Welcome to the July issue of Wind Systems magazine! This month we’re exploring the electrical side of the industry in terms of wind turbine components and getting wind-generated electricity to the grid. We’re also focusing on the importance of safe workplace practices and thorough, high-quality training for existing wind energy professionals and those breaking into the industry.
For this issue’s focus on electrical operations within the turbine, we spoke with Bill Rose and Dennis McKinley at ABB Inc., a key enabler in the wind energy industry as one of the largest independent suppliers of electrical components and as a technology leader in connecting wind farms to the grid, for the company profile. You’ll also find that this issue features a conversation with Louis Dorworth from Abaris Training Resources Inc. where we discuss the role Abaris plays in producing the highly trained and qualified workforce the wind energy needs and what can be expected from the company moving forward as the industry continues to grow following the five-year production tax credit (PTC) extension.
In this month’s inFOCUS section, you’ll find a column by Jack Wallace at Frontier Pro Services on the key role well-trained personnel play when it comes to safety on a wind farm, as well as an article by Matt Erickson, a mechanical engineer and product manager at Amsoil Inc., on the critical role antifreeze and cooling system maintenance practices play when it comes to the life of wind turbine electrical components. This issue also features an article by Tiffany Sanders from JHT Incorporated, the creator of proxSIMity simulation training software, on how the wind energy industry can benefit from this out-of-the-box training method, as well as a column by Travis Dees from World Wind & Solar on ways wind industry professionals can benefit from erosion control on their wind sites.
I also invite you to flip to the Crosswinds section of this issue to check out the winners of our Snap-on toolbox giveaway from Windpower 2016 New Orleans. This year’s winners include Jim Mason, the director of economic development for the City of Elk City, Oklahoma; Jeremy Greene, the lead software developer for JHT Incorporated based out of Orlando, Florida; and Steve Black, the senior business development manager for Moog Components Group based out of Blacksburg, Virginia. Make sure to stop by the Wind Systems booth at Windpower 2017 in Anaheim, California, to enter next year’s raffle.
As always, thanks for reading!
