Coupled with the redesign of its website, AWS Truepower has revamped its online Knowledge Center—a virtual library of articles, maps, videos, technical papers, and other resources of interest to renewable energy industries.

The company’s new website has undergone a significant overhaul, and now contains a greater volume of timely information, user-friendly navigation, as well as a new aesthetic design.

Online dashboards allow the user to view and download information interactively, anywhere they have an Internet connection.

Wind energy-specific dashboards include:

• Wind Site Assessment Dashboard, for resource maps and data
• Wind Data Management Dashboard, for wind monitoring data
• Wind Forecasting Dashboard (to be added soon), providing low-cost forecasts up to a week in advance

In addition, the website highlights AWS Truepower’s portfolio of software and consulting services.

Copper electrical wire and cable manufacturer Cerro Wire LLC, has introduced a powerful electrical calculations app for the iPhone and iPad, giving electrical contractors instant access to an easy-to-use, all-in-one tool for computing field measurements.

Electrical contractors can calculate conduit fill, voltage drop, and amperage all within a single mobile app.

Using the conduit fill calculator, users can enter the type of conductor, the size of each conductor, the type of conduit being used, and the length of the conduit run, and the calculator will return the recommended conduit fill.

For voltage drop calculation, users enter the length of the conduit run and the type of conductor, and the calculator will return the recommended conductor size based on NEC-recommended amperages.
The amperage calculator simplifies an NEC amperage chart into a convenient calculator.

The app can calculate voltage drop for 120V, 208V, 240V, 277V, and 480V voltages, as well as 277/480V and 120/280V 4-wire voltages. Calculations work for THHN/THWN, XHHW, or USE copper or aluminum conductors.

The conduit fill calculator applies to 14 AWG through 750 MCM conductor sizes, and works for  EMT, ENT, FMC, IMC, PVC, Type EB PVC, LFNC-A, LFNC-B, LFMC, and RMC conduit types.

The amperage calculator can handle 14 AWG through 1000 MCM conductor sizes.

The app is currently available for download for the iOS platform. Cerro Wire hopes to expand the app to Android at a later date.

Company aligns with leading distributed-scale turbine manufacturer to increase customer savings.

 
United Wind recently announced a partnership with Bergey WindPower. Under terms of the agreement, United Wind will be the exclusive provider of third-party financing options to customers seeking to lower their electricity costs.

As part of the agreement, United Wind will lease Bergey WindPower’s BWC Excel 10 primarily to residential and farm customers. The BWC Excel 10 is the best-selling turbine of its size class in the world and is known for its high reliability, low maintenance, and low wind speed performance.

“One of the major barriers for small property owners and farmers in adopting wind energy has been the initial capital equipment expenses,” said United Wind President Tal Mamo, who in December discussed the lease program during Rochester Institute of Technology’s Wind Power Workshop. “By using new financing models, small property owners can now take advantage of wind turbines without the up-front equipment expenses, to leverage considerable energy cost savings.”

United Wind’s lease program offers significant savings made possible by the first institutional capital investment tax equity commitment of $25 million from GSG Energy Finance. By targeting New York, Oregon, Massachusetts and Maryland states, United Wind can now effectively monetize the tax incentives created by these projects and realize significant savings for its customers.

United Wind plans to partner with CEC Energy and other experienced partners to handle the planning, construction, installation, permitting and ongoing maintenance of each turbine—passing significant savings to property owners with suitable properties.

 Additionally, by partnering with companies like Bergey—those familiar with the local requirements for distributed-scale wind turbines—United Wind anticipates helping in the creation of local job opportunities.

“United Wind’s WindLease program will unlock a huge segment of our market that we’ve been missing,” said Mike Bergey, president of Bergey WindPower. “This is an exciting partnership for us and I believe a bright new day for the American small wind turbine industry.”

The company’s unique wind energy financing model for reducing upfront costs was highlighted at a recent U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) 2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications report.

Underscoring the value of the WindLease program, U.S. Department of Energy highlighted United Wind’s energy financing programs within the organization’s 2012 Market Report on Wind Technologies in Distributed Applications report. The detailed report hails the company’s financing model for reducing upfront costs while underscoring the value of supporting the development of distributed wind projects in the rural and farm markets.

	(877) 448-2526		www.unitedwind.com		sales@unitedwind.com
	United Wind		@united_wind

Greg Knitz, President of Alignment Supplies, Inc., announced today the North American launch of the ALiSENSOR® SHAFTLASER™, a completely revolutionary new system for shaft alignment that combines all of the best aspects of Apple’s iOS devices like the iPad and iPhone with the most streamlined and easy-to-use shaft alignment interface ever developed.  “ALiSENSOR has already revolutionized the world of geometric measurement with the ALiSENSOR Level,” said Mr. Knitz, “and now they have changed the game for laser shaft alignment users all over the world.”  At only $4,890, Alignment Supplies expects that the ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER will make cutting-edge, wireless laser shaft alignment affordable and accessible to everyone.

The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER features the most intuitive shaft alignment interface ever developed – in a 3D layout with live alignment diagrams and Graduated Tolerance Control to show both acceptable and excellent tolerances.  Vertical and Horizontal misalignment results are shown simultaneously in a 3D view, making it easier to understand and correct due to this unique, yet common-sense layout.  Like all ALiSENSOR products, all measurement program Apps, like Shaft Alignment and Soft Foot, are simply downloaded for free from the App Store.

The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER system consists of two wireless, Bluetooth laser measuring units, pre-assembled on Versatile Shaft Brackets (with adaptable components for mounting with chains or magnets), extension rods, and more – all in a rugged, compact case.  “Unlike shaft alignment systems where the computer display unit can cost thousands of dollars to replace, the ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER can simply use an iOS device like an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch by downloading the free App measurement programs,” said Knitz.  The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER is part of the Industrial MFi (Made for iPad) program, a groundbreaking integration of the iPad and other iOS devices into industrial-grade tools and equipment which has revolutionized the world of precision measurement systems and equipment.

The ALiSENSOR platform is developed by GLOi AB, a pioneering company in the Industrial MFi sphere headquartered in Mölndal, Sweden.  GLOi AB was founded by Nils Andersson, a recognized luminary of the laser alignment industry, who originally founded both Fixturlaser AB and Damalini AB, two of the biggest laser alignment and measurement companies in the world.  Andersson, along with R&D / Embedded Systems Director Ali Chitsaz and a full team of Technical Design and Development veterans, have embraced the exceptional opportunities and possibilities of designing products directly for use with Apple’s iOS devices.  GLOi’s core development team also has an illustrious history of over 30 years of designing and developing some of the world’s best-selling laser shaft alignment systems.  GLOi has refined that expertise and modernized it by integrating the iPad – making shaft alignment easier, more reliable, and more affordable than ever.

The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER also incorporates several high-end features to its impressive slate of capabilities, including the ability to perform a standard 9-12-3 clock position measurement, or simply use a minimum of only two 20° rotations of the shafts.  Additionally, the system includes embedded help functions like video demonstrations and instructions.  The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER also features Graduated Tolerance Control, giving users the ability to use both “Acceptable” and “Excellent” tolerances during the alignment.  The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER creates fully-customizable PDF reports which can be preset with template information like Company Name, Operator, Company Logo, and more. The system also possesses the ability to include a photo of the machine (taken with the built-in camera of the iOS device) directly in the report.  The report file is automatically saved when the measurement is complete, and can be easily shared like other files on any iOS device – via email, mms, and even cloud services such as Dropbox.

“The ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER is exactly the type of laser shaft alignment system that people have been waiting for – with high functionality, low cost, and breakthrough technological innovations that just make sense,” said Mr. Knitz.  “We anticipate that the arrival of the ALiSENSOR SHAFTLASER will revolutionize laser shaft alignment and create more incredible possibilities for Industrial MFi technology.”

(800) 997-4467

alignmentsupplies.com

sales@alignmentsupplies.com

UL and West Texas A&M University announce the opening of large-scale wind turbine test facility in Canyon, Texas

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and West Texas
A&M University (WTAMU) in December announced the grand opening of the Advance Outdoor Wind Test Facility in Canyon, Texas, which will provide services for large, small and micro wind manufacturers as well as research and design testing capabilities.

The facility—one of the largest in the world—is located in the middle of the Great Plains Wind Corridor, with favorable wind conditions year round. Wind turbine manufacturers are able to erect turbines for extended periods of time. The facility opens new testing capacity for turbine manufacturers seeking certification to international standards, helping reduce time-to-market and lower costs, as downtime can essentially be eliminated.

The facility allows UL, with the additional services from their DEWI Group, to collaborate with WTAMU in providing small and large wind turbine manufacturers with a location that offers favorable wind resources. This site is favorable for installing wind turbines for extended periods, for research, performance measurements and certification purposes. Due to these conditions, UL’s turnaround time is highly reduced—allowing product to get to market faster.

“Utilizing the technical expertise from our DEWI Group and the WTAMU staff, turbine manufacturers can install wind turbines for extended periods for research, performance measurements and certification purposes,” said Evelyn Butler, Director of Business Development – Energy and Industrial Solutions at UL LLC. “Large and small wind turbine manufacturers will benefit from the favorable wind conditions and UL’s turnaround time which will reduce time to market.”

“The collaboration is a win-win situation for WTAMU, a pioneer in wind energy research. We  offer several unique resources that made this project feasible – location within the Great Plains Wind Corridor, availability of space, and more than 40 years of experience in wind-energy research,” said Don Topliff, dean of the College of Agriculture, Science and Engineering.

“The Advanced Wind Turbine Test Facility will give manufacturers the opportunity to have wind turbines, large and small, tested, and if passing, certified to several different standards at one facility: UL Standards 6141 and 6142 for large and small wind turbines, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)certification, Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC) certification, as well as several others,” laboratory director Adam Holman said.  

Investment allows LM Wind Power to hire 170 workers for its Grand Forks, North Dakota blade plant

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced $150 million in clean energy tax credits to build U.S. capabilities in clean energy manufacturing. The credits will go towards investments in domestic manufacturing equipment by 12 businesses. Through the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit program (48C Program), these awards will help create thousands of jobs across the country and increase U.S. competitiveness in the global clean energy market.

The awards include domestic manufacturing of a wide range of renewable energy and energy efficiency products and will support thousands of new manufacturing jobs in nine states and dozens of supply chains throughout the United States.

Among the recipients were the following companies that are either directly or indirectly involved in the wind energy industry:

– LM Wind Power Blades (ND) Inc.
A $700,000 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit will allow LM Wind Power Blades (ND) Inc. to re-equip its Grand Forks, N.D., facility for increased participation in the North American large-blade market. The workforce at the facility will grow by 170 people as a result of the project, which improves the processing capabilities of materials used in manufacturing.

– Jyoti Americas, LLC
Jyoti Americas LLC was selected for a $6.7 million 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit for its facility in Conroe, Texas, which is the only fully-automated lattice transmission tower manufacturing plant in the United States. The expanded 20 acre, 50,000 metric ton capacity plant nearly quintupled American manufacturing capacity for lattice transmission towers, which will support the increase in transmission of renewable energy into the grid. The Conroe Plant employs a workforce of 165—with plans for at least 200—and features 11 state-of-the-art computer numerical controlled machines and a fully-enclosed, zero-emission galvanizing.

– Southwire Company
Southwire Company was selected for a $6.1 million 48C Advanced Manufacturing Tax Credit to re-equip its facility in Villa Rica, Georgia. The company is the leading manufacturer of cable and wire used in electricity distribution in the United States, including control cable for use in renewable energy and smart grid applications. The facility, which will reach full capacity in 2014, is positioned to help foster growth in American manufacturing by producing necessary components for expansion of renewable energy, and will result in 10 construction jobs and 60 new direct manufacturing jobs.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz announced the 48C Program awards at the Energy Department’s American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness Summit, jointly sponsored by the Council on Competitiveness. As part of the Department’s broader Clean Energy Manufacturing Initiative, this summit brought together industry, government, academia and the Department’s national laboratories to address national challenges in manufacturing and energy.

“Cost-effective, efficient manufacturing plays a critical role in continuing U.S. leadership in clean energy innovation, and the tax credits announced today will help reduce carbon pollution from our vehicles and buildings; create new jobs and supply more clean energy projects in the United States and abroad with equipment made in America,” Secretary Moniz said.

Rockwell Automation has initiated a project to optimize manufacturing assets at a U.S. Army-owned, contractor-operated, metal-parts manufacturing plant in Scranton, Pa. The work is one of two test-bed efforts in the $10 million Smart Manufacturing Leadership Consortium (SMLC) project to develop the first open smart-manufacturing (SM) platform in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Energy-supported project will show how the SM platform of SMLC can be used for real-time management of energy across many small, medium and large U.S. manufacturing companies. The technologies developed by the consortium are expected to help improve energy productivity, reduce carbon dioxide, and boost production output.

Rockwell Automation is one of the principal members of the SMLC, along with University of Texas – Austin, University of California – Los Angeles, Emerson, Honeywell Automation and Control Systems, Schneider Electric, Praxair and others.

Avantha Group Company, CG was awarded the certification from Germanischer Lloyd Renewables Certification (GL RC), for its liquid immersed SLIM and Bio-SLIM distribution transformers. The testing for adherence to certification norms was carried out according to GL’s Guidelines for the Certification of Offshore Wind Turbines, Edition 2012. The transformers are hermetically sealed with biodegradable fluid which reduces the risk of pollution at environmentally sensitive locations, such as offshore wind farms.

The certificates are valid for five years (2018). The certificates were awarded for CG’s system design, the implementation of design requirements in Production and Erection (IPE), and quality system. Prototype tests were conducted as a part of the Design Assessment of the components.

Molded Fiber Glass Industries has announced the availability of a new proprietary sheet molding compound (SMC) material with non-flammable properties. Known as iNVENTA 616UL, the material received UL 723 approval from Underwriters Laboratories earlier this year. UL 723 is recognized as the industry standard for evaluating surface burning characteristics of building materials.

Initially formulated for HVAC (heating, ventilation, air conditioning) system components, the attributes of iNVENTA 616UL are ideal for many applications where non-flammability is important and greater than ten square feet of composites may be required.

Moventas has reintroduced its legacy brand Santasalo as the brand for its industrial gears business. The Moventas Group, now renamed Santasalo Moventas, has two brands and business areas; Santasalo for industry and Moventas for new energy.

 Santasalo Moventas now reintroduces its long-standing brand Santasalo as the brand for its industrial gears business, industrial gearboxes and related after sales service.

Moventas, a recognized brand in the renewables industry, will remain as the brand for renewable energy technology, such as wind gearboxes, and related service.

The company has also changed its group identity to Santasalo Moventas, to better reflect the two equally strong brands under its umbrella.

In December, the Department of the Interior extended the duration of programmatic eagle take permitting from five years up to a maximum of 30 years.

Extended permits will only be issued to applicants willing to employ and maintain adaptive management measures to sustain eagle preservation.

According to the Interior, the new permit regulations will allow for closer monitoring of take numbers and conservation practices. Annual and five-year reports on permit holders will be kept and shared with the public.

Along with the extension, the fee schedule for programmatic permits increased exponentially from $1,000 to $36,000. Additionally, an administration fee of $2,600 is assessed for each recurring five-year permit period. The fee increase, according to the DOI, will serve to fund additional administrative and monitoring costs linked to the permit changes.

Reaction to the revision has been mixed. Here’s what some outspoken wind energy industry figures and conservation advocates had to say:

“Renewable energy development is vitally important to our nation’s future, but it has to be done in the right way. The changes in this permitting program will help the renewable energy industry and others develop projects that can operate in the longer term, while ensuring bald and golden eagles continue to thrive for future generations.”
—Sally Jewell, Secretary of the Interior

“This rule could lead to many unnecessary deaths of eagles. And that’s a wrong-headed approach. We can, and must, protect wildlife as we promote clean, renewable energy. The Fish and Wildlife Service missed an opportunity to issue a rule that would do just that. This rule sets up a false choice that we intend to fight to reverse.”
— Frances Beinecke, president, Natural Resources Defense Council

“Instead of balancing the need for conservation and renewable energy, Interior wrote the wind industry a blank check. It’s outrageous that the government is sanctioning the killing of America’s symbol, the bald eagle.”
— David Yarnold, president and CEO, National Audubon Society

“This permit program promotes eagle conservation. Congress actually sanctioned it decades ago by specifically authorizing a permit program under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.”
—John Anderson, Director of Siting Policy, AWEA

Wind Systems would like to know your thoughts about the recent revisions surrounding eagle take permitting.

To chime in, email editor@windsystemsmag.com.

First Wind has announced that applications are now open and available online for its annual scholarship program. Entering its fifth year, First Wind Scholars will make scholarships available to qualified high school seniors in communities where the company currently has projects in operation or in advanced stages of development.

As part of the 2014 program, 16 one-time awards will be granted to students within host communities in Hawaii, Maine, New York, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts, and the company’s home city of Boston. Qualified students enrolling in full-time degree programs with an interest in science, technology and/or the environment are invited to apply. First Wind Scholars recipients will be awarded a one-time $3,000 scholarship for one year. The company also awards one scholarship of $5,000, renewable for up to four years, to the year’s single most qualified applicant.

In order to be eligible for the scholarship, students need a GPA of at least 2.75 and must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study with a focus in the sciences, technology and/or engineering. Applications are open and available online as of today, with all submissions due by February 15. Applications are evaluated on a number of factors, including academic performance, work experience, school and community activities and a 300-word essay. The First Wind Scholars recipients will be announced in May.

Apply online at www.firstwind.com/our-commitments/education-programs.

www.firstwind.com

FirstWindUSA

@firstwind

locker sticks to deliver advanced performance on oil-contaminated surfaces without requiring primers or accelerators. Formulated as wax-like, semi-solid adhesives packaged in a self-feeding stick applicator, Loctite® 248TM and Loctite® 268TM Threadlocker Sticks are designed to securely lock and seal threaded assemblies, fill gaps between threads and prevent corrosion. Delivering the same proven performance as liquid threadlockers, these convenient and portable products will not leak or drip when carried in a pocket, stored in a toolbox or used in an overhead application.

When Loctite® 248TM Medium Strength Blue Threadlocker Stick is applied to a threaded fastener, it can be disassembled using hand tools. This anaerobic adhesive is typically used for machine tools, presses, pumps, compressors, mounting bolts and gearboxes that require maintenance or servicing.

Loctite® 268TM High Strength Red Threadlocker Stick can be removed with localized heat and hand tools. Designed for more permanent, heavy-duty applications, this adhesive is typically used on heavy equipment, suspension bolts, bearing cap bolts and studs, and motor, transmission or pump mounts.

For additional information and to request a sample, visit www.henkelna.com/sticks or call (800) 562-8483.

Greater output, less weight, improved production and installation processes. Siemens intends to apply these approaches to reduce the costs of offshore wind power in the coming years. The company is presented its new 4MW and 6MW wind turbines at the EWEA Offshore Trade fair in Frankfurt/Main, Germany in November. At the conference accompanying the trade fair, high-ranking representatives from Siemens presented the strategies the company plans to apply to achieve these cost reductions in the coming years.

“We want to reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for offshore wind power by up to 40 percent before the end of the decade”, said Siemens Wind Power CTO Henrik Stiesdal. “This means that starting as early as 2020, we will offer our customers technologies that allows offshore wind power to be produced for less than 10 euro cents per kilowatt hour.” Siemens’ technical innovations demonstrate significant steps toward efficiency enhancement. The nacelle and rotor of the new SWT-6.0-154 6MW wind turbine are around one-third lighter than that of similar systems. The direct-drive technology used in the 6MW turbine, which eliminates the need for a gearbox, plays a major role in reducing the cost of energy. The weight advantages gained through this enhance economic viability across all project phases, from fabrication to transport, foundations and installation all the way up to operation.

Similar benefits are also offered by the improved offshore geared units with a capacity of 4MW. These units—the SWT-4.0-120 and SWT-4.0-130 —combine the technology used in the more than 900 units of the most widely built offshore wind turbine with an increase in performance from the upgraded generator. In addition, the 130 m rotor has innovative, 63-meter-long “aeroelastic” rotor blades. These blades are designed to be flexible under high wind loads and can be produced with up to 20 percent reduced mass compared to conventional blades.

Stiesdal said a wide range of social perspectives must also be taken into account in the offshore wind power cost debate. “Environmental benefits, energy supply stability and positive impacts on domestic jobw markets are frequently underestimated in the discussion on renewable energy sources,” Stiesdal said. “These aspects, which influence the true ‘society’s cost of energy’, should also be incorporated into the ongoing cost debate.” Only in this manner would a fair assessment of offshore wind energy as compared to conventional or other renewable energy sources be possible.

For more information, visit www.siemens.com.

Popular Science magazine has recognized GE’s 2.5-120 brilliant wind turbine with its 2013 “Best of What’s New” award in the “Green” category. Announced in January, the 2.5-120 is GE’s first brilliant turbine, which harnesses the power of the Industrial Internet to analyze tens of thousands of data points every second, providing short-term predictable power and communicating seamlessly with neighboring turbines, service technicians and operators.

“For more than a quarter century, Popular Science has devoted its December issue to the year’s most remarkable innovations,” said Cliff Ransom, executive editor, Popular Science. “The ‘Best of What’s New’ Awards is our magazine’s top honor, and the 100 awardees are selected from a pool of thousands. Each winner is handpicked and revolutionary in its own way. Whether they’re poised to change the world or simply your living room, the ‘Best of What’s New’ awardees challenge us to the see the future in a new light.”

Popular Science featured GE’s integrated wind energy storage technology in part four of its series on America’s Road to Energy Independence.

The 2.5-120 is the first wind turbine to incorporate short-term energy storage as part of the complete turbine package. Integrating the battery into the wind turbine allows wind farm operators to reap the benefits of energy storage without the high costs of farm-level battery storage installation. This revolutionary configuration integrates GE’s advanced Durathon Battery technology with three software applications. The resulting intelligent system enables power producers and the wind turbines themselves to make data-informed decisions and provide short-term predictable power.

“We are thrilled with this recognition from Popular Science,” said Keith Longtin, general manager of GE’s renewable energy business. “Combining energy storage and advanced software at the turbine level helps tackle wind’s most inherent challenge: its variability. With short-term energy storage and GE’s advanced forecasting algorithms we can help improve wind power’s predictability efficiently and more cost-effectively.”

GE engineers created three battery-enabled software applications that integrate seamlessly with the wind turbine to provide enhanced wind power availability. Wind developers and operators can select the application or combination of applications that best suits individual site needs.

Ramp Control: Today, when wind speed increases quickly, the grid cannot always absorb the extra wind power produced. GE’s Ramp Control App allows the brilliant turbine to capture “wasted” wind power and store it in the battery meaning operators can capture revenue previously left on the table.

Predictable Power: Power producers must be able to provide consistent and predictable power to the grid but the variability of wind can make smooth grid integration challenging. The Predictable Power App allows the brilliant turbine to smooth out the short-term peaks and valleys in wind power and make it predictable over periods of 15-60 minutes.

Frequency Regulation: Power demand changes throughout the day and grid operators must keep up with its constant fluctuation. Grid operators look to power producers to respond rapidly to keep the grid balanced. The Frequency Regulation App allows wind farms to store energy in the battery and respond to load changes with precision.

For more information, visit www.ge-energy.com.

Offshore wind energy is a “no-regrets” option for green growth, job creation and de-carbonization, ministers and delegates heard at the opening session of EWEA OFFSHORE 2013 in Frankfurt.

But the energy projects coming online today will run for 30 years, so to ensure the right choices are made, a binding renewables target for 2030 needs to be put in place today, CEO of DONG Energy and conference chair Henrik Poulsen said.

“It has been the binding targets and not the malfunctioning ETS that has been the key driver for renewable investments in the 2020 package,” he stated.

EWEA CEO Thomas Becker, who opened the conference, warned that changes to market and regulatory frameworks in a range of EU countries were putting investment in the sector at risk.

“Even in forward-thinking Germany, there is now a question mark raised over the support for offshore wind,” Becker said. “Likewise, a lack of political commitment and discussions on electricity market reform in another major market, the UK, are blurring long-term visibility. This is hampering investment decisions. There is an urgent need for policy stability, for political certainty and market clarity, for the direction and drive a 2030 binding target for renewables set at EU level would give.”

In November, CEOs of eight companies representing 176,000 jobs and over EUR250 billion ($336 billion) annual turnover sent out a statement calling for a “stand-alone, stable and predictable 2030 framework with an ambitious binding renewables target alongside an ambitious binding greenhouse gas reduction target and a robust CO2 price”. They said this would reduce costs, help Europe’s competitiveness, bring down energy and electricity bills, and “help remove the need for renewable energy support in future.”

Speakers in the panel at EWEA OFFSHORE 2013 were the secretaries of state for energy from Sweden and Belgium, the European Commission Director-General for Climate Action, the CEO of the Vestas-MHI Offshore Joint Venture, and the Senior Vice President of Alstom Wind.

The offshore wind energy sector needs up to EUR123 billion ($165 billion) in investment between now and 2020 if it is to meet its target of 40GW of installed capacity, and the financial community is able to invest this amount, new research shows.

What’s blocking the investment is the uncertainty caused by changing regulatory frameworks, not least in the two largest markets, the UK and Germany, the independent survey of the financial community shows.

“By undermining investment stability, governments are putting green growth, jobs and a world-leading European industry at risk,” said CEO of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), Thomas Becker, at the report launch in Frankfurt at EWEA OFFSHORE 2013 on November 20.

“Stable national frameworks and a binding EU renewable energy target for 2030 will be a green light to investors and ensure the industry continues to flourish,” he added.

The report, ‘Where’s the money coming from? Financing offshore wind farms’ comes from EWEA with research from Ernst and Young.

The full report is available on www.ewea.org. 

Cleaning the anchor bolts on a wind turbine tower for the purpose of re-tensioning and/or coating with a non-corrosive coating can be accomplished a number of ways. One of the most efficient and effective  methods used to clean rust from the anchor bolts is by using the Shipman Anchor Bolt cleaning tools.

Towers often vary  in the size of the bolt, nut and the distance of the bolt and nut from the side of the tower.  These dimensions are critical in the sizing of the tools in order to achieve maximum cleaning.  If grease is present on the bolts, Windrush and Shipman suggest that the bolts be power washed prior to cleaning with the brushes in order not to smear the grease and to keep the brushes from fouling with grease. 

The set consists of three tools: one to clean the bolt; one to clean the nut; and one to clean the top and base of the nut, washer, and tower base. This is accomplished by using a slow-speed one-half-inch electric drill with the Shipman tools. Estimated time to clean one bolt is approximately three minutes or less, depending on the condition of the fastener and the amount of rust present. The approximate amount of time to clean the typical tower with 160 bolts at three minutes per bolt would be approximately eight hours.  This time can be cut substantially by using a two or three man crew and working in succession. 

For more information about Windrush and the Shipman tools visit www.windrushllc.net or email us at sales@windrushllc.com.

For more than 40 years, Larson Electronics has supplied the industrial and commercial sectors with the latest in high-grade lighting technology and offers a host of lighting solutions ideal for wind farm projects. As professionals in the wind industry ramp up their efforts and increase productivity, they are finding illumination to play a larger and growing role in the safe and successful completion of projects. High-quality illumination is pivotal to maintaining a safe and efficient work site, and project managers can realize improved performance through the introduction of newer lighting technologies such as LEDs.

The Larson Electronics EPL-FL1524-LED-X24-100 Low Voltage LED work light provides an excellent choice for operators who need a rugged low voltage lighting solution capable of providing the quality illumination needed for detail oriented electrical and inspection related tasks associated with tower installation. This LED work light is designed similarly to fluorescent tube drop lights, but features a high output LED lamp assembly that virtually eliminates the potential for lamp failures due to rough handling without compromising light output or quality. Unlike incandescent hand lamps which produce yellowish light and a prodigious amount of heat, this LED work light produces clean white light that is ideal for close work such as joint inspection and wiring installation, and runs cool so workers can forget about accidental burns.

The EPL-FL1524-LED-X24-100 LED work light produces 1,450 lumens of light output without shadowing or beam irregularities and runs from 12 VDC current provided by an included waterproof step down transformer. The casing is formed from aluminum for durability and light weight, and an annealed glass tube cover with rubber bumper isolators provides rugged protection against abusive work conditions. 100 feet of abrasion resistant cord provides ample working length, and an integral aluminum hanging hook offers easy overhead mounting. This LED work light represents the next step in work lighting technology and provides the enhanced performance and durability needed for demanding construction environments.

Larson Electronics offers a wide variety of lighting solutions geared towards the industrial construction sectors and as a manufacturer can tailor equipment according the customers needs and requirements.

For more information about the EPL-FL1524-LED-X24-100,  or to view all of Larson Electronics’ lighting solutions, visit www.larsonElectronics.com, or call 800-369-6671 (domestic) or 1-903-498-3363 (international).

Helwig Carbon has announced the launch of a new line of shaft grounding systems to protect motors from bearing failure, a major cause of motor downtime. The stock kits fit most motors and various shaft sizes. They are easy to install, maintain, and work effectively in contaminated environments. Helwig’s grounding assemblies divert static and induced electrical currents in the motor shafts away from the bearings, protecting them from pitting and potential damage.

Several methods are available to reduce or eliminate the path the induced electrical currents can travel.  Among these Helwig’s Bearing Protector is a wise choice. The Helwig Bearing Protector is designed for a multi-year lifespan  while maintaining low shaft potential, minimizing your chance of having stray currents pass through the bearings.  The Bearing Protector is a cost effective way to keep shaft voltage to a minimum.

Helwig Carbon has over 85 years experience manufacturing precision machined carbon brushes, vanes, bearings, bushings, and seals. Helwig is one of the last American-owned carbon companies. They are known for fast, reliable service, high quality workmanship, and on-time deliveries.

For more information, or to download a .pdf file about the product, visit www.helwigcarbon.com/literature.html or call 414-362-6241.