTV supply chain and ensuring continued investment in proven, high-quality vessels, the U.S. market will not only put in place one of the essential building blocks for successful offshore wind development and operation, but also provide a significant boost to shipyards and maritime businesses off the East Coast.