Jack Wallace

O&M strategies: wind turbine blades

ALTHOUGH MANY DIFFERENT PROCESSES ARE USED TO BUILD BLADES, THEY ALL SHARE THE SAME MAINTENANCE CHALLENGES. UNDERSTANDING HOW AND WHY A BLADE IS MADE A CERTAIN WAY WILL IMPROVE the CHANCES OF MAKING GOOD DECISIONS ON BLADE MAINTENANCE, SAY JACK WALLACE JR. AND MARK DAWSON OF FRONTIER PRO SERVICES.

The problem with O&M

FRANK MASTIAUX, CEO OF E.ON CLIMATE AND RENEWABLES RECENTLY SAID THAT IF COMPANIES SUCH AS E.ON ARE TO REALISE THEIR PROJECT PIPELINES AND GET MW ON THE GROUND, THE WIND INDUSTRY HAS TO MOVE FROM “BOUTIQUE TO TRULY INDUSTRIAL LEVELS OF OUTPUT”. BUT AS THIS HAPPENS AT AN EVER INCREASING RATE (CREDIT CRUNCH OR NO CREDIT CRUNCH), HOW CAN PROJECT DEVELOPERS AND TURBINE MANUFACTURERS ENSURE THAT THE TWIN DEMONS OF POOR TURBINE RELIABILITY AND HIGH COSTS OF O&M – BOTH WELL DOCUMENTED – DO NOT CONSPIRE TO REDUCE THE POTENTIAL SCALE OF WIND POWER?

High voltage at the wind farm

TECHNICIANS DEALING WITH OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE (O&M) AT WIND FARMS OFTEN FEEL THAT THE “HIGH VOLTAGE” DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM WITHIN THE WIND FARM IS OUTSIDE THEIR AREA OF EXPERTISE. BUT, SAYS JACK WALLACE JR., HIGH VOLTAGE BRINGS WITH IT IMPORTANT SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS. SO WHAT ARE THE CURRENT HV SAFETY CONCERNS INHERENT IN WIND FARMS TODAY AND HOW CAN THEY BE ADDRESSED?