As the offshore industry expands quickly in the coming years, innovative solutions are needed. HeliOIS wants to add more flexibility and efficiency by creating new service and inspection concepts that can optimise the way we work. Imagine this: a wind farm operator discovers that a substation in the North Sea is malfunctioning and needs repairs…. Read more »
With a steady growth off offshore wind energy and turbine sizes and components increasing continuously, installation challenges are also getting bigger. Being able to efficiently install offshore turbine towers, nacelles, and blades in a high wind environment requires new initiatives and solutions. NOV’s Sjøhest Wind Blade Installation solution lowers the cost, time, and complexity of… Read more »
In the future, hydrogen will be a fundamental building block for the transformation towards a climate-neutral economy. Its various production methods and possibilities for use will render it essential. For the conversion of the energy system, hydrogen offers the possibility of storing the volatilely produced renewable energies, and it will also play a key role… Read more »
In this article we hear from DNV on maximising opportunities from floating offshore wind which hinges on de-risking its economics, technology, logistics and operations. The global installed capacity of floating offshore wind, will grow from 88MW in 2022 to 260GW in mid-century, according to our Energy Transition Outlook 2022 (ETO) model. For perspective, the capacity… Read more »
During a 12-hour trip to a wind farm 40 nautical miles offshore, a hybrid CTV will emit 41% less CO2 compared to a conventional CTV. If a helicopter were used for the transport, CO2 could be reduced by 73%. For Europe, that is a saving of 67,000 to 117,000 ton of CO2 per year, or… Read more »
How can the latest technology enable real-time monitoring of turbine blades and towers, enabling repair and replacement before a critical failure occurs? Is this the way forward for protecting assets and lowering costs? In November 2021, US President Biden signed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill to rebuild the nation’s deteriorating roads and bridges and fund… Read more »
The energy transition and sustainable solutions are the hot topics running throughout the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference. PES finds out what visitors can expect from Europe’s leading event that takes place on Tuesday 29th and Wednesday 30th of November 2022 in RAI Amsterdam. Two days full of networking opportunities, sharing knowledge and shaping the… Read more »
The skills shortage within the sector is a challenge for all. Could robots be the solution? Here, Stacey Rivers, Business Development and Operations Manager at BladeBUG, explains how its innovative robots will operate both onshore and offshore, working independently, or collaboratively with a drone or technician, to perform a diverse range of inspection, maintenance, and… Read more »
How can the value of data from bolted joint connections deliver a competitive advantage across the wind industry? During the construction and operation of wind farms, there are lots of data being collected for various purposes. When it comes to the most important elements in the entire structure, the nuts and bolts that are holding… Read more »
Industrial drones, or flying cranes, offer a possible new way to revolutionize wind turbine maintenance, with the potential to save wind farm operators and owners incredible amounts of time, money, and CO2 emissions. Excited at the possibilities this new technology could hold for the industry, PES was keen to learn more from Mikkel Sørensen, Owner… Read more »
Achieving net zero is critical to supporting jobs and delivering economic growth and the Humber offers the biggest decarbonisation opportunity in the UK. As a region, the Humber has delivered before, with extensive recent history and experience in supporting large scale clean energy projects. Together, ABP’s four ports in the region provide an unparalleled gateway… Read more »
Competing in the energy market means selling your power before it is produced. How, therefore, do you ensure you can meet or exceed your projections by keeping your grid frequency constant? PES heard from Sascha Bauer, CEO at 4cast, about the power of technology to forecast the energy output from renewable energy power plants. PES:… Read more »
In November 2014 we asked the industry ‘can we bank on wind Lidar’? Can we use it to provide quantitative data for the annual energy prediction of a wind farm, allowing developers to raise or ratify the necessary finance to progress and construct full-scale developments? Today, in 2022, that question has not only been answered,… Read more »
To support the green energy transition, it’s time for the wind industry to rethink what Asset Performance Management means, and move beyond visualization and monitoring towards performance improvement. Asset reporting, data visualization and performance monitoring have become standard for wind plant owners, asset managers and financial stakeholders, to ensure turbines are running safely and meeting… Read more »
Wind power generated by turbines accounts for the largest share of renewable energy production in Europe. Here, Voliro and SkySpecs explore the lingering questions surrounding the effects of lightning strikes on the rotor blades of wind turbines, as well as an effective new method for inspecting and monitoring the state of those blades. Overview of… Read more »
Accurate Wind Resource Assessment (WRA) grows in importance as the industry, and turbines, grow in demand and in size. By understanding how recent wind energy industry innovations have evolved, we can help shape best practices for WRA, so that the wind energy sector can continue to meet demand and make our world a better place…. Read more »
Demand for hydrogen is on the rise, whether as a means of energy storage or as a replacement for natural gas. But only sustainably produced ‘green’ hydrogen is ecologically reasonable. However, there is still a lack of internationally standardised, mandatory criteria defining sustainability throughout the value chain. So how can producers and distributors prepare for… Read more »
As one of the innovators within the energy service sector, Sulzer Schmid’s rotor blade inspection process employs autonomous drones to capture high-quality and consistent images. PES was keen to spend time talking to Tom Sulzer, CEO and co-founder of Sulzer Schmid, about its cloud-based 3DX™ Blade Platform and how it provides customers with actionable insights,… Read more »
With the ever-increasing performances and size of wind turbines, together with a call for a reduction in set-up times, the demands on the load handling device during assembly are increasing. For safe gripping and lifting, additional technical development is required, something that SpanSet Axzion GmbH, in cooperation with relevant testing institutes, is able to match…. Read more »
As offshore wind farm developers continue to drive down the installed cost of their assets, there is great focus on maximising the efficiency of the installation process. Charlie Watt, Business Development Manager for EasyQote at Seal For Life Industries, gives PES his views on the role of maintenance in the future of the renewables sector. … Read more »
It’s no secret that wind turbines are growing in stature and wind farms are developing further and further offshore. So PES was delighted to have the opportunity to speak to Katja Roose, Sales and Marketing Manager at Radac, to find out how it is serving the market, with multiple wave radar and beyond. PES: It’s very… Read more »
Competition among wind farmers to make winning bids in tenders for new generation contracts, while maintaining a healthy return on investment is spurring innovation in operating technology. PhotonFirst looks at how integrated photonics sensing can help operators improve return on investment. Turbine operators are learning that advanced photonic sensing can provide more detailed, real-time wind… Read more »
Due to their height and exposed location, wind turbines prove to be perfect lightning catchers. Damage due to lightning strike is often considered an ‘extraordinary event’, meaning that it drives additional costs during the operation and beyond standard service. With a solution from Phoenix Contact, tracking the incidence of high keraunic levels and monitoring adverse… Read more »
Having previously featured Peel Ports and its initiatives, PES was delighted to hear from James McSporran, Port Director at Clydeport, about the Hunterston PARC Site in Scotland. Operational since the 1970s, how has the port evolved to support large-scale renewable projects as it does today? PES: It’s lovely to speak with you James. Firstly, can… Read more »
The use of technology, and advanced analytics is opening up new possibilities for the wind sector, leading to better and more informed decision making. PES discussed the benefits of multiple data streams and single platforms for analysing turbine health with Dr. Violetta Di Napoli, Regional Team Leader at ONYX Insight. PES: A warm welcome back… Read more »
The following article is based on a forthcoming White Paper on the subject of cable routing. The planned development of wind farms off the east coast of the United States brings into sharp focus some of the key considerations and constraints associated with their installation, and the maintenance of offshore and inter-array cables. Although I’m… Read more »
On a wind farm, knowing the moment that new damage on a blade occurs or when existing blade damage is showing signs of worsening and degradation, helps prioritize repair and maintenance activities, improve fleet reliability, and manage complex schedules to meet production demands. Condition monitoring (CM) is the process of monitoring a parameter in machinery,… Read more »
As demands of the sector change and grow, the challenges that face the offshore industry also mount and the requirement for higher volume capacity cable laying vessels is increasing. PES was fascinated to hear from MAATS Tech about how it has evolved and is now looking to meet these latest requirements. Since its inception in… Read more »
As turbines grow, so too do the costs of machining to place and maintain them. Time then for us to catch up with Michael Steinkogler, Chief Operating Officer at Linsinger, to see if business is booming as the market for wind power skyrockets. PES: Welcome back to PES Michael. Things are developing at a very… Read more »
In the wind power sector, importance is given to developing solutions to cater for individual requirements. This is one of LIFTKET’s core competencies, with quality products that are adaptable to the versatile requirements of the wind power sector. In the mid 1980s, a new branch of industry developed, initially starting in Europe; energy generation from… Read more »
In a growing offshore wind market, there is a need to adapt to rapid change. As wind wheels and wind farms grow in size, increasing amounts of electricity will be produced, requiring even more powerful machines, as well as cranes. That’s not all though, as smart answers for complex work places and environments with diverse machines… Read more »
Aircraft-detection lighting systems (ADLS) are among the most talked about innovations when it comes to increasing acceptance for wind energy. A transponder-based solution, which has already conquered the German market, is a promising tool across European borders as well as overseas. PES sat down with Henning von Barsewisch, CEO of Lanthan Safe Sky, to talk… Read more »
The offshore wind industry is projected to produce 228 GW by 2030, enough to power over 68 million homes. These projects will be at greater water depths and with larger wind turbine generators, so the demand for innovative solutions to deliver these projects has never been greater. Earlier this year, Heerema Marine Contractors introduced a… Read more »
IEEE style pad-mounted transformers have been used in the Americas and other parts of the world for a long time. However, it can still be somewhat of an unknown transformer style in some markets. With the increased demand from the USA, mostly for pad-mounted transformers for onshore wind farm and solar applications, transformer manufacturers from… Read more »
How can powertrain technologies help to unlock onshore areas and raise social acceptance of wind power? Originating in the field of combustion engines, Geislinger successfully entered the wind power market in 2016 with its COMPOWIND® coupling. The robust and durable low-speed shaft coupling (LSSC), made of advanced composites, absorbs virtually all bending moments, or parasitic… Read more »
The certification of the grid characteristics of wind turbines has been mandatory for a long time, in order to maintain grid stability and voltage quality, as well as to obtain the grid connection permit. Ever faster product development cycles lead to time-intensive qualification and validation tests in the field. Voltage dip tests are particularly critical… Read more »