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]]PROFILE IN FOCUS CloudVisit Energy provides customizable cloud-based software solutions to optimize the efficiency of onshore and PROTECTING offshore wind farms. 22 WIND-TURBINE BEARINGS Common failure modes can be pre-empted to reduce the likelihood of premature bearing failures.

MAINTAINING A MAINTENANCE PLAN The cost of not applying an adequate O&M strategy can add up quickly. 16 ]]CONVERSATION STATE OF THE ART OF GEARBOXES Gordon Randall, director of project Regularly scheduled maintenance keeps analysis at ArcVera Renewables, says, wind turbines spinning. 18 when it comes to renewables, it’s often economy over ecology. 26

2 FEBRUARY 2019 THE COVER: Shutterstock / Illustration by Michele Hall OFFSHORE WIND MARKET INSIGHT. CONNECTIONS. KNOWLEDGE. APRIL 8-10 NEW YORK CITY

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]]THE FUTURE OF WIND TAILWINDS

THE BUSINESS OF WIND

DIRECTION 8 ]]MANUFACTURING Siemens Gamesa launches 620 MW of New Wind from Enel Green Power now online in 10-MW offshore turbine 28 U.S.  Aerox strengthens its global presence in the U.S.  Apex Clean Energy sells Sugar Creek Wind ]]CONSTRUCTION RES completes 80 MW Copenhagen Wind Project in New York 31

]]INNOVATION CROSSWINDS Lidar lights up wind 36 opportunities for Tilt in Australia 32

KEEPING AN EYE ON BATS ]]MAINTENANCE A recent study takes a comprehensive dive into how wind turbines Training course to explain can affect bats and what can be done to aid challenges with wind new corrosion protection energy development and bat conservation, while making that for turbines 34 information accessible to all who need it.

Wind Systems (ISSN 2327-2422) is published monthly by Media Solutions, Inc., 266D Yeager Parkway Pelham, AL 35124. Phone (205) 380-1573 Fax (205) 380-1580 International subscription rates: $72.00 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Pelham, AL and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the USA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Wind Systems magazine, P.O. Box 1210 Pelham AL 35124. Publications mail agreement No. 41395015 return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503 RPO West Beaver Creek Richmond Hill, ON L4B4R6. Copyright 2006 by Media Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.

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CAS_2664_WSM_7.5x10_AD_OPTIGEAR_US_WAMO_AW3.indd 1 15/08/2018 13:01 Giving Wind Direction FROM THE EDITOR SYSTEMS

David C. Cooper Another amazing year expected for wind Publisher EDITORIAL can’t stop praising the amazing strides the wind industry continues to make. Kenneth Carter (It’s true. Ask anyone I work with.) And that praise is certainly justified when Editor you take a look at the FYI article to the right and see just a few of the hard Jennifer Jacobson Inumbers AWEA released about 2018. Associate Editor For 2019, the experts at AWEA don’t see any signs of that progress slowing. Joe Crowe My plan as editor is for Wind Systems to continue to grow with it. You may Contributing Editor have noticed an increase in social media traffic from us already. And as the year continues, look for even more ways to access Wind Systems’ exclusive SALES content as we beef up every avenue to ensure your David Gomez experience with us is time well spent. National Sales Manager In this month’s issue, I hope you find quite a few -ar Jim Faulkner ticles to help you either better plan your business year Regional Sales Manager or simply help you better understand an aspect of the David Marlow industry that you might not have even known about. Regional Sales Manager Our inFocus section shines a spotlight on two basic, Tom McNulty yet important, areas of the industry: operations and Regional Sales Manager turbine maintenance. An article from the experts at SKF discusses how CIRCULATION to protect turbine bearings from common failure modes. Teresa Cooper And an expert from REM Surface Engineering takes a deep dive into the Manager state of the art of turbine gearboxes and the importance of regularly sched- Jamie Willett uled maintenance in order to keep turbines spinning. Assistant Beyond the “nuts and bolts” of keeping turbines going, this month’s Cross- winds article looks at how turbines can affect the environment, specifically DESIGN bats. A recent study compiles three years’ worth of research into a comprehen- Rick Frennea sive report on how turbines can affect bats and the challenges faced with bat Creative Director conservation and wind-energy development. I spoke with one of the study’s Michele Hall biologists who shared an overview of the study and what it means to wind Graphic Designer farms constructed near areas where bats populate. No part of this publication may be reproduced or I hope you find these articles and more as informative as I did. If you have transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic any comments, feel free to contact me. I’m always interested in what you or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage-and-retrieval system think about our content. I welcome any ideas to make it even better than it is. without permission in writing from the publisher. As always, thanks for reading! The views expressed by those not on the staff of Wind Systems magazine, or who are not specifically employed by Media Solutions, Inc., are purely their own. All “News” material has either been submitted by the subject company or pulled directly from their corporate web site, which is assumed to be cleared for release. Comments and Vertical Logo submissions are welcome,Horizontal and Logocan be submitted to [email protected].

Kenneth Carter, editor Coop wants to use this one for the website Published by Media Solutions, Inc. Wind Systems magazine P.O. Box 1987 • Pelham, AL 35124 [email protected] (800) 366-2185 • (205) 380-1580 fax (800) 366-2185, ext. 204 [email protected] David C. Cooper President Chad Morrison Vice President Teresa Cooper Operations Director 6 FEBRUARY 2019 FYI

Six trends shaping wind power’s future From AWEA 2018 may be in the rearview mirror, but let’s take a moment to reflect on another year of incredible progress for American wind power. ] Wind development pipeline hits an all-time high: There has never been more wind power under construction in the U.S. than right now, which means America’s 105,000 wind workers and 500 wind-related factories are as busy as ever. ] Costs continue falling while technology keeps advancing: Since 2009, the cost of wind has fallen by 69 percent, largely due to technological advances and improved domestic manufacturing. ] States commit to more renewable energy: Con- necticut, Massachusetts, California, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia all passed legislation increasing their Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). ] Companies continue powering more of their operations using wind: In the first nine months of 2018, non-utility wind customers signed contracts for more wind-power capacity than any other year, for a total of 2,904 MW. ] Interest in offshore wind hits an all-time high: In mid-December, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Man- agement (BOEM) held an auction to develop three wind energy areas off the coast of Massachusetts. ] RTOS set new wind production records: Wind power is an increasingly integral part of the U.S. power grid, judging by the records wind is setting. Consider ERCOT, the primary grid for Texas and the largest wind-energy market. In 2018, wind genera - tion set multiple records. On December 14, ERCOT recorded the highest instantaneous output from wind — 19,168 MW. The record setting performance didn’t end in 2018. Already this year MISO and PJM have experienced record wind output. On January 8, wind produced 16,282 MW at one point in time in MISO. The next day, wind delivered 7,889 MW, serving 9.24 percent of real-time demand in America’s largest RELIABLE IN electricity market. ALL CONDITIONS.

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The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is the premier national trade association that represents the interests of America’s wind energy industry. For more Tel.:(+1) 262-583-4060 | [email protected] information, go to www.awea.org

windsystemsmag.com 7

USA_advert_1_4 regular_3375x4875_rz.indd 1 31.03.17 14:36 DIRECTION

THE FUTURE OF WIND

EGPNA, part of Enel Green Power, is a leading owner and operator of renewable energy plants in North America with projects operating and under development in 24 states and two Canadian provinces. (Courtesy: Enel Green Power)

8 FEBRUARY 2019 620 MW of new wind from Enel Green Power now online in U.S. Enel, through its U.S. renewable com- ed to power the company’s U.S. and dian provinces. EGPNA operates about pany Enel Green Power North America, Canadian operations, including its 85 100 plants with a managed capacity Inc., has started operations of the 320 manufacturing facilities, offices, and of about 5 GW powered by renewable MW Rattlesnake Creek wind farm, its warehouses, while reducing Kohler’s hydropower, wind, geothermal, and first wind facility in the state of Ne- global greenhouse gas emissions by solar energy. In 2017, the company was braska, and the Diamond Vista wind more than 25 percent. Additionally, the the fastest-growing renewable energy farm of about 300 MW in Kansas. Com- output and renewable energy credits company in the U.S., bringing approx- bined, the two new wind farms will from another 100 MW portion of the imately 1.2 GW of capacity online. The generate about 2,600 GWh annually. facility will be sold to City Utilities of company is the largest wind operator With these two wind farms, the total Springfield, and those from an 84 MW in Kansas and Oklahoma. renewable capacity that Enel Green portion to Tri-County Electric Coop- Enel Green Power is the Enel Power has connected to grids around erative of Oklahoma. The investment Group’s business line dedicated to the the world this year amounts to approx- in the construction of Diamond Vis- development and operation of renew- imately 2.6 GW, of which more than ta, which is also expected to generate ables across the world, with a presence 830 MW is in North America. about 1,300 GWh annually, amounts to in Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, “With the completion of Rattlesnake about $400 million. and Oceania. Enel Green Power is a Creek and Diamond Vista, we have now In addition, EGPNA signed tax equi- global leader in the green energy sec- added more than 800 MW of new wind ty agreements with Bank of America tor with a managed capacity of about capacity in 2018 in the U.S., strength- Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan for the 43 GW across a generation mix that ening our growth in the country and Rattlesnake Creek and Diamond Vis- includes wind, solar, geothermal, and confirming our position as partner of ta wind farms. The two investment hydropower, and is at the forefront of choice for commercial and industrial banks will purchase 100 percent of integrating innovative technologies customers,” said Antonio Cammisecra, the “Class B” equity interests of the into renewable power plants. head of Enel Green Power. “These proj- 320 MW Rattlesnake Creek wind projects further demonstrate our ability ect in Nebraska for about $334 million. MORE INFO www.enel.com to develop customized solutions that Under a separate agreement, Bank of best meet the renewable energy needs America Merrill Lynch and J.P. Morgan of our customers.” will also purchase 100 percent of the Aerox strengthens The Rattlesnake Creek wind farm “Class B” equity interests of the 300 MW in Dixon County, Nebraska, is fully Diamond Vista wind project in Kansas its global presence contracted with long-term power pur- for about $317 million. Enel retains in the U.S. chase agreements, under which Adobe 100 percent ownership of the “Class will purchase the energy from a 10 MW A” interests, as well as control over the Aerox, a Spanish start-up specialized portion through 2028, and Facebook management and operation of both in the design of polymers for the will gradually buy the wind farm’s full wind farms. wind-power industry, closed 2018 output by 2029. The agreement enables Over the past year, Enel signed taking a step further in its ambitious Facebook to power its data center in about 570 MW of commercial and in- business plan: the opening of its Papillion, Nebraska, with 100 percent dustrial (C&I) PPAs in the U.S. To date, North American branch, Aerox North renewable energy. The investment in Enel has signed, directly or indirectly, America LLC. the construction of Rattlesnake Creek, more than 1.2 GW of power supply con- “The North American wind-power which is expected to generate about tracts in the U.S. with C&I customers. sector is a very dynamic market, high- 1,300 GWh annually, amounts to ap- Through these agreements, Enel is able ly demanding in terms of quality and proximately $430 million. to create tailor-made solutions for its service level. It is therefore virtually The Diamond Vista wind farm in corporate customers, with the aim to essential to have a local presence in or- Marion and Dickinson counties, Kan- provide them with long-term access to der to be competitive,” said Raúl Cortés, sas, is supported by three separate long- an affordable, sustainable and reliable the company’s CEO. The operation was term power purchase agreements. The source of power. coordinated by Aktion Legal Partners, a electricity and renewable energy cred- EGPNA, part of Enel Green Power, regular adviser to Aerox, and Garrigues its from a 100 MW portion of the wind is a leading owner and operator of re- through its office in New York. farm will be sold to global manufactur- newable energy plants in North Amer- Aerox’s technology solves some of ing company Kohler Co. to supply 100 ica with projects operating and under the greatest challenges faced by the percent of the annual electricity need- development in 24 states and two Cana- industry today, such as the protection

windsystemsmag.com 9 DIRECTION THE FUTURE OF WIND

of the leading edge of blades, due to the progressive increase in the size of wind turbines. Aerox has been marketing its products in the U.S. since 2018, and, following the recent open - ing of its branch, it plans to carry out the strategic implementation of a production unit in the U.S. in 2019. The company has undergone rapid international expansion, with a presence in Europe, Asia (where it already has a logistics center in China) and, finally, North America. “Our business plan was to strengthen our supply chain in North America to ensure sustainable growth in this major strategic area for the sector in the coming years,” Cortés said. After an initial capital increase in 2015, investors from Tech Transfer UPV, a fund promoted The company has raised more than by the Social Council of the Universitat Politècnica de València and the asset manager Clave 1.7 million euros between public and Mayor, completed the second financing round of the company between 2017 and 2018, with private financing since 2017. After an the aim of meeting the needs arising from international expansion. (Courtesy: Aerox) initial capital increase in 2015, investors from Tech Transfer UPV, a fund bine blades working under extreme op- tract with the Illinois Power Agency to promoted by the Social Council of erating conditions. This helps extend provide renewable energy certificates the Universitat Politècnica de Valèn- the wind turbine blade service life up to utilities in the state. cia and the asset manager Clave May- to three times, compared to other solu- “Sugar Creek Wind demonstrates or, completed the second financing tions on the market. the Apex team’s proven ability to iden- round of the company between 2017 tify and advance projects with strong and 2018, with the aim of meeting MORE INFO www.aerox.es fundamentals, including access to the needs arising from international transmission, exceptional resourc- expansion. es, strong community support, and In addition to the exponential Apex Clean Energy financeable offtake,” said Mark Good- growth in its turnover, 2018 was a sells Sugar Creek Wind win, president and CEO of Apex. successful year for Aerox’s new de- farm in Illinois velopments. Aerox received 1 million MORE INFO www.apexcleanenergy.com euros of financing in the first half of Apex Clean Energy recently announced the year by the European Union’s SME the sale of Sugar Creek Wind to a whol- Instrument H2020 for its LEP4BLADES ly owned subsidiary of Algonquin Pow- APAC to lead gearbox, project, which focuses on the industri- er & Utilities Corp. direct-drive markets, al scaling of Aerox’s most disruptive The advanced-stage 202 MW project innovation: A patented technology to is in Logan County in central Illinois. In says GlobalData protect the leading edge of wind tur- fall 2018, Apex secured a long-term con- Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to lead the global wind gearbox and direct drive equipment markets with a share of 46 percent and 53.5 percent, respectively over the forecast period of 2018 to 2022, said GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company. The company’s latest report, Wind Gearbox and Direct Drive, Update 2018, reveals the global trends of wind power are creating business opportunities for new and refurbishment markets. It states that prominent markets such as China, the U.S., and E.U., which had Sugar Creek Wind is an advanced-stage 202 MW project. (Courtesy: Apex Clean Energy) made significant strides in the wind

10 FEBRUARY 2019 market, are creating a significant mar- tions for wind gearbox and direct nologies could result in wind power ket for gearbox refurbishments. drive markets, certain market uncer- becoming uncompetitive and thereby Installation of wind gearboxes and tainties exist. Major countries such impact its growth in the future,” Ra- direct drive equipment are estimated as China, the U.S., and Germany are jasekaram said. “Emerging markets to aggregate 209.6 GW and 81.3 GW, experiencing slowdown in wind-tur- will require the construction of suf- respectively, over the forecast period. bine installations, which would di- ficient grid infrastructure to support The total installation of wind rectly impact the drive-train market, new generation capacity addition, gearboxes stood at 37.8 GW in 2017 as although opportunities for refurbish- which could slow market deployment compared to 14.4 GW for direct drive, ment are plenty, owing to their legacy of wind power.” and will continue leading the market wind turbine installations. over the forecast period. However, due “Evolving power and smart tech- MORE INFO GlobalData.com to their improved mechanical design, superior operation, and maintenance aspects, direct drives are likely to experience a higher growth rate over the forecast period. The direct drives market is expected to witness 17.6 GW of installations, i.e., 29.9 percent of the total installation in 2022. “Within APAC, major countries such as China, India, Australia, and South Korea are likely to boost the growth of the drive-train markets,” said Nirushan Rajasekaram, power analyst at Global- Data. “The market for wind gearboxes in APAC is expected to reach to $1.58 billion in 2022.” China accounted for 27.3 percent of the global gearbox market value in BOLT TENSIONING 2017. The country is committed toward developing its renewable portfolio to sustain development activities and growing electricity demand from the transport sector industries and rural regions to improve standards of living, while reducing power sector emissions. However, the market is projected to decline till 2022, due to change in award- ing wind projects from a feed-in tariff model to auctioning model. “The historical installations of · Tensioning equipment is customized for any bolt configuration or clearance wind turbines in China will see the gearbox refurbishment market value · Our customized equipment can be grow significantly over the forecast modified or repaired in the field, reducing period,” Rajasekaram said. “India is downtime estimated to be the fastest growing · Certified pump gauges are recalibrated market for gearbox, growing at a CAGR with each foundation Foundation Solutions of 15.9 percent over the forecast peri- RAISING THE BAR IN BOLT TENSIONING od. Similar to China, the government · Professional reports routinely provided for each foundation tensioned proposed ambitious renewable energy 800.359.0372 targets, which are expected to drive · Free bolt cap installation with tensioning [email protected] the wind-equipment market. It is likely service that direct drives will also see higher rates of deployment in India, during the forecast period.” NTCWIND.COM However, despite strong projec-

windsystemsmag.com 11 IN FOCUS

O&M: OPERATIONS  TURBINE MAINTENANCE

PROTECTING WIND-TURBINE BEARINGS

12 FEBRUARY 2019 Common failure modes can be pre-empted to reduce the likelihood of premature bearing failures.

By DAYANANDA RAJU

hile wind-turbine functionality relies upon fully operational rolling bearings, these precision components typically will be buffeted by a wide variety of ad- verse — sometimes extreme — operating conditions and environments. As a result, damage modes can develop, potentially jeopardizing Wbearing performance and service life and, in turn, a turbine’s reliability and productivity. Fully understanding common failure modes in turbine bearings can be a challenge, especially since every premature bearing failure will be unique due to the many possible causes in the context of particular operating conditions. De- spite the challenges, there are ways to reduce the likelihood of premature bearing failures, minimize maintenance and operating costs, promote extended bearing service life, and, ultimately, help keep turbines up-and-running as intended.

BEARING TYPES AND APPLICATIONS In general, bearings in rotating equipment serve to support shaft loads, reduce friction with rolling elements, and provide shaft location and system flexibility/rigidity. For wind turbines, distinctly designed bearing types have been engineered to meet application demands. Among the types: ] Spherical roller bearings: Typically have two rows of rollers running in two raceways. This design enables them to withstand high radial and axial loads and reduce friction and heat, while being forgiving to misalignment and flexible system conditions. They are most commonly used to support the main shaft of a wind turbine. ] Cylindrical roller bearings: Are most commonly used in gearboxes and generators. They can also be used as main shaft bearings. Their design can range from single roller row versions (which can withstand slightly lower radial loads at higher speeds) to designs with up to four roller rows (support- ing very high radial loads at moderate speeds). ] Tapered roller bearings: Incorporate conically shaped rollers in up to four rows and tapered inner and outer raceways. The intricate design typically suits positions requiring rigidity and high running accuracy, while reducing vibration. Due to their durability, these bearings will be used in a turbine’s main shaft and in gearbox applications where high thrust load to radial load ratios exist and high system rigidity is required. ] Deep groove ball bearings: Facilitate radial and axial loads in both directions. A deeper groove enables them to deal with higher speeds ideally suiting electric motors and generators in turbines. The role of condition monitoring is expanding with a capability to detect a ] Slewing bearings: (with large standard diameters of turbine’s power output. (Courtesy: SKF 3 to 6 meters and gear teeth on inner/outer rings) Feature USA Inc.) multiple rows of balls/rollers and are especially robust to

windsystemsmag.com 13 IN FOCUS O&M: OPERATIONS

withstand slow-speed/oscillating conditions and harsh weather conditions. These types of bearings allow for the turbine blades to pitch back-and-forth at a controlled pace for controlled energy output. In addition, this type of bearing will be used in yaw position to control a nacelle’s direction during operation.

SIGNS OF FAILURE The reliability of equipment always stands tall as a central challenge for wind-farm operators, and the reliability of bearings at all points in a wind turbine is a critical part of the mix. Failure modes can occur — due to various root causes — and threaten bearing performance and reliability at every turn. Among the most commonly encountered failure modes: ] Cracks with white etching (often called WECs, or white etching cracks) can develop in bearings at multiple wind turbine gearbox locations — especially prevalent in larger megawatt and multi-megawatt class wind turbines. Such cracks (occurring at the end of the failure chain) develop within the microstructure of bearing steel and appear white when acid-etched. This can be detected microscopically on a bearing’s subsurface. Their origin, based on bearing failure analyses, often can be traced to a bearing’s rolling contact fatigue Spherical roller bearings commonly used in a turbine’s main shaft can withstand high radial and to physical parameters that can and axial loads while reducing friction and heat. (Courtesy: SKF USA Inc.) accelerate rolling contact fatigue. The fatigue may be caused by higher stresses than anticipated (driven by heavy moment loads, friction one surface to the other. In addition, the resulting friction and heat, and/or misalignment and other physical factors) can heat the material to temperatures that cause re-hard- or by diminished material strength (due to environmental ening. Both these effects alter the microstructure of a bear- factors, including water contamination, corrosion, and/or ing’s rollers and raceways, creating increased stress, excess stray electrical currents). friction, and unwanted heat leading to degeneration. Over Pre-emptive recommendations: Bearings manufactured time, these factors will wear a bearing to a point where it from premium steel and with compressive residual stresses is no longer functional. induced by previous loading can help counteract the imposed Pre-emptive recommendations: A specialty black oxida - higher stresses contributing to fatigue. Protections to rein- tion treatment applied (by the bearing manufacturer) to a force the strength of a bearing’s material, depending on the bearing’s inner and outer rings and rolling elements can conditions, include specialized protective surface treatments provide resilience and protection against adhesive wear (as and coatings, hybrid bearings integrating extremely hard well as for several other failure modes). Bearings with such and durable ceramic rolling elements, and high-strength surface treatments can be deployed as replacements and up- stainless steel for corrosion resistance. grades in existing turbine installations, since dimensions ]Adhesive wear (also known as smearing or scuffing) will be unchanged from originally installed bearings. occurs when two inadequately lubricated surfaces slide ] Micropitting (or surface distress) presents as incred- against each other, causing material to be transferred from ibly small cracks that gradually increase in size and inter-

14 FEBRUARY 2019 being made toward helping wind-farm operators reduce maintenance costs and extend the lifecycle of components, including bearings. ] Improved testing: While components in turbines undergo thorough testing before being placed into operation, parts historically have been evaluated individually instead of how they will work together with other components in a system. This approach is changing with more detailed testing involving all interacting components and the use of advanced simulation of conditions to mirror real-world turbine applications. ] Automatic lubricant delivery systems: One of the most important steps on the road toward proper lubrication A combination of bearing arrangements on a turbine’s main shaft can improve reliability. is deciding how to deliver lubricant ef- (Courtesy: SKF USA Inc.) fectively to all the lubrication points in a nacelle. Traditional manual-lubri- rupt the smooth running of a bearing. This degradation is cation tools have been augmented with automatic lubrica- usually caused by inadequate lubrication and commonly tion systems for various locations in a wind turbine. These occurs in main shaft bearings and wind-turbine gearboxes single-point or centralized multi-line lubrication systems — affecting not only the bearings, but also the gear teeth. have been engineered to dispense exact and clean quantities The resulting damages impair a bearing’s function and of the appropriate amount of lubricant where and when cause concentrated stresses and high frictional heat. Once required — lifting a heavy burden from the shoulders of initiated, the damage progresses very quickly, leading to maintenance staff. loss of bearing function, spalling (the flaking of bearing ] Extended roles for condition monitoring: Condition material), and failure. monitoring technologies have increasingly served to enable Pre-emptive recommendations: Proper lubrication man- early detection of operating abnormalities in rotating equip- agement and daily practices can help prevent these condi- ment, including wind turbines. Abnormalities are identified tions. Maintenance staff should guard against over-greasing based on measurements of various physical operating param- or under-greasing, using the wrong lubricant, and/or mixing eters, including vibration, temperature, displacements, and incompatible lubricants, while properly lubricating when others. The measurements make it possible to pinpoint prob- the time is right and keeping watch for deteriorating grease lems with bearings and other components before they can or oil, water contamination, and particulate contamination. escalate to failure and to make pre-emptive remedial fixes. Proper sealing design to maintain appropriate levels of lu- The role of condition monitoring is expanding with a bricant availability goes a long way in mitigating lubrication capability to detect a turbine’s power output, which may starvation. be placing components under too much strain. By monitor- ] Moisture corrosion forms when water or corrosive ing power output, operators can adjust the power output as agents reach the inside of a bearing. When lubricant is necessary to potentially extend the operational life of main not providing sufficient protection for a bearing’s steel shaft and gearbox bearings by up to five years. surface, rust can begin to develop, damaging the bearing. Turbine failure is not an option for wind-farm operators, Free water presents a high risk to a bearing and it takes and a first line of defense is to protect bearings against com- only a small amount of water to significantly shorten ser- mon failure modes and, in the process, minimize operation vice life. and maintenance costs. Partnering with a knowledgeable Pre-emptive recommendations: Corrosion can be avoided bearings specialist can help in implementing the best prac- by correctly sealing the areas where bearings are located. tices to sustain any installation. Implementing a humidity control system and proper component design against occurrence of condensation within a ABOUT THE AUTHOR system may be appropriate as proactive options. Dayananda Raju is manager applications engineering-renewable energy at SKF USA Inc., based in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. EMERGING TRENDS He can be reached at 267-436-6495 or Dayananda.Raju@skf. Several encouraging trends demonstrate that progress is com. For more information, go to www.skfusa.com.

windsystemsmag.com 15 IN FOCUS O&M: OPERATIONS

MAINTAINING A MAINTENANCE PLAN

Faults that can be repaired where the wind turbine is located are generally linked to the bearings and the shaft. (Courtesy: Shutterstock)

16 XXXXX 20xx The cost of not applying an adequate O&M strategy at a wind farm can add up quickly.

By EDGAR MARTÍNEZ

ven though predictive maintenance has proven its ability to avoid unscheduled stoppages and faults in critical components, there are still many companies that fail to consider new monitoring technologies in Etheir maintenance plans and strategies. Often, predictive maintenance is considered as a cost and not as an investment with return, which is far from the experience of any industry that has opted for this technique and is seeing the investment quickly repaid. In the case of wind-energy generation, where the already high costs to repair faults in the critical machinery in wind turbines combine with the logistical costs required to be A study by Atten2, a Spanish company specializing in the able to perform the repairs, the absence of a predictive development of on-line optical sensors for the monitoring of lubricating oils, shows the investment in predictive maintenance maintenance system featuring various additional technol- technologies represents a strategic investment with a high ROI. ogies entails a succession of substantial costs. (Courtesy: Atten2) As an example, below are a series of average costs that can affect any wind farm that does not use an adequate UP-TOWER REPAIRS maintenance strategy. A study by Atten2, a Spanish compa- These are repairs that can be carried out in the same loca- ny specializing in the development of on-line optical sensors tion as the gearbox, without having to dismantle or lower for the monitoring of lubricating oils, shows the investment the machinery. Faults that can be repaired where the wind in predictive maintenance technologies represents a stra- turbine is located are generally linked to the bearings and tegic investment with a high ROI. The data has been taken the shaft, low risk faults that do not require large invest- from a study analyzing incidences registered in a year at a ments to fix them. wind farm with 44 wind turbines. Additionally, these incidences that can be resolved without dismantling can incur fewer costs as there is no need for DOWN-TOWER REPAIRS the logistics inherent in up-tower repairs. These repairs also Down-tower repairs result from a serious fault that cannot occur less often. In the wind farm under study, this type of be resolved in-situ and, therefore, involve dismantling the fault represents 2.3 percent of the total percentage, of which wind turbine and lowering it to the ground. The expenses 80 percent is due to the bearings and 20 percent due to the from this type of fault start in the logistics: Renting the shaft. The investment required for repair is 5,712 euros a year. crane needed for this operation represents an estimated This amount may seem modest, especially in comparison cost of 15,000 euros. with down-tower faults, but in both cases, it should be noted In the case of this wind farm, with 44 turbines, the his- that the estimated lifespan of a wind farm is 20 years, and torical rate of faults related to the gearbox that involved currently, wind turbines are expected to operate for up to dismantling the wind turbine represents 6.41 percent of an additional 10 years. Therefore, a precise calculation of the the total number of incidences registered each year. The overall costs of not using a correct predictive maintenance figure in this particular case is in line with the overall per- strategy yields astronomical figures: 4.6 million euros over centages in the sector, where the average rate for this type the useful life of the 44-turbine wind farm under study. of fault is 6.5 percent. The consequences of these faults, which could be mini- ABOUT THE AUTHOR mized by implementing a complete condition monitoring Edgar Martínez De Aguas has been the chief executive officer system, are classified in the wind farm under study as mi- (CEO) at Atten2 since 2016. Martínez has an extensive profes- nor, severe, and irreparable. sional career with more than 15 years of experience in O&M man- On average, minor faults require an average investment agement projects in different sectors (paper, steel, petrochemical, of 30,000 euros per repair, an amount that rises to 45,000 food), failure and root cause analysis, as well as experience in euros in severe incidences and that reaches 77,000 euros for the integration of condition monitoring systems into industrial faults that cannot be repaired, for cases where the gearbox processes, data evaluation, and correlation with machine perfor- has to be replaced. In the specific case of the wind farm mance. Martínez has a mechanical engineering degree from the under study, the costs associated with the types of faults are Universidad Simón Bolivar in Venezuela and completed an MBA 17,400, 59,400, and 70,480 euros respectively, which pushes at the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid. He also holds a project up costs to 147,600 euros per year. This figure is in addition management and direction certificate, Vibration Analysis Level to the cost of renting the crane as previously mentioned. I and Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP).

windsystemsmag.com 17 IN FOCUS TURBINE MAINTENANCE

THE STATE OF THE ART OF GEARBOXES

Production of gearboxes for wind turbines. Today’s gearbox normally requires a major scheduled maintenance only after seven to 10 years, typically for bearing replacement. (Courtesy: Shutterstock)

18 FEBRUARY 2019 Regularly scheduled maintenance keeps turbines spinning, and the proper lubricants can extend the period between checkups.

By MARK MICHAUD

uch has been written about the global growth believe the high pressure peaks from metal particles in in the wind turbine industry. Today, more bearing contacts lead to or contribute to the problem of than 341,320 wind turbines are operating axial fatigue cracking in today’s wind-turbine industry worldwide. In particular, the number of off - (T. Stalin; Vattenfall; NREL/GRC presentation February Mshore installations has exploded in the past seven years 2018). (Figures 1-2). Further problems develop when small iron particles The continuous reliability gains in the industry have combine with other lubricant materials to form large, caused the cost of wind-turbine electricity to drop signifi- soft conglomerates. These conglomerates accelerate the cantly, so much so that some current offshore projects clogging of the filters. And remember, once the filter is are underway without any government subsidy, with clogged, the filter bypass automatically opens, and all full understanding of the unique maintenance issues filtration is lost until the filters can be changed. and costs associated with offshore installations. This mo- Also, small metal particles in the presence of the high mentum is proof of how far wind turbines have come in lubricant operating temperatures are catalysts for nu - terms of reliability and cost effectiveness. merous deteriorating side chemical reactions. In particular, water in the high temperature lubricant, down to TIME BETWEEN MAINTENANCE: LUBRICANT even 100 ppm, is an excellent ingredient to react with In regard to the wind-turbine gearbox, gone are the ep - iron particles and some of the special lubricant additives. idemic failure rates of less than three years seen in the Many wind turbines are operating with 1-2 percent wa- early 2000s. Rather, today’s gearbox normally requires ter content in their lubricant along with >1,000 ppm of a major scheduled maintenance only after seven to 10 small iron particles. This is an excellent incubator for years, typically for bearing replacement. And remember, deteriorating chemical side reactions. this is a scheduled maintenance, not a replacement of a failed gearbox. Unfortunately, the wind-turbine gearbox lubricant and filtration system has not achieved a similar increase in durability. A maximum of three to five years is the typical life expectancy for the lubricant and even less for the lubricant filters. As a result, major efforts are under way to increase the life expectancy of the lubricant. Approaches such as improved filtration, lower lubricant operating temperatures, and newer formulations have all been and continue to be studied in this effort. The Figure 1: Installed global wind capacity in megawatts (Global Wind goal is to increase the time between maintenance for Energy Council). the lubricant to match or exceed that for the gearbox. In particular, lubricant debris generated from the gear teeth during start up and operation is a major cause of lubricant deterioration. Despite all the improvements in gear design and manufacturing, wind-turbine gear teeth continue to rub (i.e. operated in mixed EHL) and release hard iron metal particles into the lubricant. These metal particles rapidly clog the filters if they are large enough to be captured. Unfortunately, many are too small to be filtered out. These unfilterable small particles, typically 1-5 microns in size, create numerous lubricant problems. For instance, very large pressure peaks are produced when a small hard metal particle passes through the contact zone of a gear or bearing, as repre - sented in Figures 3-4. Along with denting or abrading the tribological surface of the given component, which leads to a further increase in mixed EHL, the particles result in high pressure peaks that accelerate the surface Figure 2: Cumulative offshore capacity in megawatts (Global Wind fatigue of the gear or bearing. In fact, some experts Energy Council).

windsystemsmag.com 19 IN FOCUS TURBINE MAINTENANCE

Figure 3: Schematic of a contact zone containing a hard metal particle and its resulting pressure peak.

Figure 5: Three multi-megawatt class isotropic superfinished planets removed after seven years of operation.

Figure 4: Image of the pressure peak caused by a hard particle in a contact zone.

A NEW APPROACH It is understandable that wind-turbine lubricant filtra - tion, lowering operating temperatures, and new for - mulations have gotten the initial industry focus to in - crease the time between lubricant maintenance. Much has already been accomplished in these areas, but there are limits that these approaches can accomplish and most improvements have already been achieved. A different approach has been proposed, and its study has begun. Rather than accepting the problems associated with the teeth generating hard iron particle debris, the goal is to eliminate the tooth debris alto - gether. This approach is using the ISF® process to super - finish all the gears throughout the gearbox. Historically, isotropic superfinishing has been ap - Figure 6: Closeup of the top planet after seven years showing no metal-to-metal contact pattern. plied only to the input stage of a wind-turbine gearbox such as the annulus, sun pinion, and planets. These are the slowest moving and highest loaded gears and bine gearboxes will achieve the same result. experience the most amount of surface distress. Com - Figures 5-6 depict a set of multi-mega wind turbine mercial experience since 2003 has proved that isotropic planets that were originally isotropic superfinished by the superfinished wind-turbine gears do not develop sur - manufacturer. The “galvanized” tooth surface appearance face distress, even after many years of operation. So it is the normal burnished appearance. These planets had is expected that fully isotropic superfinished wind-tur - been removed after seven years of operation for bearing

20 FEBRUARY 2019 maintenance and were returned to DON’T BE operation without any repair. Note there is no metal-to-metal contact LET DOWN BY pattern on the tooth flanks. This is proof that these isotropic superfin- AN ELEVATOR ished planets were, and are continu- Installation and ing to operate, in full EHL. In other preventative words, the planet teeth are not rub- maintenance by IUEC bing against the sun pinion or annu- elevator mechanics lus teeth and no iron particle debris will keep your is being generated. elevators moving SAFELY and more SUMMARY efficiently. The new study will use a series of gearboxes where all the gears are 27,000 trained isotropic superfinished. These gear- craftspersons boxes will be placed in operation using more than and carefully monitored for particle debris generation. After a period of 119 training time, if all goes well, the original centers. filters will be upgraded with finer particle filters to remove even the smallest of debris. (Remember, even Contact Carisa Barrett at [email protected] or 253-561-4902 1-micron particle debris can damage We represent more than 450 elevator companies the bearings in a wind turbine gear- ready to serve your Elevator Lift needs box.) Then the wind turbines will be allowed to continue operating in- definitely, and the condition of the lubricant will be monitored. Hopefully, the lubricant will re- main fully operational for seven or more years, and the time between maintenance for the gearbox, its lu- GET CONNECTED bricant and filter will be extended and balanced. This study will take WIndSystemsmag.com is your online authority for many years to complete. Periodical- information about the wind energy industry. ly, progress reports will be published to the wind-turbine industry on this You’ll find topical articles, company profiles and effort. interviews with industry insiders, and timely wind energy news. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Mark Michaud, technical fellow at REM Surface Engineering, is a leading expert in the field of isotropic superfinishing of Giving Wind Direction engineered metal components. During his 35-year career at REM he has worked in research, operations, sales, and management. Michaud has been granted over 100 patents, published numerous technical articles, and given SYSTEMS lectures in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He has degrees in chemistry from Reed College and an MBA from Get your FREE subscription, plus our online content, at the University of Hartford. He can be www.windsystemsmag.com reached at [email protected]. Also visit www.remchem.com.

windsystemsmag.com 21 PROFILE

CLOUDVISIT ENERGY

MAKING TURBINE INSPECTIONS EASIER AND SAFER

CLOUDVISIT ENERGY FOUNDED 2004 HEADQUARTERS Cold Spring, New York WEBSITE With CloudVisit Energy’s remote www.cloudvisit.site inspection software, a technician is able to have a virtual staff at his fingertips. (Photos courtesy: CloudVisit Energy)

22 FEBRUARY 2019 CloudVisit Energy provides customizable cloud-based software solutions to optimize the efficiency of onshore and offshore wind farms.

By KENNETH CARTER  Wind Systems editor

ind farms are often in remote areas that aren’t ing this tool. But we have worked on major infrastructure always easily accessible. And once at a site, wind projects for so long, we understand how the work can be technicians still have to fight the elements at delegated and separated between remote inspectors and heights upward of 300 feet. people on site.” WBottom line: inspecting a wind turbine is hard work. CloudVisit Energy developed a customizable workflow CloudVisit Energy, however, is working to make some of for wind energy based on the company’s experience with that labor a little easier and more efficient. the telecommunications industry, according to Gilbert. As renewable energy becomes more economical, it con- “The emphasis is on collaboration, and our system is real- tinues to grow by leaps and bounds. But as it grows, the ly a tool, and the collaboration between the inspector at the machinery becomes more intricate, and the need to inspect main office and the technician is what drives efficiencies and maintain that equipment becomes even more essential. and gets the work done correctly,” he said. With CloudVisit Energy’s remote inspection software, a technician is able to have a virtual staff at his fingertips. Daniel Gilbert, president, CEO, and founder of CloudVisit Energy, was able to parlay his experience in the telecommu- nication field to the inspection and maintenance of wind turbines. “In 2016, we were contacted by a major publicly traded telecommunications company, Ericsson,” he said. “The system that we developed for them is used for the remote inspection of mobile communication systems. Ericsson is a world leader in developing and manufacturing all the radi- os and the infrastructure that runs mobile phone systems.” Wind, Gilbert discovered, was no different.

INDUSTRY SIMILARITIES “There are a lot of similarities between that industry and the wind industry. You’re dealing with generally inaccessible locations, and the installation and maintenance projects are similar, too,” he said. “This type of work is very skilled and requires multiple skillsets.” CloudVisit Energy’s software enables a division of labor. Using this software, the technician doing the installation of the equipment does the work, and the inspector with the With CloudVisit Energy’s software, a technician doing equipment expertise in inspecting the construction and completion of installation does the work, and the experienced inspector is at a projects is at a central office connected to the technician in central office connected to the technician in the tower. the tower, according to Gilbert. “Our system enables the inspector to connect directly Part of the collaboration is a video conferencing link with the technician doing the work,” he said. “It can be between the operator and the technician that works with very hard to find a technician who also has the equivalent low bandwidths, which is crucial for remote sites, according skills as an inspector. That’s the similarity that we saw in to Gilbert. the industries, and with my interests in wind and renewable energy, it was a natural progression.” SOFTWARE BACKBONE And Gilbert said his company’s software can be used in “Collaboration is a huge aspect, and it’s the backbone of the many industries, as well as the spectrum of wind-based software,” said Genevieve Pfeiffer, content marketing man- energy: onshore and offshore. ager with CloudVisit Energy. Industry-specific functionalities exist to ensure everyone CUSTOMIZABLE stays focused and keeps records, according to Pfeiffer. “Our system is a customizable cloud-based software solution “We have the video conferencing aspect, but there’s a that optimizes the efficiency and safety of these projects,” lot more,” she said. “We also have different functionalities, Gilbert said. “Our system ensures that the industry contin- such as a multipurpose checklist. This allows the experts, ues to expand efficiently, safely, and cost-effectively by us- who are remotely working, to create a checklist, which

windsystemsmag.com 23 PROFILE CLOUDVISIT ENERGY

serves as a punch-list for on-site technicians. The inspection Gilbert said he has a close affinity with the wind indus- can’t be verified until everything’s done and signed off on.” try, and he sees it as a renaissance of sorts on the horizon Along with the video conferencing, the software allows of the U.S.’s energy future. high-definition images to be taken as well, according to “For the time being, fossil fuels and natural gas are going Pfeiffer. to play a part, but I would hope that as wind technology “Inspectors can annotate those pictures,” she said. “They becomes more common, the cost will come down, and the can draw on them to make specific points on the picture benefits will become greater. In terms of a company, our stand out and make notes on those as well. Those are just product map is very focused on the technology adoption a few of those functionalities. There are a lot more, but we with the first version of our system that involves human think that those combined with the video conferencing are operators,” he said. “Then the next iteration would be com- what really makes the software stand out.” bining augmented reality with drones.” Gilbert agreed. “Having those kinds of records are essential,” he said. “If NURTURING WIND there are issues found at a later time, you have a detailed Gilbert has a passion for the wind industry, and he and his record of the project from the beginning. It’s the combi- company are working hard to ensure this form of renewable nation of the collaboration and the functionality and the energy flourishes and continues to grow. workflow, which again reflects our deep understanding of “It’s obviously beneficial to the environment; it’s good large infrastructure projects.” for the economy; there have been a lot of studies that show Pfeiffer added that this combination is essential with large projects made up of massive labor and heavy machinery.

SOFTWARE TRAINING CloudVisit Energy’s software is a first important step, but it doesn’t end there. Training and working with clients on the software is also key, according to Gilbert. “Our software is a tool, and the tool is only as good as the people that use it,” he said. “So, we really focus on working directly with a client on training, on adopting and en- suring that the tool is being embraced and used correctly. Because, ultimately, the utilization and the correct use of the system is what’s going to drive efficiencies, improve out- comes, lower costs, and improve safety. We really focus on understanding the client’s requirements, their priorities, and developing a phased implementation. We offer the full spectrum of support, which includes training and ongoing updates to the workflow of the system. So, we really become part of the team.” A video conferencing link between the operator and the technician works with low bandwidths. 15-YEAR MARK CloudVisit Energy recently marked its 15th year in the investments in renewable energy and wind have a much business in January, and Gilbert noted that he’s found it higher multiplier than similar investments in petroleum, interesting that many industries share the same challenges. oil exploration, and mining,” he said. “In terms of the “I see there are a lot of industries that think the problems macro picture, we need more of these projects, because they have are unique to them, but really there are a lot of ultimately, they drive innovation; they create jobs; they’re similarities in a lot of the issues,” he said. “That really was good for the environment, and they’re good for the coun- the genesis of our software.” try, and they’re good for our security. Overall, the result And it all grew from CloudVisit Energy’s relationship is in the creation of better-paying jobs. It’s just a win-win with Ericsson. outcome for everyone, and that’s one reason why we’re so “Our work in the telecom industry is really over the top,” interested to really see these projects become more ubiq- Gilbert said. “I think it’s very significant, the work that we’ve uitous.” done with Ericsson. It’s been significant working with one And CloudVisit Energy’s software can help drive that of the global leaders in telecommunications. They’re using future, according to Gilbert. our system, which is really the foundation for their global “We’re at the crossroads of really great opportunities, and sales and services. It’s very transformative to be part of that. we have developed a tool that can drive innovation and the Our system is being used now for current installations, but utilization of wind energy,” he said. “It’s really just a great it’s going to play a major role in 5G rollout.” time.”

24 FEBRUARY 2019 MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND TOP-RATED CONFERENCES

Wind Project O&M and Safety Conference February 27 – 28, 2019 | San Diego, CA

Wind Power on Capitol Hill March 5 – 6, 2019 | Washington, D.C.

Wind Project Siting and Environmental Compliance Conference March 26 – 27, 2019 | Albuquerque, NM

WINDPOWER May 20 – 23, 2019 | Houston, TX

Wind Resource & Project Energy Assessment Conference September 10 – 11, 2019 | Renton, WA

Wind Energy Finance & Investment Conference October 1 – 2, 2019 | New York, NY

Offshore WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition October 22 – 23, 2019 | Boston, MA

www.awea.org

AWEA_UpcomingEvent2018_ad7_5x10b.indd 1 10/26/18 8:43 PM CONVERSATION

Gordon Randall Director of Project Analysis  ArcVera Renewables “There’s a consensus worldwide that renewables are the way to go, not just because of issues like climate change, but because they are the cheapest way to produce electricity.”

] What’s a typical day like for you at ArcVera? a very large one. So, I’ve been in a similar spot in a small It varies a lot, depending on the project in question that’s but growing company. Also, more recently, I’ve been on the going on at the time. But, in a typical day, it’s a mixture of other side of the business working for a large owner-opera- project work, typically analysis, either data analysis or other tor. I’m returning to where I started and have seen it from information analysis for clients, and then internal work, a couple of different sides now. I have the experience of be- trying to apply what we’ve learned to make our internal ing with a small organization that’s gone through growing processes better, and offer new things that our clients want. pains and can help ensure the organization stays on track We’re always trying to learn from the industry and learn as it grows. some information and see what’s new that people haven’t thought of that may be relevant either now or a few years in ] What do you hope to accomplish for the wind industry the future, and try to improve what we can offer to fit that. through your new position with ArcVera? I think the one thing that has been a consistent theme ] What does ArcVera offer the wind industry? throughout my time in the industry is that there are always As we’re primarily a consulting organization, and a small lessons to learn. There’s a tendency for people to focus on but full-service consulting organization, we’re mostly fo- what the industry looked like a few years ago. In the amount cused on developer and investor clients, helping them un- of time it takes to learn what the wind is on site or how a derstand projects so they can make good decisions. We help specific turbine model operates or how best to operate a them understand how new projects are likely to operate and project, a lot of those things are based on information that’s how to operate their existing ones better. from projects that are several years old, and a lot of the time people don’t think of how that’s going to change over time. ] What drew you to ArcVera? We’re seeing a big change now with higher hub heights A lot of it was a combination of the size of the organization, and larger turbines. I think what we want to do, and what the flexibility of the organization, and the level of experi- ArcVera focuses on, is not apply lessons to what we know ence of the other members of the organization. I’d been in from projects five years ago, but what they’re going to be large, bureaucratic, inflexible companies in the past, and like five years from now. Industry should be looking at how it’s often hard to do things, and in some cases hard to give the meteorology is different at higher heights, how turbines good products to clients when you’re in an organization will operate in different climates, and applying that also that’s too large and too slow to move. ArcVera is small, but on a worldwide scale. We should be figuring out what we everyone involved has been in the industry for quite a while, can learn and take away from what we’ve seen in the U.S. and we’re able to provide our clients with results that some- and apply it to wind projects in other developing countries. times large organizations would have a lot of trouble doing. ] Any particular challenges that you’ve already tackled ] How did your previous experience help prepare you for at ArcVera in the wind industry? this position at ArcVera? This goes to my comment about industry focusing on the I’ve been in the wind industry for quite a while now. I start- past. I think that there are so many projects that the in- ed in 2000 at a small consulting organization that became dustry hasn’t solved, just because, by the time they’ve been

26 FEBRUARY 2019 ArcVera Renewables provides high-quality technical services for wind and solar energy. solved, they will have changed for the next set of projects. long period. There’ll be different countries, different indi- So, I think the challenges that are most interesting — viduals, and there’ll be pushbacks, obviously with the end and that will continue to change — are things like wake of the PTC coming up in the U.S. that will slow things down. effects and turbine power performance. They’re interesting There’s a consensus worldwide that renewables are the way because I don’t think they’re ever fully solved. As turbines to go, not just because of issues like climate change, but change and they’re put in different locations, different because they are the cheapest way to produce electricity. wind regimes, there’ll always be something else to learn. It’s more that we’re going to expand into new places, to The trick is figuring out what it is that we don’t know. Those have new challenges, whether it’s in other countries that are the types of issues I’ve always been most intrigued by may not have the same infrastructure, or may not have the and spent the most time studying. same types of information available, meteorological data or performance information, things like that. There will ] How do you look into that crystal ball, if you will, and be all of those issues that we’ve figured out in the U.S., that see what to expect on a project, and not rely on older we’ll then have coming up again in other parts of the world. data that may be obsolete? ArcVera has a strong presence around the world, so we’re A lot of it is that sometimes there’s a focus on, for example, well suited to help with the growth of renewable energy as looking at meteorological data, of looking just at a single it continues to expand on all of the continents. project data set. But what we’re beginning to learn now is, But, here in the U.S., I think it’ll just be continued growth there are so many projects, and so many different sources of in certain areas, and in some cases there’ll be new challeng- data, that we see things that present larger patterns. We’re es, as projects go into more densely populated areas, and getting more data from devices like Lidar that measures different concerns from landowners and nearby residences, 200 meters up into the atmosphere. They’re starting to tell or just into areas that people haven’t looked at for wind. a story that we can extrapolate and start using to inform Because up until recently, it hasn’t been economically viable our judgments about an entire region, if it’s the Great Plains, in the Southeast, for example. We’ll start going into places or Texas, or wherever. like Arkansas and the Carolinas where there will continue We’re making interpretations from those, and changing to be interesting new challenges, and it will just be from how we do things, like flow modeling or wake modeling. In continued growth. some cases, it is a bit of a guess or a look into a crystal ball, but I’d like to think it is more of an interpretation of a large ] Do you consider U.S. offshore the next big thing here? body of data and educated guesses. Looking out 20 years, I can’t see that the U.S. will have the same density of offshore as, say, offshore in the U.K. or in ] Moving beyond that, where do you see wind in the the North Sea. But it’s a thing that’s coming. next 10 to 20 years, and ArcVera’s place in that future? There’s not going to be any slowdown when you look over a MORE INFO  www.arcvera.com

windsystemsmag.com 27 NEWS ABOUT INNOVATION, MAINTENANCE, TAILWINDS CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURING

By increasing the rotor diameter to 193 meters, the SG 10.0-193 DD new wind turbine offers up to 30 percent more AEP than its predecessor, the SG 8.0-167 DD. (Courtesy: Siemens Gamesa)

]]MANUFACTURING experiences and knowledge from five use of most components from previous generations of proven direct drive generations, providing a short time to Siemens Gamesa technology in one 10 MW turbine. A market. The prototype is expected to showcase of strong performance, swift be installed in 2019 with commercial launches 10 MW time-to-market, and low risk in the market deployment expected in 2022. offshore wind turbine offshore wind energy market,” said “Siemens Gamesa has been applying Markus Tacke, CEO of SGRE. its knowledge and experience direct- Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy The 10-MW rating is made possible ly into offshore wind turbines for de- (SGRE), a world leader in the offshore through a larger generator diameter, cades,” said Andreas Nauen, CEO of the industry, recently launched the SG building on the proven SGRE Direct SGRE Offshore Business Unit. “Utiliz- 10.0-193 DD, the company’s first 10- Drive generator technology. ing proven components and concepts plus MW offshore wind turbine. Based By increasing the rotor diameter provides us with a strong, established on the experience of its previous gen- to 193 meters, this new wind turbine value chain, with clear processes and erations, the newest wind turbine in offers up to 30 percent more AEP than skilled employees ready to go, leverag- the SGRE offshore product portfolio its predecessor, the SG 8.0-167 DD. Its ing on a fully- developed and industri- builds on proven technology for max- 94-meter-long blades provide a swept alized supply chain.” imum energy yield at all wind speeds. area of 29,300 square meters. The nacelles of this new offshore It offers the same reliability while im- Each blade is almost the same wind turbine will be initially manufac- proving profitability and reducing risk length as one soccer field. tured at the SGRE factory in Cuxhaven, for customers. The technology on the offshore di- Germany, the world’s largest plant for “The new SG 10.0-193 DD combines rect drive platform allows for the re- offshore wind turbine nacelles.

28 FEBRUARY 2019 The annual energy production of one SG 10.0-193 DD is sufficient to supply about 10,000 European households with electricity. This means that an offshore wind park composed of 20 of these turbines would cover the annual electricity consumption of a city the size of Liverpool. “The Levelized Cost of Energy from offshore wind continues to decrease as industry scale and performance grow,” Nauen said. “New markets are developing across the globe, all of which require cost-efficient, reliable, and clean Today, Vestas’ largest power for generations. The SG 10.0-193 onshore wind turbine is DD enables us as market leaders to the V150-4.2 MW turbine. (Courtesy: Vestas) meet these needs in close cooperation with our customers, stakeholders, and society-at-large.” SGRE has the largest track record a V10-30 kW turbine in Denmark in tas has helped remove more than 100 in the sector among offshore turbine 1979, Vestas has installed more than million metric tons of CO2 from the manufacturers. With a capacity of 66,000 turbines in about 80 countries atmosphere by providing sustainable more than 12.5 GW installed and more across six continents and has been a and cost-effective solutions to meet than 3,100 offshore wind turbines in key part of taking wind energy from the world’s energy demand. By cross - operation globally, the company has niche to mainstream. Today, Vestas’ ing this 100 GW threshold, Vestas has established itself as the leader in the off- largest onshore wind turbine is the installed approximately 10 percent shore market. Siemens Gamesa’s experi- V150-4.2 MW turbine, and the 100- of the world’s total 1 TW of installed ences reaches back as far as 1991, when GW milestone has thus been made wind- and solar-energy capacity. it established the world’s first offshore possible by the continuous evolution The capacity of the Wind XI project wind park. Through a strong focus on of the company’s wind-energy tech- will grow to up to 2,000 MW and con- safety and innovation, SGRE constantly nology and solutions, which have sist of multiple sites in Iowa placed into strives to reduce the Levelized Cost of seen output and efficiency increase service between 2017 and 2019. Pow- Energy from offshore wind power. to a level that has made wind ener- ered by V110-2.0 MW turbines built gy the cheapest form of electricity in at Vestas’ factories in Colorado, Wind MORE INFO www.siemensgamesa.com many markets. XI will deliver clean, low-cost wind “We have pioneered wind energy energy to MidAmerican Energy’s cus- across the globe for 40 years, and tomers and communities. Vestas will ]]MANUFACTURING to install 100 GW together with our provide operations and maintenance customers and partners is something for Wind XI project sites via long-term Vestas first company we are extremely proud of as it under- AOM 5000 service agreements. lines how far Vestas and wind energy Based on global average electricity, to install 100 GW have come,” said Anders Runevad, 100 GW of wind energy saves around of wind turbines Vestas president and CEO. “It’s also a 129 million metric tons of CO2 annual- pleasure to celebrate this milestone ly, equaling CO2 emissions from: Vestas has been a pioneer in wind-en- with a key customer like MidAmeri- ] 141 billion pounds of burned ergy solutions and a cornerstone in can Energy. Reaching this milestone coal. making the world’s energy mix sus- has required continuous innovation, ] 298 million barrels of oil. tainable. In late 2018, a new milestone strong commitment and great execu- ] 22.54 million U.S. homes yearly was reached in that 40-year journey, as tion from all Vestas’ employees, and electricity use. Vestas achieved 100 GW of installed the 100 GW therefore represents a key ] 33 coal-fired power plants. wind turbines with the installation of part of the foundation that enables ] Carbon sequestered from 152 a V110-2.0 MW turbine at MidAmeri- us to develop the sustainable energy million acres of forest. can Energy’s Wind XI project in Iowa. solutions of the future.” Since the inaugural installation of During the journey to 100 GW, Ves- MORE INFO www.vestas.com

windsystemsmag.com 29 TAILWINDS THE BUSINESS OF WIND

The increased demand for compet- ficiently — at the lowest cost,” said ]]MANUFACTURING itive power production and the rapid Ward Scobee, chief operating officer development in the wind industry neat Terra-Gen. “The Pacific Crest Wind Terra-Gen chooses DEIF cessitates that older turbine models Farm is a high-wind site, and the cost such as the Vestas V47 are equipped to of downtime is critical. So, with the for controller upgrades meet today’s performance standards. controller upgrade and thus perfor - on Pacific Crest farm DEIF’s control retrofit solution ex- mance optimizations, I am convinced tends the turbine lifetime and optimiz- that we will extend turbine lifetime, The independent power producer es the turbine performance in terms of reduce our downtime, and increase Terra-Gen is upgrading 20 Vestas V47 variable speed concepts, extended cut- the revenue of the total wind farm.” wind turbines on its Pacific Crest wind out and adaptive power setpoint. So With a DEIF retrofit control solu- farm in Tehachapi, California, with a far, 20 Vestas V47s on the Pacific Crest tion for Vestas V47, the turbines can control retrofit solution from the Dan- Wind Farm will be retrofitted. operate without the VRCC and at the ish company, DEIF. “We strive to run our turbines ef- same time run above 600 kW and as close to the rated power level as possible. For Terra-Gen, the retrofit solution from DEIF means they have no VRCC-related costs such as spare parts, lost production due to downtime, and derating, and they aim to reach a three-year ROI. “The upgrade of the turbines on the Pacific Crest Wind Farm sets new standards for lifetime extension, performance optimization, and secures availability without the VRCC,” said Jean Felber, sales and business development manager at DEIF.

MORE INFO www.deif.com

]]MANUFACTURING Vestas receives 122-MW order for project in Iowa

With reference to Vestas Wind Sys- tems A/S’ company announcement No. 22/2016 of June 17, 2016, Vestas has received a 122-MW order from MidAmer- ican Energy Company, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, for the Wind XI project in Iowa. The order includes supply and commissioning of V110-2.0 MW turbines as well as a ten-year Active Output Man- agement 5000 (AOM 5000) service agreement. Deliveries are expected to begin in the third quarter of 2019 while commissioning is planned for fourth quarter of 2019. DEIF’s control retrofit solution extends the turbine lifetime and optimizes the turbine performance in terms of variable speed concepts, extended cut-out and adaptive power setpoint. (Courtesy: DEIF) MORE INFO www.vestas.com

30 FEBRUARY 2019 By partnering with the local groups in Lewis and Jefferson counties, the project secured a significant level of community involvement. RES em - ployees engaged in various community support initiatives throughout the construction period, including raising more than $2,000 for a shelf stable food drive for senior citizens during the winter months, a donation to build a new playground at a local school, and donating 42 units of blood for the local American Red Cross.

MORE INFO www.res-group.com

]]CONSTRUCTION Enercon using world’s longest semitrailers from Goldhofer

Enercon, Germany’s leading manufacturer of wind-power plants, has added six Goldhofer “VENTUM” flatbed semitrailers with pendular axles to its heavy-duty vehicle fleet. This in- The Copenhagen Wind project is the first wind project that RES has self-performed in the State novative solution for transporting ex- of New York and consists of 40 Vestas V110 2.0 MW turbines. (Courtesy: RES) tremely long rotor blades has a unique five-fold telescopic deck for a total ex- ]]CONSTRUCTION began in 2017, employed more than tension length of 72 meters (including 300 workers at its peak with 300,000 gooseneck). RES completes 80 man-hours of labor completed safely That means the North German with no lost time injuries in an area wind-power specialists can make use MW Copenhagen Wind that receives one of the highest levels of road transport for the fast and safe Project in New York of snowfall in the United States. delivery of rotor blades in excess of 70 Capitalizing on New York’s ambi- meters. In addition to the lift-and-low- RES (Renewable Energy Systems), a tions for clean-energy development, erable, loadable gooseneck, Enercon’s leader in the development, engineer- the project provides an economic in- decision was also influenced by Gold- ing, and construction of wind, solar, vestment opportunity as well as an hofer’s mature pendular axle technol- transmission, and energy storage increase in the green jobs quota and ogy and the option to add a rail-mount- projects in the Americas recently an- is financed through a 15-year Power ed “BLADEX” blade tip lift. nounced it has completed construc- Purchase Agreement with Narragan- Transporting such long and large tion of the Copenhagen Wind project, sett Electric Company, a wholly-owned rotor blades reliably and delivering developed and owned by EDF Renew- subsidiary of National Grid. them just in time is an enormously ables. The 80-MW wind project in Jef- “RES has met the challenge to de- challenging undertaking that Enercon ferson and Lewis counties in upstate liver clean energy to New York head can now handle on an intelligent and New York was completed on December on,” said Rick Ortiz, RES senior vice flexible basis, according to Hans-Dieter 21, 2018. president of Wind Construction. “We Kettwig and Simon-Hermann Wobben, The Copenhagen Wind project is are proud of working alongside EDF managing directors of Enercon GmbH. the first wind project that RES has Renewables to make clean energy a The new Goldhofer “VENTUM” flatbed self-performed in the State of New reality in New York and are particu- semitrailers enable Enercon to master York and consists of 40 Vestas V110 2.0 larly grateful to our team that engaged all the challenges of long-distance MW turbines. The construction, which with the local community.” journeys with these exceptional loads.

windsystemsmag.com 31 TAILWINDS THE BUSINESS OF WIND

in the United States at the Department of Energy’s National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) of the National Renew- able Energy Laboratory (NREL). Among others, the field campaign aims to clarify how well the rotor blades — designed with bend-twist coupling — are able to effectively dampen peak loads during strongly variable wind speeds. The results will serve as a basis for the further development of smart rotor blades. The SmartBlades2 project is funded by the German Fed- eral Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) and is being carried out by the Research Alliance Wind Energy, with its partners DLR, Fraun- The »VENTUM« at work. (Courtesy: Enercon) hofer IWES, and ForWind, in collaboration with industry partners from As the first five-fold extendible grees and the user-friendly »SmartCon- GE, Henkel, Nordex Acciona, SSB Wind semi-trailer on the market, the “VEN- trol« remote control system, Goldhofer Systems, Suzlon, Senvion, and WRD TUM” permits wind-turbine manufac- provides outstanding support for driv- Wobben Research and Development. turers and heavy haulage companies ers in their task of safely transporting to transport extra-long rotor blades loads of this enormous size to their fi- LONGER SERVICE LIFE, well over 70 meters in length on roads, nal destination,” said member of the GREATER YIELD tracks and construction sites. In com- Goldhofer Board and Head of Trans- Rotor blades equipped with bend-twist bination with Goldhofer’s mature pen- port Technology Rainer Auerbacher. coupling are able to adapt to variating dular axle technology, the “VENTUM” The gigantic rotor blades are used wind conditions by themselves — at is the key to fast and safe passage over above all for sites with low wind higher wind speeds the rotor blades bridges and round tight bends and speeds and also, where there is suf- can bend or twist, thus offering the roundabouts as well as easy maneu- ficient hub height, for refurbishing wind a smaller impact surface. This re- vering on confined construction sites. and upgrading existing wind power duces the overall load on the system, The hydraulically lift-and-lowerable plants. increasing the service life of the wind gooseneck ensures rotor blades with turbine as well as its power yield. In very large hub diameters can safely ne- MORE INFO www.goldhofer.de order to be able to fully capture the gotiate tunnels and underpasses. Pen- structural and aerodynamic behavior dular axles with a stroke of ±300 mm of the newly developed blades during give the vehicle full maneuverability ]]INNOVATION the field experiment, the project part- and compensate uneven ground in ners integrated specially developed the longitudinal and transverse di- Field measurement measurement systems into the blades’ rections. Loading height is 1,250 mm. structure already during production Where required for the route to be tak- campaign begins at the DLR Center for Lightweight-Pro- en, ground clearance can be increased on wind turbine duction-Technology (ZLP) in Stade, over and above the suspension stoke. Germany. Two support legs facilitate extension Three innovative 20-meter-long rotor and retraction of the telescopic tubes, blades developed within the context FIRST ANALYSIS UNDER REAL which permit the deck behind the of the SmartBlades2 project will be WEATHER CONDITIONS gooseneck to be extended from a ba- assessed under natural weather and “We are very excited to observe and sic length of 13.5 meters for empty wind conditions in Boulder, Colorado, find out how our rotor blades behave running to more than 68 meters. The over four months. For this purpose, the during these field assessments. This steering is adjustable, so the vehicle rotor blades, which were designed by measurement campaign represents can be driven in its basic length with- the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind En- the first practical trial for our blade out a second man in the cab, while ergy Systems (IWES) and built by the technology,” said SmartBlades2 Proj- optimum cornering performance is German Aerospace Center (Deutsches ect Manager Zhuzhell Montano Rejas available with the deck extended. Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; of the DLR Institute of Composite “With a steering angle of up to 60 de- DLR), have been successfully installed Structures and Adaptive Systems.

32 FEBRUARY 2019 search Turbine (CART3) provided by NREL, unlike systems used for commercial power generation, will allow the scientists to conduct various validation scenarios, such as an abrupt deceleration of the rotor. On site — on the edge of the Rocky Mountains — the wind conditions can range from very low speeds to powerful gusts in winter and early spring. This will make it possible for the researchers to assess the SmartBlades2 rotor blades under a variety of environmental conditions. “We are delighted to be able to val- idate the new rotor blades at our research turbine at the NWTC,” said An- drew Scholbrock, who is responsible for the measurement campaign with the CART3 turbine at NREL. “We are Installation of the “SmartBlades2” rotor blades. (Courtesy: Lee Jay Fingersh, NREL) also eager to find out how these rotor blades, designed with bend-twist cou- “The findings will also be used to im- measurement device from the Center pling, perform in practice under real prove simulation models for next-gen- for Wind Energy Research (ForWind) world conditions.” eration wind turbines.” at the University of Oldenburg. This The partners of the BMWi-funded Fraunhofer IWES is leading the Lidar is normally installed in the spin- SmartBlades2 project are hoping that measurement campaign. ner of a wind turbine, but in this case the measurement campaign will yield “We are using several measurement it is set up on top of the nacelle to be meaningful findings on the behavior systems that will allow us to monitor able to analyze the wind field both in of the new rotor blades. The validation the entire length of the blades in order front and behind the turbine. process will start with data analysis to capture the deformations, acceler- With a laser system, the Spinner- while the measurements are still be- ations, and loads they are subjected LIDAR scans an area of wind field in ing conducted and will continue un- to,” said Dr. Christian Kress of Fraun- front of or behind the turbine. til the end of the project, during the hofer IWES, who is responsible for the “In this section, the SpinnerLIDAR autumn of 2019. The project will help campaign. “In addition, the air flow can measure at over 300 points every to support the wind-energy industry around the rotor blades will be record- second,” said ForWind scientist Prof. in the further development of rotor ed at the surface using an aerodynam- Dr. Martin Kühn. “This enables us to blades with bend-twist coupling and is ic measurement system.” measure wind speeds, wind directions, set to pave the way for the implemen- Inside the rotor blades, various vertical wind shear components, as tation of this technology. systems designed by DLR, IWES, and well as local turbulences with a spa- SSB Wind Systems will continuously tial resolution that cannot be matched MORE INFO www.iwes.fraunhofer.de control how the blades behave under with conventional Lidar devices.” the diverse wind loading conditions The comparison of the structural the turbine will experiment. Further- behavior measured by the sensors ]]INNOVATION more, the turbine’s tower and the na- with the wind data will show whether celle made available by NREL is also the developed rotor blades achieve the Lidar lights up wind equipped with extensive measuring desired behavior. At the beginning of technology, enabling the team to the measurement campaign, the Spin- opportunities for measure the whole system’s behavior nerLIDAR will measure the incoming Tilt in Australia in detail. wind field while at the end it will also The resulting measurements will measure the wake flow behind the Tilt Renewables, a leading developer, be correlated with data on wind con- wind turbine to better understand owner, and manager of renewable ditions, which will be recorded by the the influence of the blades on the sur- energy generation assets in Australia NREL data acquisition systems present rounding environment. and New Zealand, has confirmed the on the NWTC’s field and a SpinnerL- The measurements in the use of wind Lidar technology from IDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) three-bladed Controls Advanced Re- ZX Lidars to remotely measure wind

windsystemsmag.com 33 TAILWINDS THE BUSINESS OF WIND

]]MAINTENANCE The use of wind power, especially on the open sea, demands the highest Training course to standards of corrosion protection — and thus maintenance — due to the explain new corrosion mechanical and climatic conditions. protection for turbines “A long and thus profitable ser - vice life of the turbines can only be The new corrosion protection coating, achieved with conscientious mainte- “SikaCor® SW-1000 RepaCor,” devel- nance,” Weber said. “The systems can- oped in a research association, prom- not simply be transported away, espe- ises a significantly simplified, faster, cially on the high seas. All work has and more cost-effective on-site repair to be carried out on site in wind and of wind turbines. Following the suc- weather — often by industrial climbers cessful start in February 2018, a free who can only handle heavy tools and product training course this year in material to a limited extent.” ZX Lidars provides vertical and horizontal Rostock provides an insight into the In addition, protective coatings profiling wind Lidar to accurately measure possible applications on wind turbines have to dry and harden quickly due wind conditions remotely and ahead of their installed position. (Courtesy: ZX Lidars) and technical information. The event to the weather, Weber saod. This is ex- will again be organized by WindSourc- actly where SikaCor® SW-1000 RepaCor conditions above ground without the ing.com GmbH together with Sika comes into play. need for a traditional met mast. Initial Deutschland GmbH on February 12, The solvent-free 2-component deployment has been to a remote site 2019 (German) and February 13, 2019 coating material is the result of the in complex terrain primarily for the (English) in Rostock. three-year research project RepaKorr, purpose of confirming the quality of The four- to five-hour event is aimed which sought — and found — solutions the wind resource. at all service companies involved in to the problems mentioned above. The With more than 1.6 GW of ap - the maintenance and repair of wind Fraunhofer Institute for Manufactur- proved wind projects in Australia turbines. It consists of a theoretical ing Technology and Applied Materials and New Zealand, Tilt Renewables re- part and practical exercises. Research (IFAM), among others, was quired a flexible solution to wind-re- “The aim is for the participants to be involved in the joint project funded source assessment that could also be able to reliably use the product them- by the Federal Ministry of Education used to bolster existing anemometry selves after the training and pass on and Research. and with an eye on operational sites the knowledge to their employees,” Between 2013 and 2016 Sika emerging. New Zealand-based wind said Stefan Weber of WindSourcing. Deutschland GmbH was in charge engineering consultancy Energy3 com, managing director of the Ham- of the material requirements and provided expert advice and support burg-based trading company. “Vari- launched SikaCor SW-1000 RepaCor on how to achieve this. ous practical applications in recent on the market in summer 2017. “A key advantage of Lidar is that it months have confirmed this: The “The coating dries four hours faster can be easily mobilized and rotated to product is a revolution in the repair than conventional systems,” Weber a number of sites within the Tilt Re- of corrosion damage to onshore and said. “The practical packaging in the newables’ portfolio and can be used so offshore wind turbines.” form of mixed cartridges facilitates flexibly for a range of purposes includ- processing and thus guarantees ab- ing feasibility assessments at potential solute process reliability with mini- new sites and improving the coverage mum waste at the same time. Indus- of site measurements at existing sites,” trial climbers are thus loaded with low said Sherrin Yeo, engineering manag- weight.” er at Tilt Renewables. Other properties include single-lay- ZX Lidars provides vertical and er performance (corrosion protection horizontal profiling wind Lidar to as with multi-layer systems), UV and accurately measure wind conditions colour stability and Norsok M501 ap- remotely and ahead of their installed proval with ISO 20340 testing. position. These accurate, independent On February 21, 2018, WindSourc- wind measurements are a cornerstone The use of wind power, especially on the ing.com, together with Sika Deutsch- in the development, construction, and open sea, demands the highest standards land GmbH, welcomed, for the first operation of wind farms globally. of corrosion protection — and thus time, customers from the service sec- maintenance — due to the mechanical and climatic conditions. (Courtesy: tor for wind turbines in Hamburg to MORE INFO www.zxlidars.com WINDSOURCING.COM) present the new corrosion protection

34 FEBRUARY 2019 The Tillman 1772 and 1773 cold weather gloves. (Courtesy: Tillman)

SikaCor SW-1000 RepaCor in a product fingers with the Tillman 1772 and ] Knit wrist helps prevent dirt and training course. Besides other partici- 1773 high-visibility cold weather debris from entering the glove. pants, the team of Christian Schulte, gloves. Both the 1772 and 1773 fea- managing director of Windspektrum ture a 13-gauge polyester with ANSI A2 ABOUT THE 1773 GmbH, also took part in the training. Cut Resistance with a choice of either ] High-Vis 13-gauge polyester “The product training with Wind- a sandy nitrile grip (1772) or a sandy with ANSI A2 Cut Resistance with a Sourcing.com and Sika appealed to latex grip (1773). 10-gauge High-Viz yellow acrylic terry my team and me very much,” he said. Tillman’s 1772 and 1773 offer three for warmth. “The product ‘SikaCor® SW-1000 Repa- levels of protection for your hands: ] Smooth orange coated 3/4 latex Cor’ was professionally presented. In ] Keeping hands safe with an ANSI helps keep hands dry. addition, all participants were able to A2 Cut Resistance. ] Sandy latex coating provides test the product extensively and direct ] Keeping hands dry with either a superior grip in dry, wet, and oily ap - their questions to the two trainers. 3/4 dip nitrile coating, 1772, or a full plications. The networking on the evening before dip latex coating, 1773. ] Knit wrist helps prevent dirt and the training was not neglected either.” ] Keeping hands warm with a soft debris from entering the glove. acrylic terry for warmth that won’t Both the 1772 and 1773 can be laun- MORE INFO deu.sika.com/de/ chafe the user’s hands or wrists for dered, extending the life of the glove, SikaAkademie/Verarbeiter/Windenergie/ all-day comfort. lowering replacement costs, and offer Windenergy.html a color binding on the cuff that indi- ABOUT THE 1772 cates the glove size. ] High-Vis 13-gauge polyester The Tillman 1772 and 1773 can be ]]MAINTENANCE with ANSI A2 Cut Resistance with a used in many industries, including 10-gauge High-Viz yellow acrylic terry manufacturing, construction, main- Tillman introduces for warmth. tenance, and municipal services. The ] Smooth blue coated 3/4 nitrile Tillman 1772 and 1773 is available in glove choices helps keep hands dry. five sizes, S- 2XL. for cold weather ] Sandy nitrile coating provides superior grip in dry, wet and oily ap - MORE INFO www.JTillman.com Keep Jack Frost from nipping at your plications.

windsystemsmag.com 35 CROSSWINDS

THE FUTURE OF WIND

KEEPING AN EYE ON BATS

A hoary bat roosts in a Douglas fir tree. The Wind Energy and Bat Conservation Review contains information on the 20 bat species in Canada and how the wind industry is working to minimize potential impacts to them. (Courtesy: CanWEA) 36 FEBRUARY 2019 A recent study takes a comprehensive dive into how wind turbines can affect bats and what can be done to aid challenges with wind-energy development and bat conservation, while making that information accessible to all who need it.

By KENNETH CARTER  Wind Systems editor

henever big mechanical systems are constructed, say, ‘OK, here was the set of facts we were working from. there’s always a risk that it might interfere with These are the predictions we made. There’s always going to wildlife. That is often the nature of progress. be uncertainty, but based on those predictions, this is why Massive wind turbines sometimes conflict we made that decision,’” she said. “For anybody who may dis- Wwith birds, but they also can conflict with bats as well. agree with a particular approach, the science will be right A recent study by the Canadian Wind Energy Association, there for them. They may say, ‘well, we would have made a DNV GL and Natural Resource Solutions, Inc. has put togeth- different decision,’ but at least everybody’s working from er a comprehensive resource with respect to wind energy the same set of facts. I think one of the most helpful things and bat conservation. The study, Wind Energy and Bat Conser- to come out of this three-year effort was the science-based vation – A Review by the Canadian Wind Energy Association, decision framework that we developed, which can be used took three years to compile and draws upon an expansive by developers, conservationists, and regulators alike.” treatment of subjects that include the effectiveness of bat-im- Looking at siting issues is important, but Peters added pact avoidance and minimization measures, wind facility sit- that the science about siting and bats is still limited. ing considerations, post-construction monitoring, emerging “We tend to recommend that micro-siting decisions be technologies, and potential mitigation options. made with bats in mind, but I’m going to caveat that with And although various aspects of a wind farm have the there’s not a lot of definitive science that shows what kinds potential to affect bats, the operational phase receives the of micro-siting decisions have a real effect on what happens most attention in the report, according to Dr. Kimberly during the operational phase,” she said. Peters, senior biologist for environmental and permitting General decisions based on what’s known about bat biol- services with DNV GL. ogy can be used, but there are few studies that have actually “I think in terms of potential negative effects on bats, examined the location of turbines in relation to where bats operational fatality rates are the main concern, and so even hibernate and what that specific outcome on bat popula- during the siting phase, what developers will be looking for tions may be, according to Peters. are to make smart siting decisions and to minimize any attractants,” she said. “Bats, for instance, are attracted to ACCOUNTING FOR DYNAMICS water, so the aim is to not create any unnecessary water But the extensive study takes into account many different sources. Also, not to place turbines near structures like dynamics that are happening. hibernacula where bats congregate, but the real potential “There are hypotheses that bats may actually be attract- effects are going to occur during the operational phase — ed to wind turbines, and so there’s been some concern,” she while turbines are actually spinning. That is when we tend said. “If they are attracted, are they attracted by the turbine to see fatalities, particularly during migrations, so we pri- surface itself? Are insects attracted by the lighting, which in marily focused on migratory bats.” turn could attract bats? There’s still a lot of uncertainty there, The review also highlights the positive role that the wind but what we do know is that many species of bats in North industry can play when it comes to bat conservation, and America are experiencing very steep declines, primarily from how, through participating in bat research and large-scale things like disease and potentially things like pesticides that bat conservation efforts, for instance, the industry can help are taking away their prey base. They have also, as you know, sustain bat populations over the long term in Canada. At been found as fatalities at wind farms. The industry is really the same time, wind energy represents a renewable energy interested in getting a better understanding of where they source that will ultimately reduce the country’s reliance on fall in terms of pressures on the bats and where they can fossil fuels and stem expected climate-change impacts to help. That was where we were coming from in initiating this.” bats, humans, and other wildlife. Different species of bats behave differently, and this study has taken various bat species into account as the re- COMMUNICATION TOOL searchers gathered their data, according to Peters. The study The point of the study is to use it as a communication tool tends to focus on migratory tree bats. between developers, regulators, conservation organizations, “Those are bats that don’t tend to congregate in big groups and other stakeholders in the public in order to add trans- in caves, the way most people envision them,” she said. “They parency and come up with the best, science-based solutions, tend to breed and roost in treed areas, then they migrate. according to Peters. They’re going from Canada down into their wintering “For every decision that’s made, the decision makers can grounds, which are mainly in the U.S. and Mexico. Those

windsystemsmag.com 37 CROSSWINDS THE FUTURE OF WIND

or once every week or month, and they’re obviously not going to find everything. There are different models that will adjust for what are known as detection biases, so you look at things like observer detection rate. How well are they seeing the bats? Are they passing by some that they’re missing?” In addition, most models take into consideration scaven- ger removal, according to Peters, which essentially means that some dead bats may end up as dinner before they can be counted. “It gets really complex because things can change over time, for instance some carcasses become less palatable if they sit out there longer, and so these models are quite so - phisticated and take many factors into account,” she said. Additional search parameters that can vary include the search duration, the size of the area searched, and the diffi- culty of the terrain around the turbines, according to Peters. Other considerations are carcass distributions around the turbines and where they end up after the initial impact Thermal video cameras and acoustic detectors to record bat activity with a turbine. and behavior are installed at a wind turbine. (Courtesy: CanWEA) “All those things are taken into account through model- are the ones that we find most often when we’re doing fatality ing, so it’s really quite interesting,” she said. “You can get searches under turbines, but the good news is those are not a better understanding of seasonal differences and spatial the bats that are getting hit really bad by disease. There’s a differences and all kinds of neat things.” highly fatal disease known as white-nose syndrome that has really knocked back many of Canada’s and the U.S.’s species WIND ENERGY IN CONTEXT of cave-roosting bats. Those are the species that fortunately As far as where turbines fall regarding their danger to bats, are not often found as fatalities at wind farms.” it is really minimal comparatively for most species, according to Peters. DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES “We think it’s much lower than several other pressures; Another way the experts group bats is by their frequencies, I’m an ecologist, and we speak in things in terms of pres- according to Peters. sures,” she said. “What pressures are these species facing, at “Some species of bats are more likely to respond to some- a population level? For several species, No. 1, no question, is thing like an acoustic deterrent, whereas others that com- going to be white-nose syndrome.” municate and hunt and navigate at different frequencies But there is more information coming out in terms of may not respond as much,” she said. “I think as we move environmental contaminants such as pesticides, according forward and we’re thinking about different kinds of tech- to Peters. Those environmental factors may not affect bats nology and emerging technologies in particular, we need directly, but they could have an indirect impact. to understand that some are going to be more effective for “They certainly affect their prey base,” she said. “There have one species than another. That’s why it’s really important been some severe drops in flying insect populations, all over for developers to understand what the potential bat species the world really, that we’ve seen recently. They’re just sort of at their particular project are going to be, so they can think disappearing, and the main culprit appears to be pesticides, about adopting the correct kinds of technology or other compounded with things like deforestation and other kinds measures that are going to be more effective.” of human developments that take away their habitats.” The way the industry currently assesses what the effects of a turbine or mitigating technology are is to determine CLIMATE CHANGE how many bats are killed, according to Peters. Climate change is also likely to have a much bigger impact “The main way that you determine what your potential on bats than turbines ever could, according to Peters. impacts are is by counting dead things, or lack thereof, un- “There are going to be definite impacts from climate der turbines,” she said. “That’s the question most want to get change,” she said. “It’s on target to be one of the main pres- to. You can do other kinds of studies to see if there are any sures on bats. It’s going to do things like increase the spread behavioral differences or if fewer bats are in the area, but of disease. It’s going to heat up their hibernacula. I’ll get primarily when you’re looking at the project itself, you want technical here for a second: Bats need to hibernate. Several to know if you’re causing any bat fatalities and what species species of bats need to hibernate through the winter, and they are. There’s a burgeoning science behind the various so they’re all clustered in these caves, and they slow down methodologies for estimating how many bats were actually their systems, so they’re not wasting energy, but if it warms killed. You have searchers going out once every three days up in those hibernacula, they’ll wake up, and they start

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burning calories and may starve to death depending on how Another area that’s been considered is the lighting on many times they do wake up.” turbines, but it appears that the lights don’t affect bats as And when the bats do emerge from hibernation, they much as one might think, according to Peters. may not have enough food to eat, according to Peters. “It would seem to make sense; you would think the light- “We call it decoupling, which means that when a species ing attracts insects and then insects attract bats, but it’s like a bat most needs its prey, it’s not available because the mostly red lighting now on top of turbines, and they have triggers on the timing are not lined up anymore,” she said. not found any relationship between either bat activity or bat “Insects tend to emerge based on ambient temperatures, so if fatalities around those lights,” she said. “That’s a good thing.” insects are emerging too early, they won’t be available when Another hypothesis is that bats may be mistaking tur- bats most need them, like when they have pups and are bine monopoles for natural structures, according to Peters. nursing; these things take extra energy. Again, that’s going “Bats don’t see very well, but they can see a little bit,” she to cause population decline. I would call several things out said. “If they’re looking for trees, which are their habitat, as more impactful than wind turbines, including disease, they may misperceive a turbine as a tree because it’s this contaminants, habitat loss, and climate change. But colli- sort of long tall structure on the horizon. One technology sions with wind turbines are also a pressure, and that’s why that is being tested by the University of Hawaii and the the industry understood they needed a resource like this USGS and others is installing low-level lighting around tur- document so that they can be playing their part.” bines so that it differentiates it just enough for the bats so Peters also notes that the industry is also providing an that they don’t perceive it as a tree anymore. It may poten- energy source that will reduce the need for burning fossil tially not be as attractive.” fuels – the main driver of global climate change. “It’s a matter of responsibly growing wind capacity while CANADA, THE U.S., AND BEYOND minimizing any potential negative effects,” she said. “On Although the study was done for Canada, Peters said much the whole, the positives outweigh the negatives.” in the document is relevant to the U.S. as well. “There are things like species maps that are targeted to- AVOIDING TURBINES ward Canada, but most of the species we’re talking about, An obvious question many may ask is how a bat could collide most of the potential effects that we’re talking about, the with a turbine in the first place since they have echolocation different kinds of models that are used, those are prevalent abilities. The short answer is the experts don’t know exactly in the U.S. as well,” she said. “I think that if we were to why bats are active around turbines, according to Peters. create a similar source, a resource for the U.S., there would “First of all, it’s important to note that when you see a tur- be changes, and we would focus it more on the regulatory bine on the horizon, it looks like it’s moving really slow, but climate, conservation goals, and what regions are going to those blades are moving fast, especially at the tips,” she said. be expecting different things.” “As soon as a bat moves into what we call the rotor swept zone, But Peters said the study also addresses emerging tech- it’s in danger. They’re not going to be able to detect a blade nologies that are being used not just in Canada, but globally. before they get hit. Unfortunately, they tend to come in, and “A lot of these technologies, things like bat detection many sort of hang around the nacelle. They’re in and out and systems and automated detection minimization systems putting themselves in danger multiple times. There are some or detection deterrent systems, many of these are being hypotheses out there that they perceive the towers as a water developed in the U.S. and Europe but used globally,” she or foraging source, and they come in, and they’re trying to said. “I know that Europe has a lot of concerns about their drink or glean insects off the side of the turbine. That’s why bats as well, so there’s been research done there, and we’ve one of the technologies that’s being tested is different kinds incorporated some of that research into the report.” of texturized turbine coatings. As you know, bats find their And that the review has drawn upon so many resources way around and they find drinking and eating opportunities is what makes this study unique, according to Peters. by sonar. The signal that they’re getting back from the tur- “There’s so much being done with respect to bats and bine monopole may be similar to that of water.” wind right now, but it’s published all over the place,” she Some studies with different kinds of texturized coatings said. “Some of it is published or even unpublished — what have been done by Texas Christian University, according to Pe- we would call the gray literature. What we were able to do is ters, but are still in the early stages of development and testing. pull pertinent information from all these resources together “The coatings are designed so that the signal coming back into one document. We were also able to draw upon DNV GL’s to the bats does not make them think that they’re coming to experience. We have over 2,300 renewable energy experts a water source,” she said. “They actually have video of bats around the world. We have an incredible team of renewables on untreated turbines making contact with the paint, pur- engineers, policy experts, biologists, wind-energy analysts, portedly because they either think it’s water or they think so we were able to draw upon that. We pulled it all into one it’s a smooth leaf surface and they’re trying to pull insects place and summarized it in a way that is usable by anyone.” off it. When you get into biology and behavior, things get really complex really fast.” FOR A COPY OF THE REPORT  tinyurl.com/batsandwind

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