There’s nothing more frustrating than facing a tough fastener job in close quarters and not having the right tool. It’s a real world, everyday problem. Low-profile socket/ratchet sets from Snap-on Industrial—a leader in tooling solutions for mechanical, hydraulic, and industrial applications—answer the need for sockets and ratchets that fit cramped quarters. Sizes include 1/4” drive metric and fractional and 3/8” drive metric and fractional, all up to 33 percent shorter than competitive options. Applications run the gamut, from wind-power turbines in the renewable energy market to aircraft and aerospace segments.

The 1/4” drive metric set features a low-profile ratchet and 10 six-point, low-profile sockets. A mini-ratchet with a 72-tooth gear means maximum torque with minimal movement in tight spaces. A thin handle design and easy-action reverse lever allows greater access in small areas. Socket sizes range from 5mm to 13mm. Also, a 10-piece, 12-point, low-profile socket/ratchet set is available in fractional sizes ranging from 3/16” to 9/16”. This set is applicable in a variety of markets, particularly aerospace.

The 3/8” drive sets feature an 80-tooth, low-profile ratchet and either nine six-point or nine 12-point low-profile sockets; metric socket sizes range from 8mm to 18mm, with fractional sizes ranging from 1/4” to 3/4”. The 3/8” square drive also works with standard sockets. Thanks to Dual 80™ technology and a tighter torque ratio, the 3/8” ratchets require only a 4 ½-degree arc to engage the next gear tooth. The dual pawl ratchet mechanism engages seven teeth to provide strength and durability.

All Snap-on Industrial low-profile sockets and ratchets are manufactured from a special alloy steel that’s forged to exacting tolerances and heat treated for optimum strength and durability. Nickel-chrome plating protects against corrosion and makes each piece easy to wipe clean.

The low-profile socket/ratchet offering from Snap-on Industrial recently won a Top 20 Tools award from Motor Magazine. Snap-on won a U.S. Technicians’ Choice Award for best overall hand tools from Frost and Sullivan in 2008. For more information call (877) 740-1900 or visit www.snapon.com/industrial.

Taking the next step in the development of the La Quinta Trade Gateway project, the port commission has approved a Professional Services Agreement for engineering designs with Goldston Engineering, a CH2M HILL company. The multipurpose facility will be designed to handle a wide variety of general cargo including containers, military, wind turbines, steel pipe, and more. Completion of preliminary engineering for full buildout and final design for the initial 800’ to 1000’ dock will provide the necessary information to define costs and determine completion schedules. The goal is to complete the design and be ready to solicit bids for construction of the first dock by the end of 2010. “This is one more step towards realizing one of the most important port diversification projects,” according to John LaRue, executive director. “Goldston Engineering is no stranger to the port. They have worked on many projects with us over the years, and we look forward to working with them again.”

GE/CH2M HILL will design the waterside portion of the La Quinta project, which includes the dock and the slip in the channel. The agreement provides for preliminary engineering for the projected full buildout of the docking facilities (three berths) and the final design of the first dock (one berth) and slip. For 59 years, Goldston Engineering was a Corpus Christi based multi-disciplined engineering firm specializing in ports engineering providing planning, design, construction documents, cost estimating, environmental compliance, and construction management services for marine terminals, municipal utilities, transportation, and coastal projects, regionally and abroad. The company has successfully completed many projects for the Port Corpus Christi and has been involved in various studies for the La Quinta project. The company was acquired by CH2M HILL in 2008. The primary economic engine of the Coastal Bend, Port Corpus Christi is one of the 10 largest ports in the United States in total tonnage.

As part of continuing scientific research on understanding wind resources, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Second Wind, Inc., have announced a partnership to characterize the performance of Second Wind’s Triton™ sonic wind profiler. Under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA), NREL and Second Wind will conduct research correlating the Triton measurements with measurements gathered from a meteorological tower and will later include Triton measurements in the development of a new Wind Instrument Characterization System (WICS) at the National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) near Boulder, Colorado.

Second Wind develops resource assessment technology for the global wind industry (see related article in this issue). Triton is an advanced, portable sodar (sonic detection and ranging) system that bounces sound waves off the atmosphere and analyzes characteristics of the return signal to calculate wind speed and direction up to 200 meters high. Replacing a 60- or 80-meter meteorological tower and providing much more data, the Triton is changing the way the wind industry does site assessments.

NREL and Second Wind will analyze data gathered from a Triton sonic wind profiler and a nearby meteorological tower during a six-month correlation study completed in 2008-2009. The analysis, expected to be completed in the near term, will characterize the measurement performance of Triton. Next, a Triton will be deployed at the NWTC to collect long-term measurements and compare them to wind resource data being collected from NWTC tall towers.

As part of the CRADA, measurements from the Triton will also be included in the development of a new Wind Instrument Characterization System (WICS) at NWTC. This research will lead to improvements in wind resource assessment and more accurate project energy estimates. “This CRADA will give NREL additional experience with the latest tools being used by the industry for wind measurement,” says Dennis Elliott, principal scientist in wind resource assessment at NREL. “This research is vital as the industry moves towards requiring hub height and higher data to reduce uncertainty in the wind resource and turbine performance.”

“We are excited to be collaborating with NREL on this project, as it is a great opportunity to work with internationally respected wind experts,” says Walter Sass, CEO of Second Wind. “We are looking forward to working with NREL on an in-depth review of the Triton technology performance, and to making a contribution to NREL’s scientific research on wind instrument characterization.”
For more information go to www.secondwind.com and www.nrel.gov.

GE has received a $1.4 billion contract from independent power producer Caithness Energy to supply wind turbines and provide services for an 845MW wind farm project to be located in Oregon. The wind farm, called Shepherds Flat, has received the majority of the necessary government permits to operate and is ready to be built. When completed it will be larger than any wind farm currently in operation around the globe.

“This project underscores our commitment to harness the power of wind to meet present and future energy needs while reducing greenhouse emissions,” says Les Gelber, a partner at Caithness Energy. “The Shepherds Flat project will add more renewable energy to the west coast’s energy mix and help the region meet its demand for clean energy.”

Stretching across 30 square miles of Gilliam and Morrow Counties in north-central Oregon, near the town of Arlington, the Shepherds Flat project marks the U.S. debut and largest single global order of GE’s 2.5xl wind turbines. A total of 338 turbines will be installed in 2011 and 2012. “GE wind turbines have a strong track record of performance that has been proven in nearly every form of climate worldwide,” Gelber adds. “Their ability to continually advance wind turbine technology will help us to provide our customer, Southern California Edison, with the reliability they expect.”

“The Caithness project highlights our ability to deliver integrated solutions in the clean energy space, and it supports our overarching focus to provide first in class technology to our customers,” says Steve Bolze, president and CEO of GE Power & Water.

GE’s 2.5xl wind turbine has been proven in Europe and Asia. “The 2.5-MW wind turbine is the latest evolution of GE’s wind turbine technology and provides customers with greater efficiency, reliability, and grid connection capabilities,” Bolze explains. “The 2.5-MW builds upon the success of GE’s 1.5-MW wind turbine, the world’s most widely deployed wind turbine with more than 12,000 installed.”

In addition to supplying the wind turbines, GE will provide 10 years of operational and maintenance services to the project. The 2.5xl wind turbines for the Shepherds Flat wind farm will be assembled at GE’s site in Pensacola, Florida. Under three 20-year power purchase agreements, the Shepherds Flat wind farm will supply renewable energy to Southern California Edison, an Edison International company. The project will provide enough clean energy to power approximately 235,000 average California households, according to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency methodology, and will avoid more than 1.5 million tons a year in greenhouse gas emissions compared to equivalent fossil fuel generation. For more information contact Howard Masto at (518) 385 2381 or howard.masto@ge.com. Go online to www.ge.com.

SHAFTALIGN is a high-precision, easy to use shaft alignment tool incorporating human error-proof functions. With its TFT backlit color display it combines simplicity of operation with precise measurement and state of the art technology. Intuitive auto-flow capability guides the user to obtain the desired machinery alignment condition. The innovative “active clock” measurement mode automatically collects the laser coordinates for the corresponding shaft position. Only three readings over a rotation angle of less than 70º are required to achieve a precision alignment. All relevant alignment results are displayed in one screen, including the alignment status evaluation. A built-in light sensor optimizes screen image quality and power management. Rechargeable batteries save operating cost and contribute toward a greener environment.

SHAFTALIGN is upgradable to more-powerful features as alignment requirements increase. The tool offers a variety of options to generate and archive alignment measurement reports through its freeware, Alignment Reporter PC software, or through the direct reports as PDF to a memory stick. Precision alignment contributes to savings in the consumption of electricity and extends the life of bearings, seals, and couplings. For more information go online to www.ludeca.com.

The Department of Energy (DOE) has selected a Pacific Northwest team including 3TIER—a global leader in renewable energy information services—to conduct a regional smart grid demonstration project. The project will test new smart grid technologies including devices, software, and advanced analytical and forecasting tools that enhance the power grid’s reliability and performance. The Northwest study will involve more than 60,000 metered customers in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming.

“The inclusion of 3TIER in this project acknowledges that optimizing the energy supply side of the smart grid equation, and renewable energy in particular, is absolutely critical to the long-term success of an efficient and smart national grid,” says Kenneth Westrick, founder and CEO.

3TIER will provide wind and solar power forecasting for individual sites and for the region as a whole for the duration of the project. The company’s hour-, day-, and week-ahead forecasts will be processed centrally as part of an integrated smart grid system. 3TIER is one of the largest forecasters of wind energy in the world, forecasting production for more than 16.5 GW of regional and 11.6 GW of project-specific installed capacity, including more than 30 percent of the installed capacity in North America.

“A key objective of a national smart grid infrastructure is to make the best possible use of renewable energy resources,” Westrick says. “Accurately forecasting weather-driven renewable energy provides the signals the system needs to optimally integrate that energy into the grid, and dispatch other assets when production decreases. It is an essential component of an efficient and reliable smart grid system.”

The Pacific Northwest Smart Grid Demonstration Project team combines energy providers, utilities, technology companies, and other research organizations. Total estimated cost for the project is $178 million. The DOE will provide half the funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The project’s participants, primarily utilities, and industry team members—including 3TIER—will provide the remaining funds.

At its peak the project could create about 1,500 total jobs in manufacturing, installation, and operating smart grid equipment, telecommunications networks, software, and controls in the five states. The DOE press release is available at www.energy.gov/news2009/8305.htm.

Founded in 1999, Seattle-based 3TIER is one of the largest independent providers of wind, solar, and hydro energy assessment and power forecasting worldwide. For more information see the Q&A in this issue, and visit www.3tier.com.

In spite of an expanding wind power industry, the North American market has steadily relied on imported wind generators. That is about to change. WindGen America, LLC, is in the process of building the first wind turbine generator manufacturing facility in the Untied States. The company’s principals have extensive wind power experience and will be using it to develop and manufacture wind turbine generators for the North American market.

The generators under development at WindGen America will be 660 KW and 2.5 MW permanent magnet design. With prototypes up and running, these designs address the weaknesses in conventional wind generators. The past and current wind generators have been fraught with high maintenance costs. Designed and built for wind power applications, these generators will offer the industry a choice. Not just American-built, but built to exceed the demands placed on conventional wind turbine generators.

A convergence of wind power growth and incentives to provide U.S. manufacturing jobs have created the right climate for this enterprise. In addition to developing superior generator designs, WindGen America has focused its attention on a facility whose efficiency will match its turbines. Locating in an eastern industrial hub, WindGen America will be able to take advantage of existing road, rail, and ocean port facilities. Starting from scratch, all aspects of the operation will utilize the latest technology maintaining high quality while keeping manufacturing costs in line. Simplifying logistics, the company will be able to supply the nation with the latest in turbine generator design at a very competitive price. The 100,000 sq. ft. facility will have a labor force comprised of 120 skilled technicians onsite. The initial production target is 1,500 generators per year. For more information go to www.windgenamerica.com.

SeaRoc—the marine, engineering, and offshore experts—are joining Natural Power to form the first renewable energy consultancy truly capable of providing end-to-end services globally for the industry both onshore and offshore. The announcement follows almost 18 months successful operation under a framework agreement and an existing minority stake acquired earlier this year. Natural Power has already consented over 1,300 MW of client projects offshore. SeaRoc, which sits on two BWEA steering committee groups, provide marine, engineering, health and safety, and environmental services to some of the UK’s biggest renewable energy projects. Sister company SeaPlanner provides world class GIS expertise and extensive data management knowledge to the offshore market.

Natural Power and SeaRoc will form a group of over 220 highly skilled resource engineers, development specialists, construction engineers, marine managers, GIS experts, and asset managers based across 11 offices worldwide. The Natural Power group will be a world-class wind, wave, and tidal service provider in the areas of due diligence, engineering, development, construction, operations, and health and safety both onshore and offshore. The group creates a single source for complete lifecycle services for the industry.

Stuart Hall, director and founder of Natural Power, says that “Having provided lifecycle services onshore for the past 15 years, and consented over a gigawatt of client projects offshore, it is a natural step forward to complete the loop by welcoming SeaRoc to the family. They are the experts offshore. The announcement reflects the needs of our clients for a single provider of both onshore and offshore services, which we are delighted to now offer.”

Peter Hodgetts, CEO and founder of SeaRoc, adds that “We are looking forward to joining the Natural Power family. There are many existing synergies between us and we wholeheartedly share the concept of ‘practical consulting’ for the benefit of our clients. The industry is changing and it is vital that companies evolve in order to meet the needs of developers, owners, insurers, investors, regulators and financial institutions.”

To learn more contact Alex Woodward at alexw@naturalpower.com. Go online to www.naturalpower.com.

Technical consultancy Romax Technology is providing vital knowledge and services to Taiwan’s growing wind energy industry. Through a series of wind energy seminars and partnerships with leading wind energy organizations in Taiwan, Romax is helping leading players in the wind energy industry to realise Taiwan’s wind energy potential.

Taiwan has recently identified a need in the reduction of carbon and in the country’s reliance on imported fossil fuels for its energy production. The Bureau of Energy under the Ministry of Economic Affairs has set a target of renewable energy contributing to 10 percent of Taiwan’s overall electricity generation by 2010, and wind power is expected to make up to 80 percent of that renewable energy contribution. It is anticipated that, due to this commitment and the country’s wind resources and manufacturing capabilities, Taiwan’s wind power generation will grow to 3000MW by 2020 and create a strong wind energy industry.

However, supplying this quantity of wind turbines from a relatively young domestic manufacturing position requires a rapid development in expertise and capabilities. The Taiwan Wind Energy Association (TwnWEA) has identified this need and in service to its members invited Romax to present a specialist wind energy seminar.

Covering a range of current technical issues including design theory and practice, bearing selection, lubrication considerations, and gearbox testing and certification, Romax provided the audience with their experience and expertise in the design and manufacture of wind turbine drivetrains. Romax is in an ideal position to be discussing these issues, having helped some of the worlds leading wind energy companies to overcome their technical challenges.

In addition, Romax has announced a new partnership with the leading Taiwanese technical research group ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute).  Romax will develop a wind turbine gearbox testing platform utilizing their testing team and in-house simulation platform, RomaxWIND. To learn more go to www.romaxtech.com.

Siemens has confirmed its objective to become one of the world’s top providers of wind turbines. Siemens entered the wind power market five years ago with its acquisition of Denmark’s Bonus Energy. Since then wind power operations at Siemens have undergone rapid development. The workforce has grown sevenfold, while revenue has actually increased tenfold. “This is a success story whose narrative we wish to continue,” says Andreas Nauen, CEO of the Wind Power Business Unit. “The overall global wind power market is growing at 12 percent annually. We intend to significantly outpace the market growth to become one of the top three providers by 2012.”

Siemens’ strategy will be to strengthen its position as a global market leader in offshore wind farms while expanding its international production network in key markets and ensuring technology leadership, for example gearless and floating wind turbines, with innovative products. “Wind power has excellent perspectives,” he continues. “The global wind power market will grow from about EUR30 billion annually today to more than EUR200 billion by 2030. We anticipate especially robust growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The market growth in North America and Europe, however, will also be significant.”

Offshore wind farms are playing an increasingly important role. The potential for offshore wind power in Europe is estimated at around 70 gigawatts, about half of the power plant capacity currently installed in Germany. At present only 1.5 percent of that is being utilized. In the past fiscal year Siemens secured the largest offshore wind power contract ever granted: to provide Dong Energy with 500 turbines of the 3.6-megawatt class. Some of these turbines will be used in the London Array, which will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when it is complete. To date, Siemens has realized 10 offshore wind farms with a capacity of 850 megawatts. Contracts from Germany include the offshore wind farm Baltic 1. Siemens is also successful in the onshore wind power market. In the past fiscal year, for example, Siemens secured contracts for six wind farms in North America and for Europe’s largest onshore wind farm in Scotland. Recent orders have come from Mexico and New Zealand.

Siemens Wind Power has pursued a consistent strategy of further expanding its international production network in key markets. After establishing a rotor blade production plant in Fort Madison, Iowa, Siemens recently began construction on a new nacelle production facility in Hutchinson, Kansas. And in 2010 a plant outside of Shanghai will commence production of rotor blades and nacelles. Production is also planned in India.

Siemens relies on innovative products to ensure its future success. In early December 2009 Siemens completed the prototype of its newly developed gearless wind turbine, which promises even higher availability than standard wind turbines with about half the number of parts. Siemens is also working with StatoilHydro to promote the innovative Hywind project. Hywind is a floating wind turbine that can be positioned in waters from 120 to 700 meters in depth. This opens up new opportunities for offshore wind power.

Siemens Wind Power currently has a record order backlog of EUR6 billion. Over 8,000 wind turbines are in operation worldwide with a capacity of more than 9,600 megawatts. Together they make an important contribution to protecting our climate by saving over 20 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. The Business Unit Wind Power is part of the Renewable Energy Division of Siemens, which also includes photovoltaics and solar thermal power plants. Learn more at www.siemens.com/energy.

REpower Systems AG has signed a framework contract with EDF Energies Nouvelles and RES Canada that comprises the delivery of up to 954 megawatts for five projects in the Canadian province of Québec, currently developed by the consortium Saint-Laurent Énergies, a Montreal based wind energy company jointly owned by EEN Canada, Inc., RES Canada, Inc., and Hydroméga Services, Inc. The contract guarantees a minimum purchase capacity of 748 MW.

In May 2008, Saint-Laurent Énergies with REpower as turbine supplier was awarded the contract tendered by Hydro-Québec Distribution for five wind farm projects across Québec, comprising of up to 477 REpower MM82/92 wind turbines to be installed between 2011 and 2015. REpower is also responsible for commissioning the turbines.

At least 60 percent of the total investment will be made in Québec, 30 percent will be for the local manufacturing of components such as rotor blades, towers, and electrical converters. Therefore, REpower has concluded contracts with local component suppliers in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region and the Matane regional county municipality. REpower CEO Per Hornung Pedersen says “We are delighted that we can today announce the largest onshore contract in our company’s history. The contract confirms our strategic partnership with our customers EDF, EN, and RES. This is a giant leap forward for REpower toward our establishment in Canada, and bolsters our intention of further growth in the whole of North America—Canada and the United States.”

Repower’s Chief Supply Chain Officer Lars Rytter Kristensen adds that “The signing of this contract shows the trust that our customers and Hydro-Québec place in the reliable technology of our turbines. Thanks to the settlement of local suppliers in the region, we can rapidly expand our supply chain and thus our competence on the North American wind energy market.”

REpower Systems AG is one of the leading manufacturers of onshore and offshore wind turbines. This internationally operating mechanical engineering company develops, manufactures, and markets wind turbines with rated outputs ranging from 2 to 6.15 megawatts and rotor diameters ranging from 82 to 126 meters for virtually every location. The company also offers a comprehensive portfolio of service and maintenance packages. The profitable and reliable turbines are designed in the REpower development center in Rendsburg and manufactured in the plants in Husum (Northern Friesland), Trampe (Brandenburg) and Bremerhaven. With over 1,900 employees worldwide, the company listed since March 2002 and headquartered in Hamburg can make use of the experiences acquired from the manufacture and installation of more than 2,000 wind turbines around the world. REpower is represented by distribution partners, subsidiaries, and participations in European markets such as France, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Portugal, and Spain as well as on a global level in the United States, Japan, China, Australia, and Canada. For more information go to www.repower.de. 

Vestas Spare Parts & Repair currently operates offices worldwide to service the world’s largest installed fleet of wind turbines. Since January 2009, Vestas has had a dedicated organization for servicing its customers. A brand-new office center next to the Vestas Headquarters in Randers, Denmark, has been constructed. Furthermore, locations for the leadership team are also being set up in Bristol, UK, together with sections of engineering, customer service, and platform management. In Q4 2009 a gearbox service center was scheduled to open in Spain, and in Q1 2010, a second one is planned to follow in Colorado.

“We are making these radical changes and large investments so that we can further improve the customer experience,” says Phil Jones, president of Vestas Spare Parts & Repair. “These developments mark the continued focus on bringing service to world-class standards.”

The entire warehouse and distribution network will service the seven Vestas sales business units, and the objectives are to be consolidated into one global, world-class network in 2010. Today, Vestas Spare Parts & Repair has a staff of 230, with the vast majority located in Randers, Denmark. By the end of 2010 an additional 150 people will have joined. To learn more go to www.vestas.com.

Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, Inc., (MPSA), has announced its intention to build a wind turbine manufacturing facility in Fort Smith, Arkansas. MPSA plans to invest approximately $100 million in the project, which could employ as many as 400 people.

“We are very excited to announce the future MPSA Wind Turbine manufacturing site in Fort Smith, Arkansas,” says Koji Hasegawa, president and CEO of MPSA, based in Lake Mary, Florida. “After an intensive site selection process conducted during the last 15 months we concluded that Fort Smith offers the most attractive site and community support for building and operating our wind turbine plant. We are very thankful for the excellent support provided to us by Governor Mike Beebe, Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor, Congressman John Boozman, Maria Haley and her economic development staff, and the entire Arkansas delegation. Additionally, we are also very impressed with Arkansas’s commitment to the renewable energy industry. With the establishment of this wind turbine manufacturing plant, we are also planning to expand our component sourcing in the U.S. so as to shorten our supply chain.”

MPSA intends to locate its wind turbine manufacturing plant in a new 200,000 sq. ft. facility at Fort Chaffee, near Fort Smith, occupying 90 acres. “The arrival of Mitsubishi in Arkansas is exciting news for our economy and for our renewable-energy manufacturing sector,” Governor Mike Beebe says. “Mitsubishi is a brand recognized and respected worldwide, and the substantial investment they will make in Fort Smith is evidence of Arkansas’s momentum in the global economy.”

The company plans on beginning construction by early 2011. “Arkansas and Mitsubishi are a winning combination for renewable energy and economic development,” U.S. Senator Mark Pryor says. “I know that Mitsubishi will benefit from the area’s strong community support, work ethic and ingenuity. This partnership will bring America one step closer to realizing the full potential of wind energy.”

MPSA currently has more than 4,500 wind turbines in operation worldwide, and over 3,000 wind turbines in the U.S. “Fort Chaffee has a tremendous amount of potential and I am pleased that Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas, Inc. has recognized what Fort Smith and the region has to offer,” says U.S. Representative John Boozman. “We are fortunate to have had cooperation at all levels of government and within the community to make Fort Smith standout and MPSA select it for this investment. We welcome MPSA to the Third District, and I look forward to working with the company in the future.”

MPSA was established in 2001 with key operations in Orlando, Florida, Newport Beach, California, Houston, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico. MPSA provides a wide variety of products and services for the electric power generation industry including gas, steam, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric turbines, boilers, selective catalytic reduction systems, and solar energy. The company is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), a diversified Fortune “Global 150” company with more than $30 billion in annual revenues and 40,000 employees worldwide. MHI is an international leader in the design and supply of energy, aerospace, machinery, transportation, and environmental systems and equipment. For more information contact Jonathan Wang at (949) 856-8473 or jwang@mpshq.com. Go online to www.mpshq.com.

The alternative energy industry continues to focus on wind power as a viable addition to address the ever-expanding global energy demand. With this in mind, Lincoln Electric has recently hosted more than 120 industry professionals interested in learning more about wind tower fabrication for several daylong seminars.

Seminar attendees traveled from across the United States and as far away as Brazil and Portugal to Lincoln’s Cleveland, Ohio, headquarters to learn more about wind tower fabrication. Each seminar featured an industry overview, technology sessions, and live welding demonstrations for companies already fabricating wind towers and those currently considering it.

“Governments in every corner of the globe, including the United States, continue to focus on alternative energy, especially wind,” says Patrick Wahlen, global segment business director, power generation. “Many of our customers want to add wind tower fabrication to their portfolio, and this seminar shares insight into the industry, guidance on capitalizing on this market and an overview of Lincoln’s product portfolio.”

Whalen added that the company has long offered a comprehensive welding solution for wind tower fabrication. “In 2008, there were 38 new wind tower manufacturing facilities constructed globally, and 33 of those facilities used Lincoln products,” he says.

Due to its Waveform Control Technology®, Lincoln Electric’s Power Wave® AC/DC 1000® SD is the leading power source for wind tower fabrication. When combined with Lincoln’s process knowledge, it can increase productivity by 30 percent or more. Lincoln also has a complete offering of consumables designed specifically for wind tower welding applications, including tacking, longitudinal can seam, circumferential can seam, circumferential ring and flange, base flange, entry hatch, and rotor shaft.

Steve Knapple, welding engineer for tower fabricator Katana-Summit, attended the May Lincoln seminar and says that “Lincoln did its homework when it got into this industry. They shared insight into areas of opportunity and demonstrated different levels of solutions, which was very helpful as the attendees represented established wind tower manufacturers as well as startups. I also had the opportunity to meet others who do what we do and share best practices. It was a valuable experience.”
For more information e-mail windtower@lincolnelectric.com or visit www.lincolnelectric.com.

In wind power plants, electrical circuit problems are known to cause short-term torque peaks. In this event, slip clutches protect the costly gearbox against overload by slipping at a defined maximum torque in order to temporarily interrupt the drive. The slip process takes place not on the generator shaft surface, but inside the CENTA Torque Hub, which is mounted on the generator shaft in the coupling’s clamping set.

CENTA’s latest development in slip systems, “CENTA Torque Set,” now positions the slip unit to the middle section of the shaft. By relocating the slip function, manufacturing tolerances at the generator shaft no longer cause variations in the slip torque, resulting in improved accuracy of the slip function. Another advantage of the new design is that the slip system is made to be pre-mounted as a complete unit. The maximum torque is set on a certified test bench according to the manufacturer’s requirements and documented in a test report, eliminating the need for on-site adjustments.

The low-maintenance slip system is also designed to allow for multiple slip processes (> 200) without having a major impact on the slip torque setting.

Depending on the size, a torque range of up to 120 kNm is covered. The new slip system can also be provided as a low-cost system component which does not include the coupling unit.

CENTA Corporation’s newly expanded Chicago facility includes a large in-house machine shop for domestic production of your wind turbine couplings from a trusted source. For more information contact Bob Lennon at (630) 236-3500 or bobl@centacorp.com. Also visit www.centa.info.

The City of Iowa City, Iowa, continues its work to develop what is believed to be the first Wind Energy Supply Chain Campus in the United States. Since November 2008 the city has taken steps to acquire, annex, and zone 173 acres of land located on the city’s east side and begin infrastructure work. Sewer service projects and road improvements are underway or scheduled for development. To date over three-dozen companies have visited or requested information about the campus.

“We are able to meet power and transportation needs because this campus is being developed from the ground up,” says Joe Raso, Iowa City Area Development (ICAD) Group president. “Unlike other industrial sites which may have to be retrofitted, this campus is being designed specifically to the needs of the wind energy sector.”

This development puts OEM suppliers in close proximity to Acciona North America’s operations in West Branch and Clipper’s North American nacelle manufacturing plant in Cedar Rapids. The campus is rail served and will allow companies easy access via Interstate 80 to their customers and the growing number of wind projects not only in Iowa, but in the upper Midwest. Additionally, it will soon be certified as one of only three “shovel-ready sites” in the region.

In response to continuous inquiries, ICAD Group has launched a special Web site featuring a snapshot overview of the campus and important facts about the benefits of doing business in Iowa City. Users can link to laborshed reports, detailed property information about the campus, and obtain a free transportation quote to estimate costs of shipping products to and from our area. “At this stage companies are planning for projects in 2010 and 2011 and need data to determine which locations make sense for their needs,” Raso says. “Our supply chain campus Web site will help national and international companies with their research and make it easy for them to contact us with specific questions or to arrange site tours.”

To learn more contact Raso at (319) 354-3939 or jraso@iowacityarea.com. Also visit www.iowacitywind.com.

Hyosung has again selected Romax Technology as a leading partner in their wind energy activities. Following the success of their first collaborations on 750kW and 2MW wind turbine gearboxes, Hyosung and Romax will cooperate on future wind turbine projects.

Romax and Hyosung first worked together when the UK based consultancy supported Hyosung in the design and optimization of a 750kW and 2MW gearbox. Romax assisted in the collation of commercial and engineering market research and the concept design, detailed design, and manufacturing drawings. In addition, Romax has provided continuous testing and certification support. Both projects proved successful with the 750kW and 2MW gearboxes recently achieving type certification through DEWI-OCC (Offshore and Certification Centre GmbH) following successful field trials.

The success of these previous ventures and the standard of the technical and commercial support they received led Hyosung to select Romax as a key partner in their new venture. “Romax’s expertise in wind turbine engineering is an important factor in our success,” according to K.H. (Kevin) Ho, senior vice president of industrial machinery PU from Hyosung. “We have no doubt that this will continue well into our future collaborations, and we had no hesitation in choosing to work with Romax again.”

“We are delighted that Hyosung have asked us to partner with them again and we are confident that the partnership will yield more success for both Romax and Hyosung,” says Andy Poon, director of renewable energy at Romax. For more information go to www.romaxtech.com.

A new collaboration between MAG Industrial Automation Systems and Dowding Machining LLC is poised to revolutionize manufacturing of wind turbine components with specially-designed CNC modules for the production of hubs and new automated technology for composite wind blade production. The Michigan-based venture—dubbed Astraeus from the Greek mythological “father of the four winds”—will use a unique new machine design to dramatically reduce the production times of turbine hubs, the large castings to which the blades are attached, to about four hours—a process that now typically takes 20 to 24 hours on the best production lines. In what will be the first implementation of MAG’s Rapid Material Placement System (RMPS), the new company will bring integrated manufacturing with automation and repeatable process control to wind blade fabrication—a process that has historically been manual, making blades prone to imperfections and weight variations, and exposing wind turbine manufacturers to warranty and replacement costs.

The new business unites MAG, a world leader in machine tools and aerospace composites, and Dowding Machining, a large-component precision machining operation, in an effort to make wind energy more cost-competitive as an alternative energy solution. “We’ve already seen significant interest in our capabilities from Asian and European companies,” says Jeff Metts, president of Dowding Machining. Plans for Astraeus include opening global facilities to supply worldwide demand.

 The management and organization of Astraeus will be announced by the end of the year, with production expected to ramp up very quickly. “We plan on producing some of the components by the middle of next year,” according to Roger Cope, president of the Strategic Business Development Group of MAG.

MAG is a leading machine tool and systems company serving the durable-goods industry worldwide with complete manufacturing solutions. The company offers a comprehensive line of equipment and technologies including process development, automated assembly, turning, milling, automotive powertrain production, composites processing, maintenance, automation and controls, and core components. Key industrial markets served by these technologies include aerospace, automotive and truck, heavy equipment, oil and gas, rail, solar energy, wind turbine production and general machining. More information is available at www.mag-ias.com.

Dowding Machining LLC is a precision machine solutions provider for large components and is an affiliate of Dowding Industries, Inc., a woman-owned manufacturer of progressive die stampings, metal fabrications, and welded assemblies. Learn more by visiting www.dowdingindustries.com.

The world leader in environmental measurement Vaisala, together with electricity and natural gas energy company Xcel Energy and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), have joined forces on a pioneering pilot project in the United States that will take observing and forecasting for wind energy production to the next level.

The goal of the pilot is to explore the use of a new wind observing and forecasting system in Xcel Energy’s wind power generation. The system will provide critical decision-making support for balancing wind power with traditional fossil fuel generation while minimizing costs and improving reliability. A primary focus of the effort is to develop technologies that will better anticipate changes in wind energy output from wind farms. “This is a great opportunity for Vaisala to again demonstrate how we can provide observation systems for weather critical applications,” says Richard Pyle, head of the company’s wind energy market segment.

“We are extremely pleased to enter this pilot project with Vaisala and NCAR, who both are leading players in their fields and can significantly contribute to the development of wind forecasting in energy production,” says Mary Fisher, vice president of strategic technology for Xcel Energy. “Once completed the pilot, if successful, will inform wind farms operators on the means to increase reliability and minimize integration cost.”

Vaisala is providing Xcel Energy with surface weather stations, radar wind profiling capability, and National Lightning Detection Network® data, as well as installation and operating services for a 12-month pilot program. The wind observation network will be located around wind farms in Colorado that total 400 megawatts of installed capacity. The network became operational in November 2009.

NCAR has been contracted to refine a wind forecasting system that focuses on wind ramp detection for the project. Vaisala’s observation data will be integrated with the forecast information in a decision support tool developed by Vaisala in close cooperation with the three parties. To learn more contact Richard Pyle at (303) 589 8772 or richard.pyle@vaisala.com. Visit online at www.vaisala.com.

Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland recently announced that 25 state solar and wind projects will receive more than $13 million in grants funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s State Energy Program. The announcement was made last November at Lincoln Electric’s Automation Center of Excellence in Cleveland, highlighting the company’s welding solutions for wind tower fabricators.

Among those projects was $1 million awarded to Lincoln Electric to help install a wind turbine at its Cleveland manufacturing facilities. The plans call for a 2.5-megawatt turbine that will generate approximately 10 percent of the electrical needs for Lincoln’s Cleveland manufacturing operations.

“We are excited to have this opportunity under Ohio’s energy program to demonstrate the value of wind energy by investing in our own installation,” says John Stropki, chairman and CEO. “This project is a continuation of other Lincoln environmental, health, and safety (EHS) programs and green initiatives currently under way in our manufacturing operations to improve our costs and protect our environment. Not only will the wind project provide long-term benefits by reducing our energy costs, it will also showcase the unique benefits that Lincoln products and welding solutions provide to wind tower manufacturers to improve their quality and lower their costs.” Learn more at www.lincolnelectric.com.