American Superconductor Corporation, a leading energy technologies company, announces that it has received an order worth more than $10 million from ACCIONA Energy, a division of ACCIONA SA and a world leader in renewable power, for its new Dynamic VAR Ride Through (D-VAR RT) solution. Building on AMSC’s highly successful D-VAR platform, which provides critical dynamic reactive compensation required to connect many wind farms around the world to the power grid, the company’s D-VAR RT product enables individual wind turbines to continue operating smoothly by “riding through” voltage disturbances on power grids that might otherwise interrupt their operation. The D-VAR RT product meets stringent grid interconnection requirements, including Spain’s new Procedimiento de Operación 12.3 requirement for both existing and new wind turbines.

According to the Global Wind Energy Council, Spain was the world’s third largest wind power market at the end of 2008, with an installed base of more than 16,000 megawatts (MW). Disturbances such as momentary voltage dips can disconnect many wind turbines and cause instability on the transmission grid. Developed by Spain’s transmission system operator Red Electrica de España (REE), P.O. 12.3 requires that wind turbines remain connected to the grid through such events.

After extensive field testing and operation by an AMSC-ACCIONA Energy team at a wind farm with one of Spain’s most difficult climates, the D-VAR RT solution recently received official certification of compliance. ACCIONA Energy has initially ordered D-VAR RT solutions for an important amount of first-generation “squirrel-cage” wind turbines that are currently providing more than 250 MW of electricity in Spain to meet P.O. 12.3. AMSC will deliver all of the D-VAR RT solutions covered under this contract to ACCIONA Energy over the next few months.

The D-VAR RT solution can be installed inside or outside the tower of any wind turbine, enabling turbine manufacturers as well as wind farm developers, owners and operators to easily add the systems to new wind turbines or retrofit existing turbines. Utilizing AMSC’s PowerModule® PM3000W wind turbine converter, this scalable  solution is designed for a wide range of wind turbines with power ratings from 500 kilowatts (kW) up to 10 MW. The powerful, cost-effective technology provides low and high voltage ride through capabilities to keep wind turbines running through grid disturbances. This product is based on AMSC’s patented D-VAR platform, which is supporting more than 3,300 MW of power at 40 wind farms around the world.

“With more than 6,000 megawatts of wind power installed and more than 15,000 additional megawatts in development, ACCIONA Energy is a global clean energy powerhouse and is an ideal first adopter for our new D-VAR RT solution,” says Timothy Poor, AMSC’s vice president of global sales and business development. “We see great potential for this product in Spain and other countries that adopt similar standards in the years ahead as wind power continues to play a more prominent role in the world’s electricity supply.”

ACCIONA Energy has been a renewable energy pioneer in its home market for well over a decade. In 1994, the company established its first commercial wind farms. Acciona is currently present in more than 30 countries on five continents, making it one of the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturers and wind farm owners and operators.

As a key player in the Spanish market, ACCIONA has contributed decisively to the growth in wind energy by developing and adapting innovative solutions that enable wind to become a main energy contributor. In this context, Acciona Energy has been involved in several technical working groups and committees with the aim of developing these new ride through standards. For more information on AMSC go to www.amsc.com/dvrt.html.

Further expanding its suite of services for the global wind industry, GE Energy is introducing WindLAYOUT, which provides an opportunity to improve the economics of a wind plant through optimization of wind turbine layout. GE Energy, North America’s leading supplier of wind turbines, continues to lead the wind industry by developing new technology to meet the growing demand for cleaner energy. “This new offering is another in GE’s series of continuing technology advancements helping to move the wind industry forward,” says Victor Abate, vice president-renewables.

A key step in the development of a wind power project is the siting of wind turbines to achieve the highest possible level of energy production, while also addressing project costs and constraints. GE’s new WindLAYOUT offering, part of the company’s portfolio of Wind Plant Optimization products and services, utilizes GE’s core power generation expertise to maximize energy capture without exceeding turbine design limits.

With GE’s WindLAYOUT service, customers are able to make the best cost-benefit decisions regarding site development. The new offering includes features such as a wind turbine layout report detailing locations that maximize energy production estimates and due diligence on a wind resource assessment. The WindLAYOUT service is available for GE’s 1.5-megawatt and 2.5xL wind turbines. The GE 1.5-megawatt machine is the world’s most widely used wind turbine, with 12,000 now installed around the globe. The GE fleet of installed 1.5-megawatt wind turbines has exceeded 125 million operating hours.

In addition, GE has invested more than $100 million to launch its 2.5xL wind turbine technology and to enhance its production facilities in Salzbergen, Germany. The 2.5xL is designed specifically to meet the immediate needs of the European wind power industry, where lack of available land can constrain the size of projects. To learn more go to www.ge-energy.com/wind

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) are pleased to announce the release of a joint report titled “PTC, ITC, or Cash Grant? An Analysis of the Choice Facing Renewable Power Projects in the United States.” This report was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Signed into law one month ago, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (“the stimulus bill”) contains a number of provisions that could have a significant impact on how U.S. renewable power projects are financed over the next few years. Among these provisions is one that allows projects eligible to receive the production tax credit (PTC) to instead elect the investment tax credit (ITC). Another provision enables ITC-eligible projects, which now include most PTC-eligible renewable power projects, to instead receive a cash grant of equivalent value. Both of these provisions are in place for a limited time only.

The purpose of this report is to both quantitatively and qualitatively analyze, from the project developer/owner perspective, the choice between the PTC and the ITC, or equivalent cash grant, for a number of different renewable power technologies. Technologies analyzed include wind, open- and closed-loop biomass, geothermal, and landfill gas projects. The factors addressed in this report suggest that most wind, open- and closed-loop biomass, and landfill gas projects may benefit more from the ITC than they will from the PTC. Furthermore, based on qualitative considerations alone, it is reasonable to expect those projects that are placed in service or begin construction in 2009 or 2010 to elect the equivalent cash grant rather than the ITC itself. Geothermal projects, on the other hand, are likely to prefer the PTC, unless qualitative considerations overwhelm quantitative. The full report can be downloaded at eetd.lbl.gov/EA/EMP/reports/lbnl-1642e.pdf

Avanti Wind Systems announces that 141 new wind turbines in Oregon are to have its climb assistance equipment installed. This system makes it easier for service technicians to climb up and down the ladders in wind turbines. The new turbines will be installed in Biglow Canyon for Portland General Electric. Construction of the first 65 wind turbines began in April this year, with the remaining 76 to be installed in 2010.

In simple terms, Avanti climb assistant consists of an endless rope fastened to the technician’s harness with a clamp of the same type used in mountain climbing. Giving a gentle tug starts a motor that pulls on the rope, thus facilitating climbing. The rope runs along the ladder, and the pull weight is set by the technician. The safety systems ensure that the user can stop the system at any time because the pull weight is set so that the technician only need stand still on the ladder and, after a few seconds without movement, the pull force stops. The weight is also lightened in a similar way on the way down.

Avanti Wind System is leading world market producer of service lifts and other personal security systems to wind turbine towers. In addition, the Avanti Training Program covers all training needs concerning the company’s products, evacuation, fire precautions, rescue, health, and safety. The company’s service lifts, ladders with build-in fall safety rail, and climbing assistance have been approved in accordance with official standards in the Unites States, the European Union, and Australia. Learn more by calling (262) 641 9101, sending e-mail to kp@avanti-online.com, or going to www.avanti-online.com.

Zero-Max, Inc., an ISO 9001 certified design and manufacturing company, announces the introduction of its Composite Disc Couplings for the wind turbine industry. “These couplings withstand extreme misalignment while remaining torsionally stiff and have passed the ‘hell hole’ test at Tehachapi, California Wind Farm,” according to James Motz, a member of the Zero-Max wind team.

“The couplings were tested under conditions simulating a 20-year load spectrum of continuous operation,” he continues. “Once fatigue tested, the ‘hell hole’ location was selected for field testing in a wind turbine whereby the coupling would experience wind conditions in excess of 80 mph with continuous wind direction changes. The Zero-Max couplings survived these conditions that put over 50 wind turbines not using our coupling out of commission. The Zero-Max coupling continues to operate uninterrupted at this writing.”

The Zero-Max wind turbine couplings are designed with composite disk packs at both ends of a center spacer. These patented designed disk packs provide the true strength and calculable flexibility of the coupling. The composite disk packs (flex elements) provide a distinct advantage over other coupling component designs by allowing a surplus of parallel and axial misalignment while remaining torsionally stiff through all harmonic ranges of the wind turbine’s oscillating load. Depending on application, the Zero-Max’s center spacers can be machined out of steel, composite glass fiber or 6061-T6 aluminum. Through the use of Finite Element Analysis (FEA), these center spacers can be engineered to withstand in excess of 70,000 Nm of torque depending on the material selected.

U.S. capacity for windblade research and development will take a giant leap forward this year with the construction of an Advanced Wind Blade Prototyping Facility at the University of Maine’s AEWC Advanced Structures & Composites Center. Scheduled to open in December 2009, this new facility is unique in its capability for the design, manufacturing, and testing of large blades up to 70m.

The new facility will expand the AEWC Advanced Structures & Composites Center’s laboratories to 70,000 ft2. Full-scale blade manufacturing is supported by the center’s established expertise in the following areas: composites manufacturing, including VARTM, prepreg, fiber/tape placement; composites design, including FEA modeling, probabilistic mechanics and laminate analysis; joint design supported by expertise in fracture mechanics analysis; and material evaluation through static, fatigue, durability, impact, and non-destructive evaluation.

With 140 full and part-time faculty, scientists, and engineers, the AEWC Advanced Structures & Composites Center has 15 years of experience in large structures testing. It is well-known throughout the industry for its innovative product development and has won top ACMA awards for excellence in composites design and innovation in 2008 and 2009, as well as other research honors including SAMPE’s best paper award in 2008. To learn more visit www.aewc.umaine.edu.

Two giants in the wind industry have joined forces to provide reliable, time-tested service and parts to the wind market. North American Wind Service Alliance (NAWSA) is the only North American distribution channel for Carbone of North America wind generator replacement graphite brushes, slip ring assemblies, and hub assemblies.

Carbone of North America, a leader in innovative material solutions involving graphite and other performance materials, has designed and developed replacement brushes specifically for the wind generator market. The electrographitic grades of materials in these brushes provide the best characteristics to improve performance and wear, extending lifecycles, and lowering replacement costs. It is now possible, with one call or e-mail to a NAWSA member, to arrange for the purchase and/or installation of these Carbone Lorraine components anywhere in North America. The NAWSA network of alliance members can ensure a local response to your need for quality performance products designed specifically for your wind generator needs. NAWSA’s Web-based single point of contact for all wind generator concerns—from emergency response to diagnostics and repairs—has more than 50 tower-rescue trained technicians and fully trained support technicians based throughout the country to provide on-site evaluation, removal, installation, and support coordinated through NAWSA.

NAWSA’s growth parallels the increasing demand for well-trained professional wind generator service across the country. With many units reaching an age where repair or replace decisions are vital for continued profitability, NAWSA has both the expertise and the flexibility to meet this demand within 48 hours of contact. To learn more send e-mail to info@nawsa.com or visit online at www.nawsa.com.

The American Wind and Wildlife Institute (AWWI), a national organization committed to facilitating timely and responsible development of wind energy and the protection of wildlife and wildlife habitat, has announced the selection of Kraig Butrum to serve as its first president. He brings 25 years of experience in non-profit administration to AWWI. As a first priority he will hire a research director to prioritize and fund research so that developers can make informed siting decisions in relation to wildlife and conservation issues. Early in his tenure he will oversee the implementation and expansion of AWWI’s research, mapping, mitigation, and outreach and education initiatives.

“The time is now for America to address global climate change, diversify its energy base, and lessen its dependence on foreign sources of oil,” says Butrum. “I look forward to hitting the ground running in order to provide the research and information needed to meet our nation’s goal to triple development of wind energy in the next few years while protecting biodiversity and critical habitat.”

AWWI was founded in October 2008 by 20 of the nation’s top science-based conservation and environmental groups and wind energy companies with the mission of facilitating timely and responsible development of wind energy while protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat. It does this through research, mapping, mitigation, and public education on best practices in wind farm siting and habitat protection. The institute’s members include AES Wind Generation, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Babcock and Brown, BP Alternative Energy, Clipper Windpower, E.ON, Environmental Defense Fund, enXco, GE Energy, Horizon Wind Energy, Iberdrola Renewables, National Audubon Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, Nordic Windpower, NRG Systems, Renewable Energy Systems Americas, The Nature Conservancy, The Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists, and Vestas America. To learn more, please visit www.awwi.org.

DBI-SALA, a Capital Safety brand, introduces a complete fall protection solution for the wind energy industry: the ExoFit™ Wind Energy Harness and Force2™ Wind Energy Lanyard. The products are uniquely designed for wind turbine construction, maintenance and inspection. With soft and lightweight, yet exceptionally durable materials, the ExoFit Wind Energy Harness maximizes worker comfort and productivity. The harness is constructed in the shape of an “x” for easy, no-tangle donning, and integrates a variety of premium features in both the standard model and a construction model.

Hardware on both the construction style and standard harness is PVC-coated to prevent scratches to the surface of the nacelle. Additional features of the ExoFit Wind Energy harnesses include built-in lanyard keepers to prevent the lanyard from snagging or creating a tripping hazard, quick-connect buckles, a front D-ring for climbing or controlled descent, side D-rings for positioning, and a dorsal D-ring for fall arrest. Suspension trauma straps are also included on each model. In case of a fall, the suspended worker would connect the straps and step into them to relieve pressure.

The Force2 Wind Energy Lanyard features specialized components ideal for wind turbine construction and maintenance. Atop the nacelle, workers must tie-off at their feet, as overhead anchorage points are not available. This requires a shock-absorbing lanyard capable of resisting 12-foot free falls. The Force2 meets this requirement for individuals weighing up to 310 pounds, and has been tested for six-foot free falls for individuals weighing up to 420 pounds. The twin legs of the Force2 Wind Energy Lanyard allow for 100 percent tie off, a critical safety feature for working at height. For more information call (800) 328-6146, (651) 388-8282, or go to www.capitalsafety.com.

Installing and maintaining offshore wind farms when faced with intertidal areas or shallow water can provide an interesting challenge. However, there could be an answer using an air cushion solution. The heavy-lift Hoverbarge, which Hovertrans engineers have been manufacturing for over 30 years, is an amphibious marine barge capable of transporting a payload of hundreds of tons on a cushion of air.

The Hoverbarge system can be utilized to transport heavy equipment over shallow waters, mud flats, and sandbars unaffected by tidal ranges. The Hoverbarge could also eliminate the need for offshore jointing, transporting cable from the shore to deep water. The capability to move heavy equipment efficiently over such areas could reduce costs significantly because there is no need for dredging, constructing, or using quayside infrastructures. Hovertrans has seen an increase over the past month of interest from power and engineering companies looking to use the Hoverbarge system, potentially alongside traditional hovercraft for crew transfer.

The Hoverbarge has proven to minimize environmental impact. Dan Turner, managing and technical director of Hovertrans, says that “The Hoverbarge only exerts 1psi ground pressure compared to a human footprint of 8psi and can avoid the need for dredging. There appears to be great benefits from using a system that minimizes environmental impact when constructing wind farms.”

For more information call + 44 23 8030 2035, send e-mail to Stuart Turner, general manager, at stu@hovertrans.com, or go online to www.hovertrans.com

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The Timken Company plans to expand production capacity at its Tyger River facility in Union, South Carolina, to serve the wind energy market. The investment is part of a strategy to strengthen Timken’s position in serving growing global demand for highly engineered large-bore bearings that will help customers harness wind power.

Timken expects demand for large-bore bearings used in main-rotor shafts and gear drives in wind turbines to grow rapidly in the coming years as reliance on renewable energy increases. The Tyger River investment will allow the company to serve demand from North American customers and provide expanded capability to produce prototypes in support of new wind-turbine programs.

Expansion work at Timken’s Tyger River location will begin this year, with production currently slated for 2010. It will be the company’s second wind-related commitment of the past year, following formation of a joint venture with China’s XEMC to build a new main-shaft bearing facility in Xiangtan, Hunan province. Construction of that new facility is scheduled to begin this year.

The Timken Company manufactures highly engineered bearings, alloy steels, and related components and assemblies. For more information please visit www.timken.com.

CENTA’s wide-ranging global experience produces an enhanced version of its Torque Hub, the market-leading slip clutch that offers a simple and low-cost design for torque overload generator protection. In wind power plants, electrical circuit problems are known to cause short-term torque peaks. In this event slip clutches protect the costly gearbox against overload by slipping at a defined maximum torque in order to temporarily interrupt the drive. The slip process takes place not on the generator shaft surface, but inside the CENTA Torque Hub, which is mounted on the generator shaft in the coupling’s clamping set.

CENTA’s latest development in slip systems—the “CENTA Torque Set”—now positions the slip unit to the middle section of the shaft. By relocating the slip function, manufacturing tolerances at the generator shaft no longer cause variations in the slip torque, resulting in improved accuracy of the slip function. Another advantage of the new design is that the slip system is made to be pre-mounted as a complete unit. The maximum torque is set on a certified test bench according to the manufacturer’s requirements and documented in a test report, eliminating the need for on-site adjustments. For more information contact Bob Lennon at (630) 236-3500 or bobl@centacorp.com. Go online to www.centa.info.

The first privately owned and operated instructional program and training center for wind energy technicians is scheduled to open in July 2009 in Vancouver, Washington, according to Arch Miller, founder of the parent company, International Air and Hospitality Academy. The Wind Energy Technician course is the first for alternative energy workers that will be taught in a separate division of the academy, called the Northwest Renewable Energy Institute (NW-REI). Training for other renewable energy technologies will follow.

Miller says the course is a direct response to the huge demand for wind power as a means of generating electricity in the United States. At the beginning of 2008 wind power accounted for just over one percent of the nation’s electricity, or some 16,818 MWe. Last year, according to the American Wind Energy Association, the wind energy industry installed about 42 percent of all the new electric generating capacity in 2008 and created 35,000 jobs, primarily in construction and manufacturing.

“Currently there are some 85,000 Americans employed in the wind energy business in the U.S.,” Miller says. “The U.S. Department of Energy reports that wind energy is capable of generating 20 percent of the nation’s electricity by the year 2030. If we meet that goal the number of workers involved in wind power will grow from 85,000 today to 450,000 by 2030. That’s a huge demand for new workers in this field, which today pays between $36,000 and $68,000 annually, depending on education and experience.” To learn more call Colleen Piller at (360) 695-2500 or go to www.nwenergyinstitute.com. 

A leading manufacturer of innovative filtration solutions, Donaldson has engineered a revolutionary new gearbox filter to improve wind turbine performance. The company will showcase the new DT-1300R element at the AWEA WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition in Chicago. The show, scheduled for May 4-7, is the largest annual event of its kind in the world, and features the latest industry developments, technologies, products, and more.

Gearbox wear and malfunction are two of the primary concerns in wind turbine maintenance. Donaldson’s DT-1300R gearbox filter helps reduce those maintenance concerns, saving time and money. “The DT-1300R uses our new patented breakthrough in filter media, Synteq™ XP,” says Marty Barris, director of engineering. “Synteq XP delivers absolute level efficiencies with contaminant-holding capacities beyond that of competitive filters. This increases performance and provides greater protection against wear, improving overall wind turbine performance and productivity.”

Donaldson maintains the industry’s largest inventory of many replacement elements, including the DT-1300R at their North American distribution center. “Keeping a product in stock translates into less overhead costs for our distributors and customers, quicker delivery, shorter lead times, and faster response to customer inquiries,” Barris adds. “Donaldson is committed to customer service. Getting customers the products they need, when they need them, is something we’ve prided ourselves on for more than 90 years.” To learn more go to www.donaldson.com.

Ferraz Shawmut has been a leader in circuit protection for industry and the electrical market for more than 100 years. Now the company is bringing its knowledge, innovation, and technical expertise for the second year in a row to the AWEA WINDPOWER 2009 Conference & Exhibition at McCormick Place in Chicago May 4-7, 2009. Ferraz Shawmut invites attendees to learn more about its complete line of problem-solving products for wind power electrical protection by stopping by booth #4536.

A worldwide supplier of current-limiting fuses and accessories for overcurrent protection, Ferraz Shawmut products ensure the security of electrical components, systems and the people who use them. A wide range of products are available for the nacelle, utility, and tower base, including finger-safe power distribution blocks (FSPDB), time-delay class J fuses (AJT), E-rated medium voltage current-limiting power fuses, and more. To learn more visit www.us.ferrazshawmut.com.