Crane Service, Inc., was in charge of offloading a 136,000-lb shunt reactor at the Tucson Electric Power wind park located near Deming, New Mexico. In this project they used a Tadano-Faun ATF220G-5 (250 ton) class crane to hoist a shunt reactor off a transport trailer. After offloading the shunt reactor they immediately placed it on a five-axle transport dolly. The transport dolly was pulled by mover Mighty Mel, which hauled the shunt reactor 350 feet down a dirt road. At this point it had to maneuver the reactor into the transmission site where it would ultimately set. Once Mighty Mel was past the gate the Tadano-Faun ATF220G-5 hoisted the shunt reactor into place. Due to the soil conditions, the Tadano-Faun ATF220G-5 was required to hoist the shunt reactor three times to make it to the pad.

“This project truly showed off our abilities as a heavy hoisting and hauling company,” says Chris Martin, marketing coordinator at Crane Service. “Not only were we able to offload the shunt reactor, we are able to move it into place with our prime mover and transport dolly.”

Crane Service, Inc., specializes in rigging, heavy hoisting, and heavy hauling. It has been serving the greater southwest for more than 50 years. With four locations—Albuquerque, Bloomfield, Chaparral, and Sweetwater, Texas—it is able to serve the greater southwest’s heavy hoisting needs. The company’s fleet is able to serve a wide spectrum of clientele, from 8.5 to 550 tons. It is continually raising the bar for what a crane rental company can be. Contact Martin at (505) 710-5844 or cmartin@craneserviceInc.com. To view a video of the operation go online to www.craneserviceinc.com or visit the Wind Systems Facebook page.

When Forbes Magazine asked readers and energy industry experts the questions, “Who is reinventing the world? Who should you hire today? Who will you be working for in 20 years? Who, in short, under the age of 30, matters?” The answer for the energy industry was clear and included four of wind energy’s brightest stars. The Forbes “30 Under 30” list for the energy industry published this week includes:

• David Berry, cofounder and vice president of strategy and finance at Clean Line Energy Partners, Houston, Texas;
• Jeff Bishop, senior manager of government and regulatory affairs, EDP Renewables, Houston, Texas;
• Elizabeth Salerno, chief economist and director of data and analysis at the American Wind Energy Association, Washington, D.C.;
• Sean Tufts, development manager, RES Americas, Broomfield, Colorado.

“I am so proud that Forbes’ readers and energy experts recognize the awesome accomplishments and contributions of Liz, Jeff, David and Sean,” according to American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) CEO Denise Bode. “Wind energy is a great American success story, providing great jobs and opportunities to young people all across the country.”

A recent study found that with stable tax policy the wind industry can grow to almost 100,000 American jobs in the next four years, including growing the wind manufacturing sector by one third to 46,000 American manufacturing jobs. This will keep the wind sector on track toward supporting the 500,000 jobs by 2030 projected in a report by the U.S. Department of Energy during the George W. Bush administration.

The report completed by Navigant also found that if Congress allows the Production Tax Credit (PTC) for wind to expire, jobs in the wind industry will be cut in half, meaning a loss of 37,000 American jobs and a one third cut to American wind manufacturing jobs, while private investment in the industry would drop by nearly two thirds.

Wind energy’s key federal tax incentive, the PTC, is set to expire at the end of 2012. Bipartisan legislation recently introduced by Representatives Dave Reichert (R, WA-08) and Earl Blumenauer (D, OR-03) seeks to grant a four-year extension to the PTC for wind energy (H.R. 3307, the “American Renewable Energy Production Tax Credit Extension Act”). This legislation has garnered the support of 36 cosponsors including 11 Republicans.

Forbes reporters received thousands of nominations before culling the list to the 360 professionals listed in the “30 Under 30” Energy list and 11 other sector specific lists. The complete “30 Under 30” list will also be included in the January 16th issue of Forbes Magazine. Learn more about
AWEA is the national trade association of America’s wind industry, with more than 2,400 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the world’s largest wind power trade show, the WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, which takes place next in Atlanta, June 2-6, 2012. Learn more at www.awea.org and www.windpowerexpo.org.

3B-the fibreglass company announces the introduction of a renewed range of reinforcements each designed for specific resin systems and engineered to provide optimum performances for the manufacture of wind turbine blades. The first product in the series to be revealed is Advantex® SE2020, a new single-end roving specifically engineered for epoxy polymer systems utilized in resin infusion or prepreg processes.

Luc Peters, 3B Wind Energy technical product manager, says that “At 3B we focus on understanding the needs of wind energy OEMs by working hand in hand with the designers, the weavers and ultimately the manufacturers of turbine blades. Collaborating with the entire value chain enables us to bring to market new benchmark rovings which further pushes the limits of glass fibre composite blade designs to address new challenges facing the wind industry.”

At present multi-compatible reinforcements are commonly used with different resin systems such as epoxy (EP), unsaturated polyester (UP), vinyl ester (VE), etc. However, by developing innovative and proprietary sizing technology focused on a specific resin family (epoxy), 3B is changing the rules of the game. By optimizing the coupling of the reinforcement uniquely for epoxy resin systems 3B thereby achieves best-in-class composite properties. With such a value proposition, 3B’s renewed product offering becomes an industry benchmark for structural resins.

“Aligned with our strategy to be the wind energy solution provider, 3B has been continuously analyzing the market to better understand the challenges confronting the entire value chain. Our company has put tremendous R&D efforts in developing and combining new reinforcements with precise sizing technology to respond to the needs of the industry,” says Onur Tokgoz, 3B Wind Energy global business leader.

Compared to conventional materials in the market place, 3B’s new Advantex SE2020 roving for epoxy resin systems offers better wet out therefore providing a more consistent laminate quality, a significantly improved resin matrix adhesion which delivers higher shear strength, and substantially greater interfibre strength. This, together with the resulting enhanced fatigue performance, makes the new SE2020 roving the solution that designers need to greatly improve existing blades and, more importantly, to create the next generation of epoxy wind turbine blades.

“At 3B, we strongly believe wind energy will play a key role in the need for efficient power generation that is clean, reliable and cost effective, especially in light of the recent announcements concerning the reduction and eventual elimination of our dependence on nuclear power,” Tokgoz adds. “To meet future needs and help reduce the cost per kWh, larger multi-megawatt wind turbines will become the norm, but these will require improved blade designs with enhanced materials to ensure their efficiency and productivity.”

3B-the fibreglass company is a leading developer and supplier of fibreglass products and technologies for the reinforcement of thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. Learn more at

www.3b-fibreglass.com.

Motion system designers looking for a smooth operating, quiet right angle gear drive will find Zero-Max Crown gear drives the ideal choice. They feature heat treated AGMA Class 10 spiral bevel gears and non-magnetic stainless steel shafts providing long term, maintenance free operation.

Zero-Max Crown gear drives feature long-life, precision hardened, and ground ball bearings handling speeds up to 2000 rpm in most operating environments. The internal gears are permanently mounted to the shafts with locking pins. This provides a very resilient and durable connection for use in heavy load applications while requiring no maintenance.

Zero-Max ensures their drives are predictably smooth operating, and similar model sizes have identical performance characteristics when designed into multiple drive setups. To accomplish this, Zero-Max drives are hand shimmed and hand assembled for perfect bearing and gear alignment. The drives are pre-lubricated during assembly, then completely enclosed in a heavy-duty anodized aluminum housing. This design ensures that internal gears stay permanently aligned, lubricated and free of contamination from outside debris.

Zero-Max Crown drives are ideal for a wide range of machine applications and are available in many sizes and models. They are ideal for a wide range of horsepower, torque and shaft speed requirements. Standard two and three way models are available with 1:1 and 2:1 speed ratios in shaft diameter combinations of 3/8, 1/2, 5/8 and 3/4 inch.

“System designers increasingly prefer gear drives that operate quietly without maintenance requirements,” says Robert Mainz, sales manager. “Crown drives fulfill those requirements. They have become a preferred choice for automated systems because of their robust design and quiet operation.” To learn more call (800) 533-1731 or (763) 546-4300. E-mail zero-max@zero-max.com or go online to www.zero-max.com.

In order to manage wind generation in its real-time and day-ahead markets, the system operator for the New England area of the U.S., ISO New England Inc., has awarded GL Garrad Hassan a two-year contract to provide wind power forecasting services to all wind in the ISO’s footprint, including generation within the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. GL Garrad Hassan is in the beginning stages of this project for the ISO, with plans to begin first forecast delivery in 2012. Accurate forecasting is the key to the management of any generation source that inherently depends on the variability of the weather, requiring advanced short-term prediction of generation to make it approach the manageability of conventional electricity sources.

GL Garrad Hassan has carried out pre-construction energy assessments on many operational and soon to be operational wind projects across the New England region. According to Dr. Craig Collier, regional practice manager for North America’s GH Forecaster service, “New England offers not only a diversity of topographic features to externally force the wind, but it is among the most complicated regions of the U.S. in terms of its meteorology. While New England is exposed to powerful winter storm systems advancing out of Southern Canada, the Central U.S., and the Atlantic (so-called “Nor’Easters”), it is also prone to hurricanes and severe weather, as evidenced by this year’s devastating tornado outbreak affecting Western Massachusetts.”

Indeed, the active summer was followed on its heels by an already active winter. This year’s winter is already off to an early start, with a record-breaking snow storm in late October. Dr. Collier adds, “These events make forecasting challenging even for the most seasoned meteorologists.”

For several years, GL Garrad Hassan has been providing short-term forecasting for a number of wind installations off the coast of Europe. The techniques developed for offshore prediction may lend themselves well for ISO New England. New England has a tremendous offshore wind resource, unlike that of any other region of the U.S. According to Ben Bell, CEO of GL Garrad Hassan North America, “We see tremendous potential for offshore development along the New England coast, a strategic area of involvement for GL Garrad Hassan.” Given its unparalleled experience with offshore assessment and forecasting, GL Garrad Hassan is ready for the challenge of any new developments along the Atlantic Coast.

GL Garrad Hassan has provided short-term prediction solutions for project owners, operators, utilities, and system operators for nearly 10 years. The GL Garrad Hassan solution, GH Forecaster, is built upon cutting-edge wind resource and wind power simulation, state of the art high-resolution numerical weather prediction, and advanced and highly-adaptive machine learning models, to provide the most accurate short-term forecasts in the industry. Backed by a globally dispersed team of atmospheric scientists, physicists, and engineers, the GH Forecaster system provides custom short-term prediction services for over 30 GW of installed capacity in 14 countries, from Southeast Asia to Europe, to the Americas, and to Australia. Learn more at www.gl-group.com.

Sandvik Coromant has announced the establishment of a new department focused on education. With this change comes a newly appointed director of education in the U.S., John Jacobsen. He previously held the position of director of business intelligence for three years at Sandvik Coromant U.S. in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. In his new role he will be responsible for overseeing all internal and external training and education activities in the United States.

“We are committed to helping customers develop the skills required in the area of metal cutting technology,” says Jacobsen. “In this new role I hope to encourage a higher level of knowledge by offering ways to improve machining processes and profitability. We are also committed to helping all of our employees continue their education by offering a comprehensive selection of metal cutting technology and business courses in both a classroom and e-learning environment.”

Jacobsen earned an MBA degree in management from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has a bachelor’s degree in marketing. He is also a certified facilitator for Franklin Covey’s 7 Habits for Managers and Paradigm Learning’s Zodiak business acumen course. He is a board member with the Industrial Supply Association (ISA) and the United States Cutting Tool Institute (USCTI), and he has been a part of the Sandvik Coromant team for 15 years in a variety of management positions.

Sandvik Coromant is a world-leading supplier of cutting tools and tooling systems for the metalworking industry and is represented in 130 countries. It has 25 state of the art Productivity Centers located around the world to provide customers and staff with continuous training in tooling solutions and methods to increase productivity. Sandvik Coromant is part of the tooling business area of the Sandvik Group. Learn more at www.sandvik.coromant.com/us.

NIMBY is an acronym well-known in all development industries for “Not In My Back Yard.” As the wind energy industry matures, so does anti-wind energy sentiment. NIMBYism is becoming increasingly prevalent in the United Kingdom, and US wind farms are now encountering well-organized opposition and wind energy NIMBYism become more widespread. Arguments that are most prevalent and difficult for developers to answer surround the topics of noise, flicker, wildlife and habitat fragmentation, decommissioning, confidentiality, safety, efficiency & capacity, subsidies, and costs.

Through the lens of these popular arguments, this 90-minute webinar will educate all wind energy professionals seeking to responsibly represent their company and stave off complaints and concerns in working with county and local governments, landowners, and other important stakeholders. Those attending this seminar will learn how to:

• Disarm the opponent
• Dissect an argument into its structural components
• Spot commonplace fallacies
• Leverage counterarguments
• Assuage fears and concerns about “Wind Turbine Syndrome,” and Sidestep common mistakes made in landowner communications

The presenter is Tiff Thompson, principal at NIMBY Consulting, LLC, and the event will be held on Wednesday, February 15th, 2012, 1:00-2:30 PM Eastern. Please register by Midnight (Eastern), Tuesday, February 14, to receive webinar connection information in a timely manner. Go to www.cvent.com/d/OsxtCJV05keQI6CeFPirfQ/c7xt/P1/1Q?

The Midwest wind power market is strong, and continues to be an anchor for the entire U.S. wind energy industry. Of the over 43,600 MWs of wind capacity installed in the U.S. through October 2011, over 14,600 MWs were installed in Midwestern states – that’s over 30% of total installed capacity.

Whether you are already involved in Midwest wind power activities, or want to learn more about entering into this growing marketplace, you won’t find a more relevant event. This new AWEA Regional Summit is a prime opportunity to engage in discussions with your peers, wind energy industry leaders, and subject matter experts on issues unique to the Midwest. And because this event is designed specifically for the region, the local business contacts and prospects you will develop will be invaluable. Learn about and discuss critical Midwest Wind Energy issues in these sessions:

• • Keynote Session: Wind Industry Leaders Roundtable
  • • Midwest Wind Energy Market Assessment
  • • Transmission Opportunities and Issues in the Midwest
  • • Siting and Wildlife Issues
  • • Wind Power as a Manufacturing Growth Engine in the Midwest
  • • Community Relations and Local Acceptance in Sub-Regional Markets
  • • Key Wind Power Issues Facing Utilities in the Midwest
     
    The event will be held in Chicago at the downtown Fairmont Hotel, Millenium Park

March 6-7, 2012. Register here: www.awea.org/events/AWEA-Midwest-Wind-Energy-Markets-Seminar-2012.cfm.

Register now for the Mexico Wind Power Finance & Investment 2012 from March 26-28, 2012 in Mexico City, D.F. This program will explore the burgeoning Mexican wind market, giving you both an evaluation of the market and potential business models as well as an introduction to the government officials, financiers, and vendors you need to know to succeed. Register by Friday, March 2, 2012 to receive the Early Bird Special. Mexico Wind Power Finance & Investment 2012 will:
 
• Host the major government and industry players in the Mexican market as project development accelerates
• Assess wind resources and access to new areas where wind power will flourish
• Present case studies and lessons learned in public and self-supply deals
• Evaluate how the latest turbine and interconnection technologies will affect project performance
• Connect developers with leading domestic and international financiers to assure the profitability of the wind industry
 
March 26-28, 2012 · Mexico City, D.F.
www.informationforecastnet.com/mxwind12
Registration Code MX1E12

Early Bird Ends Friday, March 2, 2012

Maxwell Technologies, Inc., CEO David Schramm (above center) rang the market closing bell on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at NASDAQ’s MarketSite in New York City’s Times Square. Maxwell was honored in the closing ceremony for its 28 years of participation on the stock exchange and its profile of innovation and leadership that exemplifies a NASDAQ company. Sales of Maxwell’s ultracapacitor products have grown from $5 million in 2004 to a run rate on pace to reach $100 million by the end of 2011.

Maxwell is a leading developer and manufacturer of innovative, cost-effective energy storage and power delivery solutions. Maxwell’s ultracapacitor products provide safe and reliable power solutions for applications in consumer and industrial electronics, transportation, and telecommunications. Its high-voltage grading and coupling capacitors help to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution, and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. Its radiation-mitigated microelectronic products include power modules, memory modules, and single board computers that incorporate powerful commercial silicon for superior performance and high reliability in aerospace applications. For more information please visit www.maxwell.com.

Castrol Industrial has signed a purchase agreement with Siemens Wind Power to use the company’s flagship gear oil, Castrol Optigear Synthetic X 320. The award of the new contract has been the impetus for Castrol Industrial starting up the production of Castrol Optigear Synthetic X 320 at its U.S. manufacturing plant in Warminster, Pennsylvania, to help the company better serve Siemens operations in Hutchinson, Kansas, and supply locally-produced lubricants to other customers in the U.S. and surrounding markets.

“The deal is the latest in a long-standing working relationship with Siemens, a company that recognizes the importance of working with global partners to ensure consistency and quality in all markets served,” according to Sven Thiesen, key account manager wind energy, Castrol Industrial. “We are pleased to be working with such a forwardthinking, innovative and growing business and are incredibly proud to be supporting Siemens’ global expansion plans.”

Today, Castrol Industrial provides 100 percent fulfillment of all Siemens’ wind turbine gear box lubrication needs with its Castrol Optigear Synthetic X 320 product, and supply of complementary products, including hydraulic fluids and greases to the company’s wind energy business. Over the past five years Castrol Industrial has supplied Siemens Wind Power with gear box lubricants of consistent high quality and standardized packaging globally for first fill and ongoing maintenance applications. Siemens Wind Power is one of the world’s leading suppliers of wind power solutions for onshore, offshore and coastal sites.

While Castrol Industrial ships Optigear Synthetic X 320 from Europe to serve the Chinese market, the company continues to evaluate the option of manufacturing at its Taichang plant in China to meet the growing demand in this region, which represents significant future potential. Learn more at www.castrol.com.

The Travelers Companies, Inc., which has been offering insurance products and risk management services for clean energy and technology businesses for more than two decades, announces the formation of its Clean Energy & Technology Practice. This new practice creates a streamlined source of clean energy and technology-focused insurance products, and risk and claim management resources.

“With Travelers’ long experience working closely with clean energy and technology businesses, and as these businesses continue to grow and expand, the Clean Energy & Technology Practice makes it easier for independent agents and brokers to access the breadth and depth of Travelers’ products and services,” says Joe Tracy, president, Travelers Inland Marine. “The Clean Energy & Technology Practice offers rounded total account solutions. Through a single touch point, customers experience a streamlined process that provides access to a broad spectrum of insurance products and risk management services.”

The practice brings together all of Travelers’ existing clean energy and technology practice areas, providing customers, including wind and solar manufacturers, contractors, power producers, owners and developers, smart grid, fuel cell development, alternative, and other energy efficient solutions with industry-specific insurance protection. The Travelers Clean Energy & Technology Practice has extensive capabilities and interest in supporting U.S. entities and their international exposures that focus on technologies that are energy efficient or environmentally friendly.

Interest and demand for clean energy and technology is increasing dramatically in the United States and across the globe. As a result, these demands have fueled the growth of businesses in the renewable energy industry focusing on technologies that are energy efficient or environmentally friendly. “Clean energy and technology companies are expanding across the globe, each with a unique risk profile that our underwriters are trained to understand and address,” says Kathy Swendsen, president, Travelers Global Technology. “By combining our expertise under one practice, in conjunction with our independent agent and broker network, we help our customers avoid the growing pains of inadequate coverage as their businesses evolve.”

The Clean Energy & Technology Practice will be spearheaded by Travelers veterans Tracy and Swendsen and co-managed by Kirstin Simonson, underwriting director for Global Technology, and Lauren Cutro Berry, underwriting vice president for Inland Marine. For more information visit www.travelers.com/cleanenergy.

NAES Corporation announces the addition of William “Will” Day as vice president and general manager of the NAES Power Contractors office in Hillsboro, Oregon. He is responsible for all activities for NAES Power Contractors emanating from the Hillsboro office.

Day has over 30 years’ experience in the generation industry. Before joining NAES he served as vice president of development engineering and construction at Calera Corporation, a Silicon Valley startup technology venture. Prior to that he spent 20 years in various leadership roles at NRG Energy and Cajun Electric Power Cooperative. During his career Day has held director level roles in transmission, operations, construction, business development, and mergers/acquisitions. He has also represented companies on industry and partnership boards both domestically and internationally.

Headquartered in Issaquah, Washington, NAES is the world’s leading provider of comprehensive services to industries that generate or consume power. For over 30 years, it has specialized in providing services centered on safe, reliable, and cost-effective performance including operations and maintenance; retrofit and maintenance services; on-site turbine inspection/overhaul services; staffing solutions; and customized services designed to improve plant and personnel effectiveness. NAES is owned by ITOCHU International, Inc., the U.S. affiliate of ITOCHU Corporation. With operations in over 80 countries covering a broad range of industries, ITOCHU is among the world’s largest corporations. Go online to www.naes.com.

Mortenson Construction, a leading North American renewable energy contractor, was recently selected by San Diego-based developer enXco—an EDF Energies Nouvelles Company—for the construction of the Pacific Wind Project. Located on the south slope of the Tehachapi Mountains in Kern County California, the 8,500-acre project will generate 140 megawatts of wind power, which is enough energy to power approximately 39,000 homes.

Mortenson is responsible for the design and construction of access roads, foundations, erection, overhead and underground electrical collection system, and a 14,400 square-foot O&M facility that will support the Pacific Wind Project as well as other enXco projects slated for development in the area. Construction began in December, 2011, and is expected to be completed in August, 2012.

The Pacific Wind Project is the 19th wind power facility that Mortenson has constructed in partnership with enXco. Together the partnership has provided nearly 2GW of energy throughout the United States. In early October Mortenson completed construction of enXco’s 205.5 megawatt Lakefield Wind Project in southern Minnesota. In Minnesota alone the enXco/Mortenson partnership has developed and constructed approximately 36 percent of the state’s wind energy capacity.

“Our long-established relationship with enXco represents a cohesive partnership that reinforces our commitment to renewable energy though out the United States,” says Tim Maag, a vice president and general manager of Mortenson’s Renewable Energy Groups.

Since entering the renewable energy market in 1995 Mortenson Construction has become a leading builder of wind power facilities in North America, constructing more than 100 wind projects generating more than 11,000MW of renewable power across the United States and Canada. With 100 percent of Mortenson’s business in the power sector coming from renewable energy, Engineering News-Record ranked Mortenson the 11th largest power contractor in the U.S. for 2010. Go online to www.mortenson.com/wind.

Romax Technology is pleased to announce the availability of release R14.0 of the precision bearing, gearbox, and driveline simulation and analysis software, RomaxDesigner, and wind turbine drivetrain specific variant, RomaxWind. The release includes many productivity and feature enhancements and introduces the innovative new Concept Modeller module option.

The Concept Modeller module revolutionizes the speed with which complex gearbox models can be created, functionally analyzed and exported to CAD for packaging analysis. The point and click user interface incorporates drag and drop editing and sizing features, resulting in over 10x speed improvement and reduced data entry errors when creating fully compatible RomaxDesigner models.

Designers can create gearboxes using conventional “stick diagrams” that are as easy as using pen and paper. Possible gearbox layouts include complex ravigneaux and plus-planet planetary arrangements and the latest dual-clutch arrangements. The Concept Modeller module takes the stick-diagram input and generates 2D and 3D representations that can be easily analyzed visually by selecting cut planes through the design. The module allows high-speed analysis of the basic properties required to evaluate many design concepts and select those that merit more detailed study. The properties include:

• Powerflow path analysis for each transmission ratio, speed and torque;
• Gear sizing analysis to aid in the determination of packaging requirements;
• Calculation of tooth passing frequencies to provide early indications of likely NVH performance.

No data re-entry is required on concept designs that are taken forward into RomaxDesigner for precision analysis. “We are seeing higher levels of innovation in our customer’s transmission designs and design processes as they rise to the challenges lower emission vehicle designs with rapidly evolving powertrains”, said Younsu Park, director of simulation technology. “A recent gearbox project involved the analysis of 58 conceptual layouts, of which six were selected for detailed analysis. RomaxDesigner release R14.0, with our new Concept Modeller option is making significant productivity improvements in this type of workflow.”

Based on extensive feedback from users, 20 productivity enhancements have been included in release R14.0. Commonly used functions have been assigned quick-click buttons, tabs during data entry have been re-ordered to match the most common workflows, and new visualizations have been added to more easily confirm correct data entry. Learn more at www.romaxtech.com.

One segment of the wind energy business that is not stagnating is onsite service and maintenance of wind generation equipment, according to Wind Energy Services Company (WES), a specialist in composite components such as blades, nacelles, and nose cones. The company announces that it has expanded service offerings to meet the evolving needs of wind farm operators, and as a result anticipate doubling their workforce in the coming year. The expanded services that the company is adding include dynamic rotor balancing, comprehensive rotor service maintenance programs, and replacement composite parts for older-model equipment.

One reason behind the increasing demand for turbine repair and maintenance is the maturing of the installed base of wind turbines, some of which is aging out of warranty. As fleets age, instances of breakdown become more frequent and overall productivity declines, especially impacting profitability when the equipment is no longer covered by manufacturer warranty.

WES has created a range of planned maintenance programs tailored to a variety of operator needs. These comprehensive programs include inspection, corrective repairs and restoration, and preventative measures like leading-edge protection. The programs are scheduled during low-wind seasons to minimize loss of production revenue. For instance, in the Midwestern U.S. the summer months offer optimum working and curing conditions, as well as efficiencies in mobilization to the site, translating to bottom-line cost savings.

North American operators have historically been slow to implement pro-active maintenance practices, electing instead to manage breakdowns as they occur.  Recent studies by independent researchers have shown that over the lifecycle of a turbine, repair costs are substantially less with scheduled maintenance programs than on an emergency call basis.  As the industry pursues ways to improve their efficiencies and profitability, preventative maintenance is gaining acceptance as a necessary best practice.

Another new offering from WES is spare parts for older turbines.  Through the Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG), WES’s parent company and one of the largest manufacturers of composite components in the U.S., WES is now supplying custom orders of replacement blades, nacelles, spinners, hatches, and other FRP components that are no longer stocked by the OEM. MFG’s process for creating tooling from a customer’s existing part is quick and non-destructive to the part itself.

With the business expansion, WES anticipates a doubling of their workforce in the coming year, and is actively recruiting top talent for their Gainesville, Texas, headquarters as well as satellite service centers in California and South Dakota. “We want to attract and bolster the top blade repair force in the industry, especially with experienced technicians with management aptitude and ambition,” says Gary Kanaby, director of sales for WES. “It’s a job like none other—a blend of extreme sport, technical know-how, and business sense, and we’re looking for the very best of the breed to join our premier team.”

The company is currently seeking candidates to fill position openings for onsite team leaders, project manager, and composite repair technicians, and it anticipates bringing on 25 or more new teammates in the next six months. More information is available at www.windenergyservicesusa.com.

GE announces that it is working with Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) to investigate ways to improve wind farm productivity and efficiency. The results of the study will directly contribute to future product and service designs. The project is part of a larger Department of Energy (DOE) investment of $9 million to an IIT-led consortium to enhance the leadership role of the U.S. in testing and producing the most advanced and efficient wind turbines in the world. The two-year project will focus on helping wind farms to reduce maintenance costs and improve availability through predictions of impending problems. The project’s research will be conducted near Marseilles, Illinois, on a GE 1.5 MW series wind turbine operated and maintained by Invenergy, the nation’s largest independent wind power generation company.

“With skyrocketing costs, wind farms need to know ahead of time what needs to be fixed—and what doesn’t,” says Stacey Kacek, GE Intelligent Platforms’ general manager, Asset Intelligence. “If they have credible early warning of impending equipment problems, the farms can prioritize tower inspections, optimize crane usage, and leverage resources in remote locations. Being able to avoid surprises and take control of maintenance in a proactive way translates to significant cost savings for the industry.”

IIT students will be conducting research using GE’s Proficy SmartSignal software on the GE wind turbine to learn how to detect faults even earlier and more accurately than currently possible. The project includes adding more sensors than the industry standard to improve condition-monitoring precision, and enhancing the SmartSignal models to include measurements of vibration, lube oil, and blade pitch motors. The IIT team will monitor the turbine remotely from the IIT campus and analyze the energy output and overall equipment performance.

“Proficy SmartSignal software essentially acts as a supporting experienced operator and technician, leveraging past experience and working 24/7,” says Dave Parta, project manager, GE Intelligent Platforms. “In the wind industry, the solution is used to monitor the sensors on remote turbines and provide exception-based notifications when a turbine is not acting as it should based on its history. This is particularly challenging, given constantly changing wind speed, direction, shear, and turbulence. The SmartSignal solution collects and analyzes tens of thousands of data points daily on wind farms across the country and provides early warning of impending turbine and instrumentation failures.”

“The goal of this project is to illustrate how advanced and automated predictive diagnostics can improve the availability, reliability, and cost performance of wind power generation,” says Mohammad Shahidehpour, IIT Bodine professor and director of the Robert W. Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation, who is serving as the principal investigator for the consortium. “As a result of this research, we hope to improve the sensoring and modelling of wind farms. We’ll also be developing wind energy courses to address the technical, operational, social, and environmental aspects of wind energy. This will ensure that we have not only the technology, but also the talent necessary to compete and further innovate in the global marketplace.” For more information go to www.ge-ip.com/smartsignal.

Capital Safety announces its acquisition by KKR, a leading global investment firm, from Arle Capital Partners, which had owned the company since 2007. KKR has signed an agreement to pay $1.12 billion for the company, with transfer occurring in January 2012, subject to mandatory regulatory approvals.

Under its previous owner Capital Safety doubled its revenues through a commitment to aggressive research and development, which led to the launch of innovative first-in-the-industry products such as ExoFit NEX™ and i-Safe™ RFID equipment management system, enhanced its global supply chain and expanded into emerging markets for fall protection equipment. It also successfully executed five strategic acquisitions in Australia, Columbia, France, and the U.K. to broaden its offerings for customers worldwide.

“Strong interest in our company is confirmation of our strategic direction and testament to the most experienced team of fall protection experts in the world,” says Anders Pettersson, Capital Safety Group CEO, adding that KKR’s intent is to continue to strategically invest in Capital Safety’s position as the world leader in supplying fall protection solutions and expects continued expansion for the company, both in terms of products and markets served. “Without them we could not have countered the global economic stresses and served a record number of customers with a record number of products.”

Capital Safety, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of height safety and fall protection equipment with 20 operating sites worldwide, is home of the DBI-SALA, UNILINE, and PROTECTA brands. All of Capital Safety’s fall protection and rescue systems are backed by extensive training, knowledgeable technical assistance, and professional customer service. To learn more call (800) 328-6146, (651) 388-8282, or visit www.capitalsafety.com.

At an inauguration ceremony held in northern Chile in November Barrick Gold Corporation marked the official opening of the Punta Colorado Wind Farm, the largest wind farm ever built by a mining company in the country. The event was attended by the President of the Republic of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, the ministers of Mining and Energy, Hernán de Solminihac and Rodrigo Álvarez, and authorities from Chile’s Atacama and Coquimbo regions. This large-scale $50 million project, located in the town of La Higuera in the Coquimbo Region of Chile, consists of 10 wind turbines that generate 20 megawatts of power, enough to supply the energy needs of 10,000 families. The wind farm has the capacity to expand to 18 turbines and generate 36 megawatts, which would raise the total investment in the project to $70 million. The power generated by the wind farm feeds into Chile’s Central Interconnected Systems power grid.

“The inauguration of this wind farm is a milestone for Barrick, reflecting our belief that renewable energy and energy conservation benefit both the environment and our company,” says Igor Gonzales, President of Barrick South America. “We are also very pleased to contribute to the diversification of Chile’s national energy grid and to support policies for the development of renewable energy. We will continue to explore innovative technologies to make our company more energy efficient and to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The wind farm is one of a number of renewable energy projects and conservation initiatives that support Barrick’s broader climate change strategy. In Nevada, the company has a one-megawatt solar farm. In Argentina Barrick invested $8.5 million in a wind turbine that now provides up to 20 percent of the electricity needs for its Veladero mine. At 4,110 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains, the wind turbine is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s highest-altitude wind generator.

In 2010, 15 percent of Barrick’s purchased and self-generated electricity came from renewable sources. The company completed more than 25 projects to reduce its energy and greenhouse gas footprint last year. These programs reduced the company’s GHG emissions by 206,200 tonnes over business as usual in 2010. Learn more at www.barrick.com.

The AWEA Wind Environmental Health & Safety Seminar will be held January 9-10, 2012, in San Diego, California. As the wind industry evolves, so have the responsibilities of the environmental, health and safety (EHS) professional. From reducing incidents and preventing accidents to ensuring environmental compliance, EHS managers are facing new demands and challenges in an uncertain regulatory and standards environment.

Join us for the AWEA Wind Environmental Health & Safety Seminar to deepen your understanding of the issues facing occupational environmental, health and safety professionals in the wind industry and how others are solving issues to some of the industry’s most important challenges. Attend and learn directly from industry experts, interact with other EHS professionals and suppliers, and develop valuable new relationships to help support current and future projects. Come share your experiences and lessons learned with your peers as you discuss current EHS trends in the wind industry; building and improving safety behavior and culture on your work site; emerging issues and safety best practices; and wind energy and the human factor — work smarter not harder.

You are probably familiar with the saying “What gets measured, gets managed.” As EHS professionals are asked to collect, analyze, and report data on everything from material safety data sheets (MSDS), to audit results and incident tracking, you need a way to capture and view all these metrics.

Learn what an EMIS is, how it can help you manage and analyze your data to make decisions, and how to start your search for a software provider. Then sign up for user-led software demonstrations. Learn more at www.awea.org.