Exclusive Articles
Large turbine projects require ample space for assembly
Pete Grossgart, Marketing Manager, Port of Stockton, is very busy travelling around the world but PES managed to touch base with him in a brief stop off. Wind energy is at last taking off in the US and California is taking full advantage. There is space available for warehousing, assembly and maintenance work to be… Read more »
Building solutions for the wind industry: listening for blade damage
As an acoustical engineer by trade, one of my acoustic consultancy’s specialisations is to monitor, assess and advise on wind farm noise levels. And this is where the story begins. We were told by a partner that experienced technicians could detect faults just by listening to the changes in sound generated by wind turbine blades…. Read more »
How we can avoid future blackouts
The UK power cut that occurred on Friday 9th August at 4.54pm affected many across the country. At first, speculation that followed the events suggested the fault could have been due to wind generation reducing owing to reduced wind speed. In fact, the issue was the amount of generation that tripped, not the technologies involved…. Read more »
Deriving value from portfolio diversity
As renewable technologies continue to penetrate global energy markets, one of the pressing challenges is how best to complement these sources of variable generation to ensure demand is met at all times. At the same time, competition among investors is increasing and the secondary wind and solar market continues to be highly active. For many… Read more »
Ascending and descending the turbines
Annekatrin Strunz, Key Account Manager Wind Power at LIFTKET, gives PES her view of the developments in the wind power industry and the corresponding product development in the company. LIFTKET established more than 70 years ago, in the heart of Germany, is one of the world’s oldest and largest manufacturers of electric chain hoists. It… Read more »
Reducing the impact of corrosion with thermoplastic coatings
Maintenance in the energy industry is a costly challenge for asset owners; a study by NACE International revealed that the annual global cost of corrosion is estimated to be $2.5 trillion. As a result, abrasion and corrosion resistant coatings for metal components are in high demand, particularly locations where environmental factors heavily influence the lifespan… Read more »
Working together in Flanders
PES had an interesting and enlightening meeting with Pieter Jan Jordaens, team leader OWI-Lab and cluster manager of IBN Offshore Energy project, Pieter Mathy, innovation manager at the University of Ghent (UGent) and RD&I catalyst in the IBN Offshore Energy project and Prof Dr Christof Devriendt, R&D coordinator OWI-Lab and associated to the university of… Read more »
Testing and validation of large wind turbine blades
Abstract: The continuing increase in rotor diameters is pushing the structural load-carrying capabilities of turbine blades to the limit. In order to ensure reliability and structural integrity, representative testing and validation methods are now more important than ever before. Development in wind turbine blades Wind turbine manufacturers are continuing to increase rotor diameters with the… Read more »
Seismic applications in the era of wind energy
The growing importance of sustainable energy is encouraging the wind industry market to aim for larger wind turbines and bigger wind farms. Driven by the search for larger construction areas, the offshore market began to spike investors’ interest. However, it quickly became obvious that this dynamic working environment is associated with new challenges and uncertainties… Read more »
From small beginnings to international fame
Hans Gatzemeier, Managing Director at ELA Container Offshore GmbH, caught up with us at PES to talk about the history of the company and its rapid growth over the last few years. In 5 years, ELA Offshore has blossomed into a flourishing global business. It’s still family owned and run and sets great store by… Read more »
