Logistics planning requires factoring in the interaction between weather and the terrain
As the seventh consecutive day of rain was drenching me in the middle of a project, causing delays and running up costs, I thought...
Anyone approaching a turbine under icy conditions needs to know how to protect themselves...
Blade icing is a unique safety challenge on wind farms that occurs on both existing and new facilities still under construction. Understanding and preparing...
Cold weather can affect the reliability of a wind project, as well as the...
Leaving behind the memorable heat wave of 2011, it won’t be long before our offices at 300 feet off the ground become standing popsicles....
A new concept for designing blades is through adaptive blade technology
What if a wind turbine could change its shape with varying wind conditions to optimally capture the most power from the wind at each...
Successful logistics planning benefits from understanding border rules
Companies often forget seemingly simple things while handling the logistics of wind components within North America. What is assumed within U.S. borders doesn’t necessarily...
Lack of proper planning during crane walks results in schedule issues and unexpected costs
Tracked cranes perform nearly all of the new wind farm construction in North America. One challenge is moving the nearly 1,000,000-lb machines between turbines...
A predictive program will include an assessment of the failure mode for each event
Surprisingly, maintenance practices in the wind industry are still guided mostly by time-based activities. Meant to be a proactive approach to servicing multimillion-dollar equipment,...
Turbine technology is rapidly evolving to meet the stringent demands of grid stability, reliability
The 2010 annual Wind Technologies Market Report by Ryan Wiser and Mark Bolinger, both of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, was released in June 2011....
Barge is a third viable form of transport for wind components
Traditionally, the most common method of transporting large wind components has been via specialized truck transportation carriers. In recent years rail transport has been...
Clarifying scope definition prior to beginning a project
Scope definition is likely the single greatest source of frustration on all wind projects. Simply put, the scope is the link that binds owners...
Annual analyses of faults that cause downtime can shed light on nuisance-type issues
In the world of maintenance there is generally an accepted rule in system troubleshooting that states the best methodology should attempt to eliminate at...
The more engaged today’s youth are in the stewardship of our natural resources, the...
As we are embarking on a new adventure at Penn State directing the Pennsylvania Wind for Schools program, we are reminded of how fascinating...
By developing logistics strategies that benefit the entire system, companies can improve performance
Logistics roles and responsibilities tend to be compartmentalized within companies. One group may handle project deliveries, another group manages inbound plant logistics, and a...
Once your project has been cleared to proceed, which construction strategy will you choose?
Once your wind farm project becomes approved, you will eventually need to decide what construction strategy you will use. Many developers have traditionally gone...
Focusing on the sightline from maintenance reliability to business success
When we speak of wind turbine maintenance we often refer to the scheduled, semi-annual, or annual service that involves such tasks as replacing filters,...
The challenges involved in building integrated wind energy include wind flow, structure siting, unit...
Building-integrated wind turbines (BIWT) are becoming more prevalent in the landscape across the United States, as well as in Europe. There are many challenges...
Mitigating or avoiding demurrage and detention fees
Logistics costs account for 10-15 percent of the total turbine cost. Understanding and controlling these costs is an important part of managing the overall...
There is a profound distinction between education and training
I expect we have all heard the message: While placed on hold, a voice says “to ensure quality this call may be recorded.” If...
An interdisciplinary workforce of engineers is essential for advancements in wind turbine technology
Jobs in wind energy have been and are currently out there. The wind industry, though, is challenged with filling open positions with qualified candidates...
It is critical to balance site section criteria against the needs of the project...
Inbound supply chains are becoming increasingly complex. While many OEM turbine manufacturers have or are planning North American assembly plants, most new plants are...
