Exclusive Articles
Fresh thinking brings breakthrough sealing solution for main bearings
As wind energy moves to larger, lighter turbines in harsh and remote locations, its specialty in large-diameter, custom seals, alongside a reputation for reliability, is making System Seals a player of note in this growing space. Systemwind is the company’s offering for the wind sector. According to Sales Director Sean Hensey, it represents ‘fresh thinking’… Read more »
Bringing data ubiquity to the wind turbine inspection market
Tom Sulzer is CEO and Co-founder of Sulzer Schmid. Under his leadership, the company has taken a leading role in solving some of the most complex maintenance issues that wind turbine manufacturers, operators and asset owners are faced with. The Swiss-born CEO is poised to transform the turbine inspection business into a player to reckon… Read more »
The industry requirement for wind turbine blade condition monitoring
In the early years of wind energy, the industry faced numerous challenges, with issues related to gearboxes and the mechanical drivetrain leading to significant losses in revenue and high operation and maintenance (O&M) costs. To address these concerns, condition monitoring systems (CMS) emerged as a ‘standard’ component of predictive and preventative maintenance strategies, vastly increasing… Read more »
Full speed ahead
Ematec AG never stands still and 2023 is no exception, with the leading distributor of lifting equipment for the single-blade assembly of rotor blades stepping up its game once again. At Husum Wind it presents the new generation of the RBC-D50.1 to the trade public. ‘It’s great that we were able to add to the… Read more »
Nacelle-mounted lidar for accurate measurement of turbulence intensity
With global wind capacity set to exceed 1 terawatt by the end of the year, the demand for accurate, reliable wind data will only increase in the future, powered by clean energy sources. As wind turbines sky higher and wind farms covering more expansive areas spring up, on and offshore, the accuracy of lidar technology… Read more »
Age isn’t just a number
How do you solve a problem like ageing? We’re now 30 years on from the commissioning of Scotland’s first commercial onshore wind farm, and our sector is coming together to discuss the reality of what to do with an ageing fleet of turbines that are rapidly reaching the end of their financially useful lives. By… Read more »
The dilemma of lifting in deep waters
The seemingly never ending ramp up in offshore wind installations in recent years, together with the drive for ever larger and heavier wind turbines in deeper waters, presents the industry with many logistical challenges. Not least of these is heavy lifting operations in deep waters. The next generation of turbines, up to 20 MW, are… Read more »
Shared goals lead to a successful partnership
In the pursuit of a cleaner and sustainable future, the demand for renewable energy, particularly from wind power, has witnessed remarkable growth over the years. As the wind energy sector continues to thrive, companies strive to innovate and provide improved solutions for the erection, assembly, and maintenance of onshore and offshore wind turbines. One collaboration… Read more »
Offshore wind vessels on the US east coast
Offshore wind farm development has got off to a slow start in the US. Despite many projects being in the pipeline since the mid-to-late 2010s, with initial completion scheduled for the early 2020s, no major US wind farm has yet commenced operation. Colebrook Offshore explores the reasons behind the delays. One example is the MarWin… Read more »
A new winter solution: the case for an icephobic coating
As climates shift and weather events become more extreme, it is imperative that wind farm owners and operators prepare for the worst that the cold season has to offer. Ice-based downtime significantly reduces the efficiency, and therefore the profitability, of wind energy installations worldwide. This issue is compounded by the increased energy needs of the… Read more »
