Exclusive Articles
The growth of offshore wind lies in the data
Collecting ocean data is an important part of operating an offshore wind farm, but doing so sustainably in order to protect the natural environment is also crucial. We asked James Ives, CEO of XOCEAN, what solutions his company can offer to allow data to be collected reliably and efficiently and in a carbon neutral way…. Read more »
Inspection training pays off
The expectations of continued wind industry growth bring sustained challenges at many levels. One of these is finding the best way of expanding the workforce while maintaining safety and training standards, something that can be achieved with the correct training and support. Demand for wind turbine technicians is predicted to grow over the next five… Read more »
Counting the cost of lightning protection
Lightning strikes are powerful and awe-inspiring displays of nature’s fury. However, they can also wreak havoc on man-made structures, including wind turbines. According to industry experts, around 1 to 3 percent of lightning strikes to wind turbine blades result in blade damage. However, this figure can vary significantly, depending on the location of the wind… Read more »
Rugged, nimble, underwater robots help to maintain offshore wind farms
PES spoke with Brad Clause, an account executive specializing in offshore energy applications at VideoRay, the world’s leading manufacturer of underwater robotic systems. We wanted to learn how VideoRay systems can improve the efficiency of maintaining offshore wind monopiles and turbine jackets and foundations. PES: It’s lovely to welcome a new name to PES, and… Read more »
Lidar takes the lead: wind energy measurement in action
Around the globe, renewable generation capacity is exploding, as more countries seek to reach net zero in the decades ahead. With the world increasingly turning toward renewable sources, wind energy plays an increasingly prominent role in this transition. In the modern world of wind energy, the need for accurate and reliable wind measurement data has… Read more »
Online VR training for offshore excellence
Global wind capacity is set to grow to a staggering 1.4 GW by 2026, and the need for a skilled and experienced workforce is urgent. So much so that the industry needs to look outside of internal sources to find candidates. But how does the industry recruit effectively and sustainably, while ensuring that the skill… Read more »
Minimising asset downtime with predictive inspections
Hands-on predictive wind turbine inspections provide the most inclusive overview of the condition of a wind asset, highlighting issues and key degradation factors, providing asset owners with actionable insights. The increasing demand for renewable energy within the past few years has led to asset owners and operators placing an increased focus on reducing revenue losses… Read more »
Northern Ireland’s renewable ambitions face achievable challenges
The region was fast out of the blocks in its shift towards the use of renewable energy. Early targets were met, with more now in place, as the country strives to meet its current goal of 80% renewable electricity by 2030 and a carbon free power system by 2035. Ambitious, certainly. Although it won’t be… Read more »
The challenges of legacy CMS hardware in ageing turbines
As wind operators look to ensure their fleets are running as economically as possible, the use of data to improve asset management and predictive maintenance strategies is becoming increasingly vital. In the wind industry today, the benefits of Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS) are widely accepted to help achieve optimal wind turbine performance. More data from… Read more »
Go like the wind with offshore marshalling
Cape Breton Island, situated on the east coast of North America, is a region well-positioned for new economic opportunities and transformational change. Home to Novaporte, a 2,000+ acre greenfield port development, and some of the windiest waters in the world, the Island is perfectly poised for generational transformation. Cape Breton Island, with its green hills,… Read more »