Women of Wind Energy (WoWE) announced Elizabeth Kaiga has joined its board of directors.

“As we transition our program work at Women of Wind Energy to include all renewables, we are thrilled to add Elizabeth to our board,” said WoWE Executive Director Kristen Graf. “Her valuable experience and expertise across the renewable energy sector will help guide WoWE on its mission to promote the education, professional development, and advancement of women to achieve a strong diversified workforce and support a robust renewable energy economy.”

Kaiga is a director within the Renewable Energy Practice at CohnReznick LLP, where she leads business development initiatives. She has more than 15 years of energy industry experience that includes power utilities, oil and gas, and renewable energy. Kaiga has developed and implemented innovative energy industry and client development growth strategies for national and global professional service firms. Prior to joining CohnReznick LLP, Kaiga held similar positions within the Energy & Utilities Practice at ICF Consulting, Arthur Andersen LLP, and Marsh & McLennan.

Kaiga is an advisory board member of the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC) and also a leadership council member of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). She is on the Solar Power International Education Committee that drives content for the largest solar power conference in the United States. As a strong supporter of diversity and inclusion initiatives, Kaiga has been actively involved with WoWE in various capacities and leads WoWE’s Houston Chapter.

“I am honored to join the board of Women of Wind Energy,” Kaiga said. “I have been an avid supporter, and welcome the opportunity to contribute further toward WoWE’s mission and goals. I look forward to working with the rest of the board and membership network in this endeavor.”

“Elizabeth joins our board at a pivotal time for the energy sector and WoWE as an organization as we transition our program to work more broadly across renewable energy,” said Jennifer Martin, WoWE president and co-chair of the Stoel Rives LLP energy practice. “I’m very happy to welcome her and her extensive renewable industry experience to the WoWE board.”

Source: Women of Wind Energy

For more information, go to www.womenofwindenergy.org

The program for Wind O&M Dallas 2017, the world’s foremost conference for global wind energy stakeholders, recently was announced by Wind Energy Update.

The conference is scheduled for April 10-12, and it marks a turning point in the wind-energy industry by helping executives achieve genuine wind park ROI and learn to maximize value from every single turbine collectively.

“In order to truly succeed in this industry, issues such as major power purchase investments from industrial giants, the explosion of independent service companies, advanced energy storage technology, the utility of data driven software, and more, demand a complete re-think,” said Kerr Jeferies, project director at Wind Energy Update. “And, it’s for this reason that we’re proud to invite 600-plus of the world’s top wind stakeholders, from right across the value chain, back to Dallas next spring for our most value-added, business-driven program ever.”

All-new case studies, workshops, seminars, keynote panels and networking will ensure attendees will leave with all the critical tools, insights, and connections they need to protect the integrity and transform the productivity of their portfolio well into the future.

Powerful C-Level keynote addresses include Patrick Woodson, chairman, E.ON Climate & Renewables; Chris Brown, president, Vestas; Mark Albenze, CEO of Siemens Wind Power & Renewables; Andy Holt, CEO of Renewables, GE Renewable Energy; Tom Kiernan, CEO of AWEA. They will break new ground by raising the bar for the O&M industry’s imminent $3 billion growth spurt.

While a good O&M strategy for wind energy will make or break the business case for a single turbine park, an innovative yet considered and well-executed asset management approach will unlock expansive long-term economic opportunities for entire wind portfolios.

“We’re excited to be presenting a brand new ‘Asset & Risk Management Track’ to go alongside our premier ‘Rethink Reliability – The Core O&M Topics Track’ to ensure that asset value can be protected, nurtured, and grown by asset managers chasing risk, revenue and reward as well as field technicians and engineering specialists can,” Jeferies said.

Importantly, this annual gathering — which has enjoyed a 30 percent growth in attendee quality year-after-year since 2012 — provides the platform leaders need to establish thought leadership, dominate market thinking, and harness the collective strength of this global market.

Major stakeholders from E.ON, Duke Energy, Pattern Energy, EDF Renewable Energy, SunEdison, Siemens, Goldwind, GE Renewable Energy, and Vestas already have confirmed their attendance at this — the most important wind stakeholder meeting to hit Texas in years. NGC Transmission & Equipment, EDF Renewable Services, and Tech Safety Lines have joined as Diamond, Silver and Bronze sponsors respectively.

“This annual gathering, above all others, continues to tap into the progressive business models that’ll secure the industry’s future, making it the can’t-miss event for all top energy decision makers,” said Victoria Auckland, project director at Wind Energy Update.

Click here for more information

Siemens has received a further order for an offshore wind power plant from Scotland. The company is to supply, install and commission 84 wind turbines, each with a 154-meter rotor diameter designed to generate 7 MW of power, for the “Beatrice” project. Furthermore, the scope of supply comprises the offshore grid connection to the mainland in consortium with Nexans, which will supply the connecting export cables. Siemens will deliver the onshore and offshore substations consisting of two offshore transformer modules (OTM) that are smaller in weight and size and, thus, saving costs. The customer, Beatrice Offshore Windfarm Ltd. (BOWL), is a partnership formed between SSE (40 percent), Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (35 percent), and SDIC Power (25 percent). The offshore wind power plant's capacity of 588 MW will be sufficient to supply more than 400,000 U.K. households with ecofriendly electricity. Siemens will additionally be responsible for servicing the wind farm over a period of 15 years.

“This is a significant order for our new 7-MW-class wind turbine,” said Michael Hannibal, CEO of the offshore market unit of the Siemens Wind Power and Renewables Division. “We are looking forward to working with our customer on this large offshore wind power project off the Scottish coast.”

The Beatrice offshore wind farm will be located approximately 14 kilometers off the Scottish coast. The SWT-7.0-154 wind turbines will be erected on jacket foundations in ocean depths between 35 and 56 meters. Siemens plans to produce the corresponding wind turbine blades for Beatrice at its Hull facility. Installation of the wind turbines is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2018. Following commissioning of the plant in 2019, Siemens will also be responsible for service and maintenance for the wind turbines within the framework of a long-term service contract extending over a period of 15 years. The contract also covers remote monitoring and diagnostics for the wind turbines so as to ensure their long-term availability and performance. The logistics concept for this plant also includes the use of a helicopter.

“We are pleased to be working side-by-side with the BOWL partnership over the next 15 years to provide clean safe reliable power to the citizens of the U.K.,” said Mark Albenze, CEO of the power generation services wind power and renewables business unit at Siemens. “We are excited about this project and are looking forward to providing our advanced offshore logistics.”

For the grid access solution, Siemens will deliver two offshore transformer modules, which are one third smaller in size and weight compared to a conventional alternating-current (AC) platform. Siemens’ partner in delivering the offshore grid connection, Nexans, will be responsible for design, supply and installation of the export cable, both offshore and onshore. The OTM’s will be linked together to provide the required transmission capacity. Focusing on the core electrical equipment and removing a number of optional ancillary systems made this space and weight reduction possible, which also results in a reduced maintenance regime. The grid access solution will be project managed and engineered from the Siemens Energy Management Renewable Energy Engineering Centre in Manchester, U.K.

With its nearly 2,100 installed wind turbines offshore and their total capacity of more than seven GW, Siemens is the leading provider of offshore wind turbines worldwide. The company also has long-term service contracts for a total capacity of 6.7 GW in the offshore wind power business. Furthermore Siemens has commissioned offshore grid connections with a total capacity of more than 6 GW, making it the leading provider of offshore grid access for both AC and DC technology.

“We are proud to announce the first reference for our newly developed offshore transformer module together with our customer,” said Mirko Düsel, CEO of the transmission solutions business unit at Siemens. “The application of light weight distributed substations is an important lever for reaching Siemens’ goal of reducing the costs of wind power generated offshore to below 10 euro cts/kWh by 2020.”

For more information, go to www.siemens.com/wind.

EdgeData, LLC, a Grand Forks, North Dakota-based software firm, recently announced the launch of BladeEdge, an innovative software analytics portal that is customized for the wind energy industry, at the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) Windpower Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, Louisiana. BladeEdge software transforms raw data from aerial inspection into actionable intelligence for wind turbine manufacturers, inspection and repair providers and operations and maintenance companies.

“It is an exciting time in the wind energy industry,” said Lonnie Bloomquist, CEO and chairman of EdgeData. “Technology is advancing rapidly, allowing companies the ability to gather and have access to volumes of data. The challenge is turning the data into business value.” BladeEdge not only offers the ability to manage inspection and maintenance records in a single portal, the software also includes a streamlined interface providing access to the data intelligence in an effort to better manage wind farm assets.

BladeEdge is the first automated analytical software tool in the industry. Data is captured using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS, or drones) and uploaded into a sophisticated software portal. The portal includes tools, such as revenue loss calculators, that can be leveraged to help make more informed business decisions regarding maintenance and repair.

EdgeData has been working in conjunction with several wind farm operators and LM Wind Power, the worlds’ leading independent blade manufacturer, to develop the portal. In addition to offering automated condition assessments, the process increases worksite safety, minimizes annual energy production (AEP) losses due to poor blade conditions, identifies necessary repairs prior to costly service, and extends the lifespan of the turbines.

“The BladeEdge portal brings maturity to the wind industry by presenting big-data in an easily consumable manner,” Bloomquist said.

BladeEdge was previewed during the AWEA Windpower Conference &Exhibition May 23-26 in New Orleans and became commercially available after the show.

For more information, go to www.bladeedge.net.

With reference to Vestas Wind Systems A/S’ company announcement No. 20/2016 on May 31, 2016, Parc éolien Nicolas-Riou S.E.C., a limited partnership owner at 50 percent by EDF EN Canada Inc, a subsidiary of EDF Energies Nouvelles, and at 50 percent by the community partners Énergie Éolienne Bas-Saint-Laurent (ÉÉBSL) and the Régie intermunicipale de l’énergie Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine (RIEGÎM), has placed a firm and unconditional order for 65 V117-3.45-MW turbines, to be deployed at the Nicolas Riou wind project in Québec, Canada. When complete, this order will take the installed capacity of V117-3.3/3.45 MW turbines globally across the 800-MW mark.

The order comprises supply and commissioning of the wind turbines as well as a 10-year active output management (AOM) 5000 service agreement, which is a full-scope service package to maximize uptime, performance and energy production.

Turbine delivery is expected to begin in Q2 2017 with final commissioning scheduled for Q4 2017.

“We are pleased to build on our long-standing global relationship and to add to our over 2 GW of Vestas turbine orders throughout North America,”said Tristan Grimbert, president and CEO of EDF EN North America.  “Our first implementation in the country with Vestas — the 2014 Blackspring Ridge project in Alberta — was marked by an exemplary team applying stringent safety standards as well as flexibility to meet the project’s construction demands.  We look forward to another successful experience bringing Nicolas-Riou to completion.”

Vestas has deployed approximately 2,800 MW of turbines across all 10 Canadian provinces.

“We are very proud to build on our footprint in Canada and introduce our 3 MW platform to the Canadian market,” said Chris Brown, president of Vestas’ sales and service division in the United States and Canada. “This project will be the first V117-3.45-MW turbines in Canada, where the combination of a robust design and a large rotor make this turbine an outstanding choice to minimize the cost of energy throughout the life of the project.  We’re happy to add this latest agreement to our strong strategic relationship with EDF EN Canada.”

Vestas most recently partnered with EDF EN Canada on the 300 MW Blackspring Ridge Wind Project in Alberta, comprising 166 V100-1.8-MW turbines. The Nicolas-Riou wind farm project is the largest 50/50 community project in Canada.

For more information, go to www.vestas.com.

Moventas is investing in the U.K. wind service market and offers a multi-brand gearbox service portfolio for the U.K. and Ireland’s most popular fleets. In July, Moventas’ OEM quality facility in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, will complete a substantial upgrade with a full-load test rig for after sales service use.

Moventas Gears U.K., formerly DB Wind U.K., is in the final stages of refurbishing and upgrading its Huddersfield workshop in West Yorkshire. The gearbox specialist has made a capital investment in a 3.6-MW load test rig, flexibly designed to accommodate Moventas’ multi-brand service approach. Supported by the U.K. government, the Huddersfield upgrade is part of a regional growth initiative. The test field will be operational this July and ready to support customers in the second half of 2016.

Moventas is the first gearbox service partner in the U.K. to provide multi-megawatt full load testing, which is an essential part of most gearbox service operations. From now on, serviced gearboxes no longer need to be sent to mainland Europe for testing, which minimizes logistics costs and carbon footprint.

“With 35 years of wind turbine gearbox experience, industry leading technology and state of the art manufacturing facilities, Moventas is ideally placed to support the servicing of the U.K. installed base of wind turbines from its modern, well -quipped service facility in the center of the country,” said Jim McColl of ClydeBlowers, who is also the chairman of the Moventas board.  “I am proud to say that the U.K. wind industry can really benefit from our highly qualified service team, experienced in the service and repair of gearboxes for all makes of multi-megawatt wind turbines.”

Moventas is able to service as many as 20 different turbine brands’ gearboxes, which add up to 60 models. Focusing on the most popular fleets, Moventas U.K. covers a large aspect of the market in the area — Vestas V80 and V90, Senvion MM82 and MM92, and Nordex N80 and N90, as well as the Siemens 2.3.

Moventas U.K.’s field service team can perform a number of up-tower jobs for Vestas and Siemens fleets and offers local condition management expertise. Moventas’ objective is to extend gearbox life on existing fleets, contributing to cost-savings of wind O&M and, therefore, lowering the cost of wind energy.

For more information, go to www.moventas.com.

NTC Wind Energy is pleased to offer its patent-pending IronClad Grout Sleeves. This product will save time and produce a better foundation for wind turbine generators.

The IronClad Grout Sleeve is a tapered polypropylene sleeve that is 3 1/2 inches tall with a slightly funneled flange at the base. The sleeves are tapped down over the bolts in the grout trough in place of foam rings. Once installed, they will protect the bolt from contact with grout and prevent grout from going down into the bolt sleeve. They grip tightly to the bolt and will not float in the grout.

For example, a foam ring that is 1 5/8 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick will displace 2.55 square inches of grout. At 144 bolts, the foam is displacing 367 square inches of grout in the foundation. If the grout has a compressive strength of 12,500 pounds per square inch, 4,594,590 pounds of compressive strength would be lost in that foundation. That amounts to nearly 2,300 tons of lost strength due to the voids created using foam rings. Grout sleeves displace almost no grout, resulting in a considerably stronger foundation.

IronClad Grout Sleeves project approximately 1 inch into the base flange when the base is set. The top leading edge provides the added benefit of sealing the area immediately below the flange. This prevents any potential for the grout to interfere with proper tensioning.

There’s no need to cut foam rings and tape them around each bolt any longer. IronClad Grout Sleeves are quick and easy to install and are priced at approximately the same cost as foam. They are also approved for use by all major engineering firms in the industry.

— Source: NTC Wind Energy

For more information,
go to www.NTCWind.com.

Valley Forge & Bolt Mfg. Co. uses innovative bolting technology to revolutionize bolted joints with its new wireless load-monitoring capabilities. Starting from its patented load-indicating technology, Valley Forge is now taking it a step further in allowing the user to monitor the load on a critically bolted joint from a remote location.

The company’s well-known load-indicating technology started with the Maxbolt™ load-indicating fastener that continuously measures and displays the amount of tension in a bolt or stud. The fastener offers a simple method for accurate joint assembly and is the only product available for most applications that will continually monitor clamping force while the fastener is in service. Then the company introduced the SPC4™ load-indicating system, which allows the user to constantly monitor the clamp load of any SPC4 bolted joint by easily attaching a probe to the datum disc located on the end of the fastener. The user is able to read the value on a handheld battery-powered digital monitor with optional data gathering and storage of the bolted joint available.

Valley Forge’s newest technology has taken the patented SPC4 technology and made remote reading a reality. With the new wireless load-monitoring device, SPC4 fasteners are assembled with a small probe attached to the datum disc. This probe then remains with the fastener assembly while in service. The probe allows the load of the fastener to be relayed to a receiving station that can be located anywhere the user chooses. The receiving station displays the load as a percentage of the fastener’s total capacity, as designed for the specific application.

The Wireless SPC4 load monitor is now in the beta testing stages and is being applied on a large rotating piece of machinery. One system consists of four probes or channels with a wireless remote reader for fixed applications. No positional information is included in this system, but it has a long range of up to 2,000 feet in ideal conditions. It can be designed to use another wireless technology, but generally, the longer the range is, the shorter the battery life will be. Another system monitors and logs 20 probes or channels for rotating applications that can be attached to an optional wireless transmitter. The system can be equipped with an optional programmable 5-megapixel video camera to send alerts in unattended installations or automate some tasks. The range would be shorter than the previous system.

The configuration of this technology can be tailored to specific customer needs, including the number of channels, frequency of reading, battery life, auxiliary outputs, and data logging. Other capabilities include sensors relaying positional information of each fastener and real-time clock circuit, if time records are desired.

For more information,
go to www.vfbolts.com, email sales@vfbolts.com, or call (800) 832-6587.

Nor-Cal Controls is releasing a new product which will increase efficiency and reduce costs to wind project owners and operators. The WindTalker-1000 is an innovative smart relay device designed to allow any existing sensor to integrate seamlessly into an existing wind turbine control platform, no matter the age, type or communication characteristics of the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). Nor-Cal Controls partnered with Lufft, manufacturer of the VENTUS ultrasonic wind sensor, to provide a state of the art, turnkey wind sensor replacement solution resistant to the elements as well as time.

The need for a device like this arose from discussions with countless wind turbine operators and owners. Wind sensors are required for each wind turbine installed in order to correctly point the turbine into the wind. The turbines wind sensor only affects optimal performance of the turbine, but is a safety measure as well. As the sensors age, they often need replacing. Not only are mechanical wind sensors prone to repair and replacement, but they also require regular calibrations, costing time and money. Often, owners are not able to choose a sensor appropriate to their installation because of the limitations of communication with the PLC. The WindTalker-1000 removes these barriers.

Traditional wind sensors can be liable to mechanical break down and require periodic repair and/or replacement. This is due to moving mechanicals parts such in traditional cups and vanes. Mechanical parts sometimes accumulate rust, scale or other substances that can impede movement. In cold climates ice or rime is likely to build up on a sensor causing breakdown or highly inaccurate readings.

The WindTalker-1000 solution combines the intelligence of a smart relay device with the robustness of the VENTUS wind sensor. The result is a wind sensing system that is a direct replacement to older, end-of-life sensors, providing the end user with a highly accurate, maintenance free system that will far exceed previous operable lifetimes of older technology sensors.

Nor-Cal Controls, located in Diamond Springs, CA, is a fast growing company founded in 2005 by Robert Lopez that offers complete automation solutions for the power generation industry.

— Source: Lufft USA

GE’s renewable energy business recently announced a $25 million investment in TerraForm Global, LLC. TerraForm Global is a dividend growth-oriented company, or “yieldco,” formed by SunEdison to own and operate contracted renewable power generation assets in attractive, high-growth emerging markets.

“This investment is about driving continued global growth for renewable power,” said Anne McEntee, president & CEO of GE’s renewable energy business. “Together with SunEdison, we will significantly increase wind developments in key growth regions like Latin America, Europe, India, and China.”

The agreement is expected to help support new wind pipeline opportunities for TerraForm Global. GE also will provide life cycle operations and maintenance support for TerraForm’s international wind fleet. The two companies have agreed to continue exploring additional opportunities for growth-
oriented collaboration.

The Wind Energy Department of Cloud County Community College (CCCC) recently held a two-day, 12-hour “Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Community Enrichment” class June 15-16 in Concordia, Kansas.

The class gave anyone in the community interested in enrolling for the course the opportunity to get hands-on experience flying, configuring, and taking photos with the UAVs, as well as experience on current status with FAA rules. Monte Poersch, CCCC Wind Energy instructor, taught the class.

The Wind Energy Department at CCCC has acquired, through a grant, four new UAVs. The program is integrating UAVs for blade inspections and for substation and transmission line inspections. UAVs can be used to inspect wind turbine blades much more efficiently and safely than the process currently used for those inspections. Students are being trained to fly the UAVs and are learning more advanced techniques of video and photography as well as programming completely autonomous flights.

Those attending the two-day training said, “This was exactly what I wanted to learn.” And, “I plan to purchase a small drone and learn to fly it and begin a small business with a friend.”
Additional comments were, “It was only 2 days,” and “It was too short.”

 — Cloud County Community College
 

The Casper College Renewable Energy Technology Program has received a substantial equipment donation from Chevron Power and Energy Management Company: a Winergy gearbox from one of the company’s turbines located near Casper, Wyoming.

“This gearbox will provide Casper College students an opportunity to learn about maintenance technology on a life-size gearbox,” said Lesley Travers, dean for the Casper College School of Business and Industry. “They will also learn about bore scoping, gearbox inspection, troubleshooting, torque specifications, and oils and greases.”

The 55,000-pound gearbox came from a 1.5MW GE wind turbine.

“This particular piece of equipment is generally located over 200 feet high in the nacelle of a turbine, so students without proper climb training do not generally have the opportunity to see close up or train on this critical piece of the turbines,” said Chevron’s Policy, Government and Public Affairs Senior Advisor Denise Reed.

Chevron has partnered with Casper College since 2009 with a variety of monetary contributions to the program — most recently, a donation of $5,000 to support the college’s renewable energy technology program. In addition, Chevron also provides tours, guest speakers, and training equipment to the program.

 —  Casper College

Renewable NRG Systems, a designer and manufacturer of decision support tools for the global renewable energy industry, has launched today a new data logger that is specifically engineered to improve the performance of wind and solar measurement campaigns.

Building on RNRG’s well-known Symphonie series of user-friendly loggers, the SymphoniePRO logger brings significant upgrades in terms of capability and flexibility.

“This is the data logger our wind and solar energy customers have been asking for,” said Michael Fisher, product manager. “It’s powerful, versatile, and, as always, it comes with the great support and ease-of-use expected from a Symphonie logger.”

SymphoniePRO is a low-power, industrial-grade data logging system that is specifically designed for conducting resource assessments for the renewable energy industry. Each of the 26 channels’ statistical values are calculated from continuous 1-second data samples and averaged over a user-selectable interval (10-minute default). Collected data are stored efficiently as binary .RLD files on internal Flash memory with a redundant copy on an external SD card, if installed.

Data are communicated and the system is powered via Symphonie iPackGPS communications devices, which only require a firmware upgrade for compatibility with the new data logger. In addition to SMTP email data delivery, SymphoniePRO allows remote, real-time connection capability over RNRG’s MetLink protocol for tasks like automated or manual data download, firmware upgrades, live data viewing, or configuration changes.

Also included is the SymphoniePRO Desktop Application, a new PC software package used to process raw data files as well as configure and communicate with the SymphoniePRO logger and iPack. SymphoniePRO Desktop Application keeps track of site data and produces versatile tab-delimited text files (ASCII) compatible with industry-leading software. Additionally, the software allows the user to view “live” data, apply firmware updates to loggers and iPacks, and preview data files in time series format.

SymphoniePRO is backed by RNRG’s two-year warranty and lifetime technical support.

For more information about SymphoniePRO, visit www.renewablenrgsystems.com/symphoniepro.

The Lapp Group’s new ÖLFLEX® VFD 2XL, UL TC-ER rated motor cable is a robust, oil-resistant shielded design for use with variable frequency drives.
Also available with a pair for brake or temperature, the ÖLFLEX VFD 2XL comes with XLPE (plus) insulation and a phthalate-free TPE outer jacket that gives the cable maximum flexibility, low capacitance and flame-retardant properties. ÖLFLEX® VFD 2XL is dual rated for applications ranging from 600 to 2000 volts, which allows a single cable to serve in a wide range of applications.

The ÖLFLEX VFD 2XL features a specially-formulated thermoplastic elastomer jacket and conductors made from finely stranded tinned copper. Its cross-linked polyethylene insulation provides superior electrical properties and allows the cable to withstand heat generated by overcurrent conditions common with VFD’s. Shielding for the ÖLFLEX VFD 2XL series includes barrier tape, triple layer foil tape and tinned copper braid.

The motor cable has a test voltage of 6000 volts and minimum bend radius of 7.5 times the cable diameter. Ideal applications include VFD drive and motor connections for pumps, compressors, conveyors, elevators, extruders, pressers and HVAC especially in industrial environments.

A brochure with detailed, technical information on ÖLFLEX® VFD 2XL is available at www.lappusa.com/pdf/vfdbrochure.pdf.

Spectro Scientific, a developer and manufacturer of analytical tools and software for industrial fluids analysis, recently announced the addition of a comprehensive water measurement solution for its FluidScan® analyzer. The FluidScan employs patent pending technology, providing a practical alternative to traditional Karl Fisher titration for use outside of laboratories.

This new FluidScan capability is well-suited for industrial environments like power generation plants where reliable water measurement in turbine oil is critical. Severe water contamination can cause changes in the oil’s viscosity, accelerated oxidation, depletion of additives, and decreased bearing life.

For more information about Spectro Scientific’s fluid analysis solutions, visit www.spectrosci.com.

Morgan Advanced Materials’ Electrical Carbon business has developed a new carbon brush grade, suitable for wind turbine applications, that drastically improves uptime in some of the most demanding conditions. The LL587 carbon brush grade maximizes uptime through extended brush life combined with minimal wear to slip rings.

Extensive field testing by by the company and several wind farms in multiple geographic locations has proven that the LL587 carbon brushes create the optimum brush film and minimize friction while maintaining excellent conductivity — resulting in exceptionally long brush life. This brush grade demonstrated a projected service life of over four years at test sites in Texas, Iowa, and other locations — longer than any other tested.

In addition, the LL587 carbon brush grade is ideally suited for steel slip rings, where it results in the reduction of maintenance required, and therefore reduces operating costs. Morgan’s application engineers work closely with customers to ensure that the optimal brush grade is used for each application to maximize effectiveness and minimize downtime.

The LL587 grade carbon brushes are available from Morgan Advanced Materials and its distribution partners.

For more information on Morgan’s carbon brushes, visit www.morganelectricalmaterials.com/carbonbrushes.

Larson Electronics recently released a 50-ft. pneumatic light mast on a twenty-one foot trailer equipped with sixteen 400 watt LED light heads.

The WCDE-11-PLM50-16X400LTL-LED is a trailer mounted, fold-over, seven-stage light mast that provides a safe and effective way for operators to deploy sixteen 400 watt LED light heads to elevations up to 50 feet.

The pneumatic light tower folds over for easy transportation, and features a hydraulic ram upright assist, an air powered pneumatic mast, and high-output LED light fixtures. The entire assembly is mounted on a 21-foot by 8-foot trailer, allowing operators to transport this boom from one location to another. The tower is constructed of heat treated aluminum tubing with 2.69’ of overlap per section. The mast is elevated using an included hydraulic ram and is extended to its full height using a trailer mounted air compressor.

The sixteen light heads included with this tower are wet area suitable GAU-LTL-400W-LED high output LED fixtures, which produce 52,000 lumens of light at 400 watts. Each light head contains fifty-four Bridgelux high output LEDs producing 963 lumens each arranged in rows and paired with high purity optics to produce a well-focused 25-degree wide spot beam.

Each light is securely fastened to the light boom and each lamp includes a support bracket to help maintain lamp stability.

For more information, visit larsonelectronics.com, or call (800) 369-6671.

Renewable Energy Systems Americas Inc., a leader in the development, engineering, and construction of wind, solar, transmission, and energy storage projects in North America, recently announced commercial operation of the Keechi Wind Project in Jack County, Texas.

Construction of the 110 MW Keechi Wind Project commenced in December 2013 and commercial operation began on January 23, 2015. Consisting of 55 Vestas V100-2.0 MW turbines, the project created nearly 250 jobs during the peak of construction and nine permanent operations and maintenance jobs. Keechi Wind Project was completed with only one recordable injury accident in over 300,000 man-hours worked, with a Total Recordable Incidence Rate (TRIR) of 0.65. The project will continue to contribute to the local economy in multiple ways, including through a local tax abatement agreement.   

"The successful completion of the Keechi wind project included RES Americas self-performing the installation of 55 wind turbines," said Andrew Fowler, Chief Operating Officer of RES Americas. "It was also extremely important to us to work closely with the local community in sourcing labor and materials to construct the project."

Keechi Wind was developed by RES Americas and constructed under a fixed-price, engineering, procurement, and construction agreement and was RES Americas' first project in which it self-performed the turbine installation, positioning the company for further expansion in that space. The project, which is owned by Enbridge, connects to Brazos Electric's Joplin substation via a 12-mile generation tie line.

Vestas will provide turbine operations and maintenance services for the first five years of the project.

The Keechi Wind Project will deliver electricity into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, Inc. (ERCOT) market, under a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement with Microsoft Corporation.

—    Source: RES Americas

The boards of directors of Iberdrola S.A. and Iberdrola USA have approved a combination of Iberdrola USA with UIL Holdings.This friendly transaction, recommended by UIL’s board of directors, which will be effected via merger, will allow UIL shareholders to receive 18.5% of the share capital of the combined company plus $597 million in cash, representing a premium of 19.5% over the average UIL share price during the 30 days prior to February 25. Iberdrola USA intends to maintain a dividend policy consistent with that of Iberdrola with a payout of between 65-75%. Iberdrola USA will be listed on the NYSE.

The combination of Iberdrola USA and UIL Holdings, with over 3.1 million of points of supply, approximately 6.7 GW of installed capacity, and pro-forma Ebitda and net earnings of $2 billion and $570 million in 2014, respectively, will create a leading utility in the US.

The agreement between Iberdrola USA and UIL Holdings, is subject to approval by UIL Holdings shareholders. As UIL Holdings and its subsidiaries operate in a regulated sector, the relevant authorizations at state level (Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority and Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities) and Federal (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission, Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and Federal Communications Commission) level will be required. This process is expected to be completed during 2015.

Ignacio Galán, chairman of IBERDROLA, said: “the operation that integrates Iberdrola USA and UIL is consistent with our strategy of growth in this country, a key market in which we are taking a major step forward. It also reflects our preference for effecting corporate operations on a friendly basis.”

— Source: Iberdrola USA

Availon, a leading independent wind turbine O&M service provider, recently announced today the addition of over 100 MW of Vestas turbine generators to its O&M service portfolio. These strong results underpin the success of Availon’s technology diversification strategy, which has been deployed internationally over the last few years.

 Although the company is often regarded mainly as the independent expert of GE wind turbines, those machines are not the only technology that Availon specialises in. Turbines by manufacturers Vestas and Gamesa feature at the top of Availon’s service portfolio. These technologies have effectively become key drivers of growth for Availon. The company had already reached the 1,000 MW milestone for Vestas turbines under its care in the third quarter of 2014.

Availon has not only greatly expanded the quota of Vestas generators under its care in Germany, but has also managed to extend its Italian portfolio to include the 2MW class Vestas V90 wind turbines. “We are very pleased that Availon is considered as a reliable partner for Vestas technology on an international level. Many customers who are already familiar with us in Germany through our GE technology servicing, are also placing their trust in us abroad, to service both Vestas and Gamesa technologies,” explained Michael Richter, Global Sales Manager at Availon.

 Availon’s international success story continues unabated. Outside Germany, Availon looks after more than 2,000 MW covered by comprehensive servicing contracts. “The German market will always be Availon's home market, but international markets such as the US and Italy are also becoming increasingly more important. It is very satisfying to see our business enjoying consistent strong growth,” concluded Richter.

 — Source: Availon