Spectro, Inc., one of the largest worldwide suppliers of oil and fuel analysis instruments to industry and military markets, has established a local sales and support office in Beijing, China under the leadership of China Sales Manager Alex Shi.

Shi previously held the roles of account manager at 3M Corporation, project manager at Sinovel Wind Corporation and marketing development manager at Keithley Instruments.

“China is the fastest-growing, lubrication-consuming market in the world,” said Spectro Inc.’s President and CEO Brian Mitchell. “As such, we felt it was very important for us to have a physical presence along with local representation and communications to establish and maintain effective sales and customer support channels. Further, our products can be used in other fluid applications beyond lubrication compounds. By understanding the local and regional needs more clearly, we can explore those other applications and refine solutions for them.”

For more information, please visit www.spectroinc.com. 

New SKF reinforced all-rubber HSS radial shaft seals introduce improved solutions for reliable protection against contaminant and extended service life for large-size bearings in wind turbine drivetrains. These high performance seals are designed for easy installation or uptower replacement during planned maintenance procedures. For new designs their minimal space requirements allow for smaller and lighter bearing housings, potentially reducing turbine weight.

These seals feature a well-proven, spring-loaded sealing lip design with a defined radial load for reliable sealing performance. Available in solid and split versions, the seals can be equipped with an optional SKF Springover specially engineered to keep the spring in correct position.

For more information, call 1-800-440-4SKF or email: skfusainfo@skf.com or go to www.skfusa.com.

Hughey & Phillips (H&P) new HORIZON^TM line L-810 low-intensity products provide an LED based solution for the FAA L-810 steady burning lights and can be powered using a solar array for renewable energy applications.

The HORIZON^TM line of LED obstruction lighting is the next expansion of H&P’s obstruction lighting portfolio. The HORIZON^TM L-810 is a steady burn Obstacle Light and is available in both single and double configurations operating at a range of 95-277VAC and also in a range of 9-48 VDC. Both configurations are available as new fixtures and as replacements light modules for existing incandescent obstruction lights.

For more information, call 877-285-4466, or visit www.hugheyandphillips.com.

Castrol Industrial North America, Inc. announces the launch of the Performance Biolubes product line. The Performance Biolubes technology platform adds a range of bio-based lubricants, and metalworking fluids to Castrol’s existing line of lubricants supplied to the aviation, industrial manufacturing, marine and energy markets. Initially these products will be available in North America with plans for future roll out to Castrol’s global operations.

At its inception in 1991, the Performance Biolubes technology began as a research project at the University of Northern Iowa. Guy Chiatello, Senior Technical Advisor of Castrol Industrial’s Performance Biolubes team commented, “We are on the cusp of a major change in the lubricants industry, and Castrol is striving to lead that change with the addition of the Performance Biolubes cutting edge technology into their portfolio. That’s what’s exciting to me.” The addition of the Performance Biolubes product line expands Castrol’s customer offering through incorporating products that are built from bio-based oils, and are free of chlorine and secondary amines.

Dave Fuerst, President of Castrol Industrial North America said, “With this expansion in our offering, Castrol will have an impressive line of environmentally responsible products available to our industrial customers. New technology is a core element of Castrol’s strategy to increase our momentum in the B2B lubricants market and to capture the market transition to more environmentally responsible products.”

For more information call (630) 961-6993 or visit www.castrol.com.

The Timken Company’s Online Intelligence System (OIS) identifies potential bearing and gear issues before they become major problems for wind turbine owners. With operating conditions that change as frequently as the wind, mechanical equipment used in wind turbine applications encounters variable speeds, loads, temperatures and more, making it difficult to consistently and accurately monitor the machine’s health.

“It takes significant technical expertise to perform condition monitoring in extreme applications,” said Hans Landin, director of process industries original equipment and wind energy for Timken.  “Timken offers a comprehensive wind turbine service platform that includes online monitoring systems, a qualified wind field service organization, and upgraded solutions that can help lower the total cost of ownership for our customers.”

The Timken OIS is a breakthrough condition monitoring/data collection and reporting system specifically designed for these extreme ranges of a wind turbine application. The Timken OIS utilizes a combination of vibration, high-definition shock pulses and analog/digital inputs to identify main-shaft bearing, gearbox and generator problems before they develop into life-limiting conditions.

Early detection allows for better maintenance planning, reduced downtime and increased cost savings. Timken’s technology advantage and analysis helps wind turbine owners plan their maintenance and lower overall costs to keep equipment availability at a high level.

For more information, visit www.timken.com.

Parker Hannifin Corporation unveils the first in a series of stand-alone cooling units for cooling down tower power converters in 1.5 – 8.0 MW sized wind turbines. The 50 KW capacity cooling unit on display at the show, is targeted for 1.5-2.5MW sized wind turbines, and will be followed by additional models with cooling capacities of 18 – 200KW.

Parker Precision Cooling Systems has adapted its long-established two-phase evaporative cooling technology into a system that efficiently cools critical wind turbine power generation systems, with higher efficiency, safety and power density, compared to water cooling. The stand alone cooling system is meant for down tower installation, to cool offshore and onshore new wind turbine converter systems, and also easily enables retrofit or upgrade of existing wind turbine converter legacy cooling systems.

For more information, please contact Parker Precision Cooling Systems at www.parkerprecisioncooling.com. 

Trendelkamp introduces its new personnel and maintenance lifts for towers (inside) and a newly designed blade access platform (360°) for easy access and service on blades and wind energy facilities. 

Due to its modular design the lifts, (lift capacity of 660 lbs.) with an easy access sliding door can be assembled on site in less than two hours.

The easy to trailer new designed blade access platform allows the service crew a fast and mobile set-up at site in approximately one hour, and is a safe and efficient inspection, maintenance and repair option on all sizes and heights of blades.

For more information, please call (770) 931-9199, e-mail: tlp@trendelkamp.com or go to www.trendelkamp.com.

Rebranding effort signifies commitment to the wind industry-rooted in a fresh mission and vision that is data-driven and customer-focused

CHANTILLY, VA, Aug. 1, 2012 /CNW/ – Catch the Wind Ltd. (TSX-V: CTW, providers of predictive Optical Control Systems(OCS) for optimized wind energy generation, today announced the complete rebrand of the company, now operating through its wholly-owned subsidiary (formerly Catch the Wind, Inc.) as BlueScout Technologies, Inc. Combined with its proven technology and ambitious product development roadmap, the new brand is positioned to reconfirm the company’s commitment to making wind energy more competitive through innovation.

“Our name, BlueScout, is about the future. Our passion is to use our technologies and skills to help our customers in the wind industry understand and manage their wind resource more effectively. We will use this rebranding to show our customers, investors and partners our commitment to helping turbines reliably produce cleaner, renewable energy. To us, the blue of the skies holds intelligence to be discovered and applied, and our passion for exploration is embodied within the concept of scouting what is ahead,” said Jo S. Major, Ph.D, President and CEO of BlueScout Technologies, Inc.

BlueScout reveals a new image, complete with a fresh logo, mission, vision, values, and domain name. The company’s optically based wind forecasting technology for control systems, the BlueScout OCS-210, is a next generation turbine control system for utility-scale wind turbines. From its position on top of the nacelle, it measures wind speed and direction in the approaching free-stream inflow and employs predictive control architectures to increase energy production and reduce harmful effects of wind turbulence on wind turbines. The optical wind sensor, BlueScout OWS-150,is a lightweight, portable, all-weather wind assessment tool that precisely measures wind speed and direction of vertical profiles above the ground or off shore water surface—reaching the full blade height of most utility scale wind turbines.

Major continued, “BlueScout aspires to develop a unique capability using an understanding of wind characteristics, gained through more than three years of controlling operational wind turbines, to fundamentally change the control philosophy of the wind industry. To realize these goals, we will consistently innovate in collaboration with our customers, always looking to push the envelope of thought leadership, and relentlessly work to use measurement data to dramatically improve reliable performance.”

In the coming days the company will provide an operational update – details to be announced separately. The company will continue to be traded on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX-V) under the stock symbol “CTW” until such time as its trading symbol is changed to reflect this rebranding, which the company expects will occur later this month. In addition, at the company’s upcoming shareholders meeting the company will seek the approval of shareholders to change the name of the parent company’s name from “Catch the Wind Ltd.” to “BlueScout Technologies Ltd.” All prior trademarks of the company will no longer be used following this rebranding.

About BlueScout Technologies, Inc. (formerly known as Catch the Wind Inc.)

BlueScout Technologies (CTW.V) increases energy production and decreases operating costs by applying groundbreaking microgeographical wind flow sensing to turbine control systems that increases the effectiveness and availability of wind turbines. BlueScout combines precise, optically based wind forecasting with advanced predictive control architectures to ready the turbine for the imminent wind inflow changes – optimizing energy production and reducing the harmful effects of wind turbulence on the turbine. With extensive operating data on multiple wind turbine models, BlueScout is the leading, value-added innovator in wind turbine performance and optimization.

The team consists of experienced high-tech, R&D and manufacturing engineers; innovative entrepreneurs and proven leaders.  The BlueScout team has unique expertise and shares a firm commitment, as part of the wind power industry, to continuously improve the reliability of wind power generation through innovation. For more information, visit www.BlueScout.com.

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release, include, but are not limited to, economic performance and future plans and objectives of BlueScout Technologies. Any number of important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although BlueScout Technologies believes that the assumptions and factors used in making the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed timeframes or at all. BlueScout Technologies disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

BlueScout and the BlueScout logo are trademarks of BlueScout Technologies Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE: Catch the Wind Ltd.

Wind Systems partnered with Capital Safety and Snap-On Tools to raffle Snap-On toolboxes and ExoFit NEX Global Wind Energy Harnesses at the AWEA Windpower 2012 show in Atlanta, GA.

Raffle tickets were provided each day of the event to those visiting the Wind Systems booth where they received free subscriptions to the magazine and information about other exhibitors at the show held at the Georgia World Congress Center.

“We had a great time at Windpower 2012 and we’d like to congratulate AWEA for all their hard work,” said David C. Cooper, president and CEO of MSI, and publisher of Wind Systems and Gear Solutions magazines. “We had a great turnout each day of the show and we were extremely pleased with the turnout each day at our booth generated by these prizes donated for the giveaway.”

Winner of the first day’s drawing for the harness was Michael Burns of Burns Brothers Performance and Scott Kailer of JR Custom Metal won the toolbox.
 
Patrick Laird of Laramie County Community College won the harness the second day, while Telicia Craft of MH&W International took home the toolbox.

Third day winners included Nick Bach, a student who won the harness, and Dan Hadfield with Gard Specialists winning the toolbox.

Winners of the ExoFit Global Energy Safety Harnesses provided their measurements to Capital Safety so that their harnesses were custom-fit for their use.

The toolboxes and harnesses were shipped to the winners following the show.

AWEA Windpower 2012 was the first major wind energy conference and exhibition to take place in the Southeast, attracting thousands of corporate leaders and wind power professionals with concurrent educational sessions, committee meetings, and more than 900 exhibitors representing 60 countries.

“With more than 90 wind-related manufacturing facilities located in the Southeast – 20 of which are in Georgia – and the proximity to Hartsfield-Jackson International, the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta was a natural fit to host Windpower, and we are excited that AWEA chose Atlanta as the host city this year,” said Metro Atlanta Chamber Vice President, Supply Chain & Advanced Manufacturing Development Bob Pertierra. “Wind energy, renewable energy and clean technology represent one of the fastest-growing segments for economic growth in the world.”

To sign up for a free subscription to Wind Systems visit www.windsystemsmag.com. For a free subscription to Gear Solutions, go to www.gearsolutions.com.

The MERLIN Avian Radar System was purchased by the Management Unit of North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM), a division of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), and was delivered to Belgium in January 2011 to collect data on bird activity along the coast at Zebrugge.

MUMM studies the effects of offshore wind parks on all forms of sea life but of particular concern here were Terns nesting on the mainland and flying out to the shoals to feed. In March 2012 DeTect radar technicians transferred the MERLIN radar system from its mobile trailer to the C-Power platform.

“This is a very important and exciting project for DeTect” said Edward Zakrajsek, Manager of DeTect EU in London.  “DeTect technicians, headed by our Project Manager Andreas Smith, had to work quickly and accurately to reassemble the system onto the platform hours before it was transferred to a barge and towed out to sea.”  The wind park comprises 56 5-6 megawatt (MW) turbines that stand at 158 meters above sea level with rotor swept diameters of 63 to 64 meters. “These are some of the largest wind turbines in the world,” continued Mr. Zakrajsek, “and DeTect’s MERLIN avian radar technology is a key component for ensuring generation of environmentally-sound, clean, renewable energy.”

For more information, visit www.detect-inc.com or call 850-763-7200.

Baker Renewable Energy announced today it has installed a wind energy system at James Madison University featuring a 7.5-kilowatt Bergey wind turbine. Baker Renewable Energy installed the turbine as part of the Small Wind Training and Testing Facility, an educational initiative launched by the Virginia Center for Wind Energy (VCWE). The wind system is capable of producing 10,000-12,000 kWh of energy a year when operating at average annual wind speeds of 5 m/s, which is enough to power an average-sized house for a year.

Baker Renewable Energy installed the turbine on JMU’s East Campus, adjacent to the CISAT library. It, along with a small solar array, will provide clean power to the new building, while wind instruments on the tower will measure wind flow to provide VCWE with data on area wind patterns.  The turbine has a total rotor diameter of 23 feet, which when added to the 120-foot-tall, Rohn self-supporting lattice tower, places the total height of the system at 131.5 feet.

“We are excited to have been involved in this project, especially since it benefits the greater community in so many ways,” said Jason Epstein, executive vice president of Baker Renewable Energy.  “In addition to providing continuous, clean energy and reducing utility costs, the turbine will also offer a hands-on educational opportunity for students who are interested in the renewable energy field, further supporting the industry in Virginia.”

This initiative will allow VCWE to provide educational outreach to JMU students, area entrepreneurs and local K-12 schools. JMU professors will be able to use the facility as a teaching tool geared toward student entrepreneurs who may be interested in wind power-oriented business. Such a curriculum, and the advancement of the wind industry, will help diversify the state’s energy resources.

“Our goal is to cultivate a community that is educated in wind energy; therefore, we need to inform decision-makers, members of the public and local students about wind power development initiatives in Virginia,” said Dr. Jonathan Miles, professor in the College of Integrated Science and Technology, coordinator of the International Masters Program and director of the Virginia Center for Wind Energy at JMU. “We are grateful to Baker Renewable Energy for supporting our efforts to bring economic development, high environmental quality and reliable and affordable energy to the Commonwealth.” “The wind industry continues to gain visibility and traction across the Southeast and we are glad to support its development,” added John Matthews, president of Baker Renewable Energy. “The turbine provides a valuable training tool that will help to develop the Virginia workforce.”

Baker Renewable Energy has completed a number of other wind projects in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. The company installed a wind turbine for the North Carolina Solar Center, for the utility Santee Cooper in South Carolina and for the Wind for Schools program in Virginia, which assists in providing wind turbines and curricula to schools across the country through a Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Labs (NREL) platform. BRE has also worked with other schools such as New River Community College to install smaller wind systems.

For more information, visit www.windpowerVA.org or www.bakerrenewable.com.

Consert Inc., and Novatel Wireless, Inc., are the winners in the Green Telecom and Smart Energy Solutions category of the 2012 International CTIA Wireless Emerging Technology (E-Tech) awards program.

The CTIA E-Tech Awards honors the most innovative new products in 15 categories spanning the areas of mobile apps, consumer electronics, enterprise and infrastructure. Hundreds of entries were judged by a panel of recognized industry experts, media and analysts and were scored on innovation, functionality, technological importance, implementation and overall “wow” factor.

“This is a tremendous honor for Consort and only further highlights our successful partnership with Novatel Wireless,” said Jeff Ebihara, Consert vice president of sales and marketing. “To be nationally recognized by the wireless industry for our leadership in the smart energy solution space speaks volumes about our impact on the industry.”

The Consert Virtual Peak Plant™ (VPP) Solution, utilizing the Novatel Wireless Expedite® E396 PCI Express Mini Card for 3G, unites the best interest of utilities with those of consumers, empowering them to monitor and reduce energy consumption, and save money and the environment at the same time. The partnership enables the Consert Solution to operate over the Verizon Wireless 3G network. By using Novatel Wireless’ 3G Expedite E396 PCI Express Mini Card for home energy management, the network can offer services in real-time, as opposed to once every 15 minutes or once an hour or once every 24 hours, which is common for other utility smart grid networks.

With consumers setting, monitoring and reducing energy consumption from any Internet-enabled device, utility companies have the opportunity to gain operational savings, address peak load with measurable and verifiable certainty, and realize new revenue streams.

“Having our industry leading embedded modules recognized in our partners’ solutions in the 2012 International CTIA Wireless E-Tech awards program shows the importance of delivering modules that can be integrated with extreme flexibility and superior performance for mobile data applications,” said Rob Hadley, CMO, Novatel Wireless. “We had multiple award recognitions this year that highlight the ongoing commitment of Novatel Wireless to deliver the most innovative mobile broadband solutions and are very pleased to be recognized with Concert for this solution for the Smart Energy segment.

For more information, visit www.consert.com or www.novatelwireless.com and www.CTIA.org.

AMSC, a global solutions provider serving wind and grid leaders, announces that Inox Wind Limited, part of India’s Inox Group of Companies, placed a follow-on order for 50 of AMSC’s electrical control systems (ECS) for Inox’s 2 megawatt (MW) wind turbines. AMSC expects to ship all of these systems to Inox in 2012. This is the fourth volume order that AMSC has received from Inox in the past two years.

“Inox is producing some of the best performing and most attractive wind turbines for the Indian market, which have been designed with consideration for Indian site conditions and low cost of operation and maintenance,” said Devansh Jain, director of Inox Wind Limited. “We were among the first manufacturers to begin producing 2 MW turbines locally in volumes and have quickly established a leadership position in the market. This position is strengthened by our vertical approach, which includes best-in-class manufacturing as well as project development. We look forward to continuing our growth with AMSC at our side.”

AMSC’s ECS are an integrated, high-performance suite of power electronics systems that include the wind turbine power converter cabinet, internal power supply and various controls. Together, these systems serve as the “brains” of the wind turbine and enable reliable, high-performance operation by controlling power flows, regulating voltage, monitoring system performance, controlling the pitch of wind turbine blades and the yaw of the turbines to maximize efficiency.

The ECS are being utilized in Inox’s 2 MW doubly-fed induction turbines, which were designed by and licensed from AMSC in 2009.

“Already the third largest wind power market in the world, India is supporting renewables in a significant way. In fact, the country recently introduced generation-based incentives for wind power, which incentivize project developers to select turbines that lower their leveled cost of energy and maximize their power output,” said Daniel P. McGahn, President and CEO, AMSC. “This policy is sure to benefit a fully integrated player like Inox, who is committed to providing high-quality, competitively priced wind turbines with exceptional performance and reliability.”

For more information, visit www.amsc.com.

New legislation creates further streamlining for wind project permitting in Maine. Governor Paul LePage signed legislation LD 1798 to revamp the Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC). The reforms within the legislation include moving all permitting review for grid scale wind projects in the Unorganized Territories to the jurisdiction of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MeDEP).

Previously, LURC or MeDEP depending on the location of the project would conduct review of wind permitting. Occasionally this could cause difficulties when projects overlapped jurisdiction boundaries. With the recent improvements wind project permitting will have a standard procedure and review process throughout the state. The improvements signal the Legislature’s ongoing support for wind development, and their desire to continue to provide all applicants with certainty and predictability for the entire state.

The wind permitting streamline process began in 2008 with LD 2283, passed by the 123rd Legislature and signed by former-Governor John Baldacci.

For more information, visit  www.mainewindindustry.com.

Moventas continues to strengthen its offshore capability with its 5MW medium speed wind gear. In the beginning of May, Moventas delivered two 5MW offshore wind gears to AREVA Wind. The two companies have signed an 80 million euro agreement on future deliveries.

After approximately one year of testing, Moventas and AREVA Wind, subsidiary of the multi-national energy industry group AREVA, will be ready for series deliveries. Moventas and AREVA Wind have signed an agreement worth 80 million euros concerning 5MW gear unit deliveries for the coming years.

“We are very pleased to find that AREVA Wind trusts our leading expertise and over 30-year history in creating technically superior gear solutions for medium-speed and multi-megawatt class drive trains”, comments Senior Vice President of Wind Gears with Moventas, Arto Lahtela.

The new offshore gear will strengthen the Moventas product range, especially for the European markets, where the demand for offshore wind turbines is showing promising signs of growth. Challenging offshore conditions set extremely high requirements for both product design and manufacturing technologies. Moventas provides AREVA Wind’s international offshore wind expansion with a reliable medium speed offshore wind gear.

With a rated power of 5 MW, AREVA’s M5000 wind turbine with its innovative medium-speed concept has now three years operational experience in the German North Sea, and the group is now moving into serial production with its confirmed backlog of 120 machines. Beyond this AREVA is aiming at strong international expansion, with a focus on the European markets, and in particular United Kingdom and France.

Mikael Laine President & CEO Moventas companies. For more information, visit www.moventas.com.

Moog Industrial Group introduces its electric pitch control systems for controlling the angle of inclination of a wind turbine’s blades. Moog’s array of hardware, software and services also includes blade-sensing systems, rotor monitoring systems, slip rings and global training and services.

Moog has supplied more than 27,000 systems and products to many of the world’s top-ten wind turbine manufacturers. The company’s wind industry products and expertise span both electric and hydraulic technologies. Moog’s wind industry experts will explain how using the company’s systems on today’s wind turbines can reduce maintenance, improve safety and boost efficiency. For example, by precisely monitoring wind loads on blades, the rotor monitoring system improves the turbine’s life span and maintenance costs. Predictive maintenance is vital to wind park operators because the cost of a shutdown and subsequent turbine repairs is high.

Moog Pitch Systems also improve safety when the wind turbine loses electrical power. The pitch system puts the turbine blades off-wind into a safe operating mode that protects the wind turbine from damage. When the wind blows at 25 meters per second (50 mph) or higher, a wind turbine needs a failsafe to put its blades at an angle where the load is reduced and the wind turbine stops.

Found in the hub of the wind turbine, the Moog Pitch System consists of:  control boxes containing Moog Pitch Servo Drives; Wind Pitch Servo Motors; and, a control system including software for remote diagnostics and back-up power.

Moog also offers slip ring solutions, which are critical to operation. Found inside the wind turbine’s nacelle, Moog’s slip rings provide electrical signals and energy for blade pitch power and control. Moog’s fiber brush slip rings offer wind turbine owners a minimum of 100 million revolutions of operational life with no maintenance.

Moog signed a contract to supply a test system to NAREC (National Renewable Energy Centre) to evaluate and test wind turbine blades at NAREC’s new 100-m (328-ft.) blade testing facility in Blyth, Northumberland, United Kingdom.

Opening this summer, turbine blade manufacturers will use NAREC to test prototype blade designs and manufacturing processes. The new facility will accommodate blades being designed for larger offshore wind turbines up to 100 m (328 ft.) in length and will complement NAREC’s existing capability testing blades in the 50-m (164 ft.) range.

The new 100-m (328 ft.) blade test facility will provide an independent and confidential environment to accelerate the development of new blade designs before they are taken offshore. It will be the largest facility of its type in the world and expands on NAREC’s existing blade-testing capability developed over the last five years, serving the global supply chain and industrial research communities.

Stuart Bibb, Market Manager, Moog Test Systems said, “Our division within Moog specializes
in structural testing for the aerospace industry. Using computer-controlled hydraulic technology, we are able to simulate service loads to ascertain structural strength prior to initial flight-testing. We were able to apply the same experience, technology and skills to NAREC’s requirements to deliver the right solution.”

Dean Goodwin, Mechanical Lead Engineer, at NAREC said, “NAREC undertakes fatigue testing of wind turbine blades using a hydraulic system to resonate the blade at its natural frequency. Moog’s track record in the aerospace industry provided us with the confidence in their solution for our new world-leading facility.”

Moog will supply and commission a Test Controller and monitoring system to control the NAREC Control Resonance Mass (CRM), which excites natural frequencies in the blade structure to evaluate the blades’ resistance to fatigue under representative dynamic loading conditions. The scope of supply will also include a very high flow PLC controlled Hydraulic Power Unit designed to interface with the NAREC primary control system.

The power unit, comprising six Moog RKP Radial Piston Pumps, has an installed power of 675 kW, delivering a flow of 1,200 lpm (317 gpm US) at a pressure of 280 bar (4061 psi). A dedicated PLC controls and monitors the performance and health of the unit and a water-cooling system maintains the temperature of the hydraulic fluid. High pressure hydraulic fluid is circulated around the facility by a custom designed distribution network.

For more information, visit www.moog.com.

Crane service provider Mediaco Maxilift recently lifted the tower of a dockside crane from its base at a French port to make it possible to perform necessary maintenance work. In order to safely lift the 414-tonne (456 US tons) load and then place it back on its base, the company relied on the powerful performance of a TerexTM CC 2800 lattice boom crawler crane.
 

The two lifts brought several challenges for the Mediaco team from the start: On the one hand, the wharf’s structure was not designed to bear the joint weight of the CC 2800 and its load. “In order not to damage the structure, we placed steel beams under the CC 2800’s crawler tracks in order to better distribute the weight,” explains Mediaco Maxilift project manager Robert Titart. On the other hand, the load’s center of gravity proved to be an obstacle in performing the lift safely. In order to solve this problem, a custom-made spreader was used to balance the load with the required precision. However, the spreader added 11.5 tons (12.6 US tons) to the load being lifted, increasing the total weight to 433 tons (477 US tons) together with the 4.5-tonne (4.9 US tons) hook block and the 3-tonne (3.3 US tons) rigging cables and chains.

The Mediaco team set up the CC 2800 with an SSL configuration, a 54-meter main boom, a superstructure counterweight of 160 tons (176 US tons), and a Superlift counterweight of 300 tons (330 US tons), and decided to use a Superlift radius of 15 meters (49 ft.). With this configuration, the CC 2800 was perfectly prepared to safely lift the load and put it back down later within the required working radius of 16 meters (52 ft).

The Terex® CC 2800 is a lattice boom crawler crane with a remarkable level of versatility. For instance, it can be converted from a standard crane to a special-purpose crane for wind turbine projects — and back. This includes a rigid luffing fly jib (LF2) with a length of 12, 24, or 36 meters that was developed specifically with wind power-related applications in mind. The crane’s rated lifting capacity is 600 tons with a reach of seven meters, while its maximum load moment is 7,056 mt.

The undercarriage is available in two different models: the standard version and with a chassis designed for road travel. The basic machine, including all winches and the A-frame, can be transported within a 12-ton axle load limit.

The high level of flexibility provided by these options and features saves time and money during transportation, setup, and disassembly, providing for a high level of cost-effectiveness in the process.  Moreover, the time-tested control system, featuring remote radio control capabilities, makes it possible to operate the TerexTM CC2800 easily, safely, and comfortably no matter what the operating conditions.

For more information, please visit www.mediaco-groupe.com/eng or www.terex.com.

Redstone College, a Denver-based institution of higher learning, celebrated the commencement of its fourth graduating class from its Wind Energy Technology Program on May 21, bringing the total number of graduates since the program launched in August 2010 to 106. According to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Colorado is one of the top 10 states for wind energy jobs, and receives 9.2% of its electricity from wind power.

“Wind energy is a relatively new industry for America, and yet, it has had significant growth both in the U.S. and Colorado, especially in the last five years,” said Tim Guerrero, campus academic dean of Redstone College. “When we launched our program, we made a commitment to provide our students with a curriculum that focused on hands-on learning to ensure they were workforce ready. We went to Denmark to find a used Vestas V27 to place in our wind lab, which teaches everything from testing equipment, such as a lab volt industrial trainer and a hydraulic station, to troubleshooting for the processes of installation, testing and repair of wind turbines. When our graduates complete the program, they are immediately ready to productively manage wind turbine electronic components.”

Redstone’s 15-month associate program teaches both mechanical and electrical applications for the wind energy industry, including the fundamentals of mechanics, math and physics. Safety training is also a critical component of the program; students receive training in first aid, fire suppression, and climb safety and current OSHA safety standards. The program has grown substantially since it launched and currently has eight faculty and two lab technicians. Four classes have graduated since October 2011, and program enrollments are accepted every two months.

“When you work with high voltage and high power, students must learn they can’t rush it and that troubleshooting systems requires critical thinking,” said Warren Schmelzer, wind energy technology instructor of Redstone College. “Our faculty doesn’t teach the technology of a specific turbine, but rather we teach our students to ‘read’ and to understand the fundamentals of concepts such as wind mechanics and math, among others.”

Wind Energy Technology graduates have received jobs at leading organizations including RES America, SOS Staffing/Vestas, Ethos Distributed Energy, enXco, Siemens and SkyClimber. For all programs offered at Redstone College, 80 percent of its eligible graduates have been placed in jobs in their fields of study.

For more information, visit www.redstone.edu.

During the last few months the Evance R9000 small wind turbine has undergone further tests which have confirmed its energy generation has increased by over 4% to 9,167kWh at a wind speed of 5 meters per second.

The R9000 small wind turbine was one of the first small wind turbines to achieve SWCC conditional certification last year, and has received further improvements since.

Many Evance customers have already benefitted from higher than expected energy generation as the R9000 system improvements were implemented several months ago. For example, Clive Breeze was pleasantly surprised with the energy generated from his recent installation: “In the first three weeks alone, the R9000 turbines exceeded the predicted energy generation targets by 10 percent.” This reduced the customer’s first quarterly electricity bill by the equivalent of nearly $500.

“We’re delighted that our R9000 turbine is proving so efficient in energy production as this translates directly into a faster return on investment for our customers,” said Kevin Parslow, CEO of Evance Wind Turbines.

“Our R9000 machine accounted for a third of all small wind turbines sold in the UK last year – making it the UK’s small wind turbine of choice. We look forward to accelerating our drive into the North American market though our network of installers in a bid to establish a similar market leadership position,” concludes Kevin. For more information, visit www.evancewind.com.

PSI Repair Services, Inc., introduces its off-warranty repair support for wind energy operations and maintenance (O&M) professionals.

PSI Repair Services offers fast, affordable repairs, including upgraded/longer-life products, for out-of-warranty electronic, hydraulic and precision mechanical components that drive your turbines’ pitch and yaw systems and down tower electronics. Components repaired include printed circuit boards, PLCs, control cards, VRCC components, IGBTs, thyristors, converters, pitch motors, hydraulic pumps, servo motors, transducers and much more. All repairs come with a free evaluation and one-year warranty.

PSI uses the latest diagnostic tools to detect failures down to the microchip level. Solutions range from minor component changes to full replacement printed circuit boards, with enhanced designs to improve performance and reliability. These options allow you to significantly increase mean time between failures (MTBF) and prevent costly downtime and/or repeat repairs.

In addition, PSI provides comprehensive remanufacturing services for unsalvageable, obsolete components. Plus, PSI’s stocking programs provide fast turnaround to help reduce inventories.
“PSI Repair Services is a one-stop resource for wind farm O& M professionals,” said Mike Fitzpatrick, General Manager of PSI Repair Services. “No other repair service provider in the wind industry can match PSI’s breadth and depth of cost- saving services, or has a dynamic Engineering Services Department quite like PSI. The difference is clear for our customers.”

For more information, visit www.psi-repair.com.