Category: Industry News


Long-Term Site Support Resources

By marty-anemoi,

wind turbine

Let’s face it: wind farms can be pretty high maintenance. The more turbines you operate over an extended period, the more technical assistance you will require. You need a maintenance partner that offers long-term wind turbine site support. With wind turbine technicians on call, you can easily manage both emergency repairs and routine maintenance

Wind turbine troubleshooting

When something goes wrong with one of your turbines, you may not necessarily need to call technicians to your site, but it is still nice to have someone you can call to talk you through possible fixes for the problem you are experiencing. Anemoi’s support team is always available to speak to you over the phone or online to diagnose problems with your turbines and provide you with instant solutions. We will be able to tell whether the problem can be solved on the spot or if you will need to book a service call. 

Support and repairs

For more serious problems where troubleshooting doesn’t help, our support team will dispatch technicians to investigate the issue and perform on-site repairs. Whether you need a composite repair specialist or a fix for a more complex mechanical issue, our support technicians can quickly be on site to solve the problem. 

Maintenance

One of the most important things you need to run a successful wind farm is an efficient, proactive maintenance schedule. Regular maintenance will help you solve problems before they happen, keep your turbines running without any downtime. Our support team will help you set up your maintenance routine and implement it for you, applying our expertise to keeping your turbines running year after year.

Manpower augmentation

Knowing how complex wind farm operations can be, including everything from ongoing maintenance routines to everyday troubleshooting requirements, Anemoi provides long-term manpower augmentation to meet the needs of any project. When you make a long-term manpower augmentation arrangement with us, you will have our skilled technicians on your site to provide ongoing repair and maintenance services, without the need to hire and train personnel.

 

Trust Anemoi Energy Services for both short and long-term wind turbine support. Contact us for more information.  

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Keep your turbines running at lower cost with discounted ANEMOI oil changes

By marty-anemoi,

wind turbine

Aside from keeping your turbine blades in good shape, one of the most important parts of wind turbine maintenance is carrying out regular oil changes. Replacing the oil in wind turbines keeps them running smoothly and efficiently, and thus reduces overall running costs.

Seasonal discounts on turbine oil changes

This Spring, as part of regular wind turbine maintenance routines, ANEMOI is offering volume discounts for turbine gearbox oil changes. By taking advantage of this offer, you can increase the efficiency of your wind turbines while paying less for your maintenance. ANEMOI has the capability and equipment to perform all your gearbox oil change and conversion needs, whether you want a straight change with the same type of oil or switching oil types. As we change the oil, we also inspect the gearbox and report and repair any problems or anomalies. We arrive on your site with a fully self-contained oil storage and change unit that works without external power sources. The unit consists of four segregated oil tanks for new oil, waste oil, flush oil, and rinse oil. Each tank is temperature-controlled to optimize oil flow in any environmental conditions.

ANEMOI has secured over 1,000 gearbox oil changes for the 2021 season, but we have the capacity for more! Get in touch with us and learn how your site can be a part of this service offering and make the most of our expert, discounted turbine oil changes.

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Anemoi composite repair crews

By marty-anemoi,

wind turbine blades

With Spring having just arrived, wind farm operators will be watching the skies apprehensively, knowing that seasonal storms can cause damage to their turbine blades. They need specialized composite repair crews they can trust. As an established provider for the largest blade OEMs, ANEMOI has the talent and capabilities to handle all of your blade repair needs.

Managing the risks of composite turbine blades

Blades are the most critical components of turbines. If they are damaged and stop working, or operate only partially, then wind power production will suffer. It is vital to maintain them and repair them quickly whenever necessary. One of the biggest risks involved with running wind turbines is the weather. When the stormy season arrives, the increased risk of damage due to lightning means that an efficient repair crew should always be on hand. 

ANEMOI’s experienced team of composite repair specialists works with OEMs and wind farm operators to ensure certainty and productivity at all times. We carry out regular inspections and take care of any damage both uptower and on the ground. 

Our technicians are specially trained to deal with the risks and potential problems of composite turbine blades, including the specific safety requirements, testing, structural repair, leading and trailing edge repair, shell repair, and tip repair.

This Spring, make ANEMOI your partner in turbine care and maintenance. We offer comprehensive wind turbine maintenance and service to ensure your units are running efficiently. Contact us for more information on the benefits of having our composite repair crews at your service.

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Wind Turbine Power Calculations

By marty-anemoi,

wind turbine costs

A wind turbine consists of a few essential components that convert the wind’s kinetic energy into electrical energy. To determine how much energy will be available for conversion, one has to take factors such as the wind speed and the swept area of the turbine into account. Any wind farm project requires planning to establish how much power and energy output can be expected of each turbine to determine whether the project will be economically viable. 

How to calculate expected wind energy 

  1. It is crucial to know how much energy a wind turbine can produce in different conditions. To do this, one can calculate the rotational power produced at rated wind speed in a wind turbine. Rated wind speed is the minimum wind speed required for a wind turbine to produce power. 
  2. The Betz Limit or Betz Law theory concludes that a wind turbine cannot convert more than 16/27, or 59.3%, of the wind’s kinetic energy into mechanical energy by turning a rotor. This theory establishes that the maximum power efficiency, or power coefficient, of any wind turbine design is 0.59.
  3. The power coefficient of each turbine type is unique and will be unique in the wind speed the turbine is operating in. 
  4. The true maximum power efficiency is usually lower than the Betz Limit at 0.35-0.45, even in premium wind turbines. 
  5. Once other factors of the wind turbine system, such as the gearbox, bearings, and generator, are taken into account, only about 10-30% of the wind power is converted into electrical energy. 

Although turbine designers usually define expected wind turbine power, there is a relationship between various factors that affect wind speed power more than the rated wind speed. To understand any income that might be lost by the down-time of the turbine, it is vital to know turbine behavior at different wind speeds. Understanding these factors will also help with noticing any problems with the turbine when it is producing lower energy values than expected. 

If you would like to talk to one of our experts for more information about our wind turbine services, get in touch with our team at ANEMOI today. 

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Global Wind Energy Fact Sheet

By marty-anemoi,

Wind energy

There are almost 60 000 utility-scale wind turbines installed in the U.S, with a cumulative wind energy capacity of 107.4 GW. These statistics suggest that there was an increased wind capacity of 166% in the U.S from 2010 until 2020. As renewable energy becomes increasingly popular, here is an overview of global wind energy. 

Global wind farm facts 

  • From 2009 to 2019, the global wind capacity increased on average by 15% annually. 
  • The overall capacity of globally installed wind turbines reached 650,8 GW by the end of 2019. 
  • 2019 was the second-strongest wind year in terms of market size, yielding a growth rate of 10,1%. 
  • All wind turbines that were installed by the end of 2019 can meet more than 6% of the global electricity demand.
  • When it comes to total installed wind capacity in the U.S., the leading states are Texas (29,407 MW), Iowa (10,644), and Oklahoma (8,173 MW).
  • The average turbine size increased in the U.S. by 5% from 2017 to 2018.
  • During the same period, new wind energy purchase contracts averaged 1.3-1.8c per kWh. in 2019, the average residential electricity price was 13.0c per kWh.

Wind energy performance and impacts on the environment 

  • U.S. wind capacity avoided millions of metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions and used approximately 103 billion gallons less water than conventional power plants in 2019. 
  • Studies have found that if wind-generated electricity in the U.S. reaches a capacity of 35% by 2050, the greenhouse gas emissions from the electric sector would be reduced by 23%.
  • Although noise factors are often cited as a challenge for wind farms, the typical noise from a wind project is between 35-45 dB from a distance of 350m. Studies have shown that a quiet bedroom measures 35 dB.

If you would like more information about our national wind turbine services for your wind energy project, get in touch with our ANEMOI experts today. 

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Wind Energy Advantages And Challenges

By marty-anemoi,

wind energy

Wind energy remains one of the fastest-growing energy sources globally due to the many advantages this form of renewable energy offers. However, certain challenges are keeping wind energy from being used on a greater scale. Here are some of the main benefits of wind energy and the challenges that need to be addressed to grow the industry. 

Wind power advantages 

  • Cost-effective

Land-based wind power remains one of the lowest-priced energy sources. It only costs a mere 1-2 cents per kWh after production tax credit. 

  • Clean fuel source

Wind power doesn’t produce atmospheric emissions and doesn’t pollute the air, as it doesn’t require fossil fuels.

  • Employment opportunities

The U.S. wind sector employs more than 100 000 workers. Wind turbine technicians are sought-after, and it is becoming one of the fastest-growing positions in the U.S. The Wind Vision Report estimates that wind energy could potentially support in excess of 600 000 jobs in the sectors of maintenance, manufacturing, installation, and supporting services by 2050.

  • Sustainability

When the sun heats the atmosphere, the Earth rotates, and the wind blows over surface irregularities on the planet. This means that as long as there is sunshine, the wind will blow, and wind energy can be harnessed.

  • Wind turbines can be built in rural areas

Rural economies greatly benefit from wind farms, as the wide open spaces provide optimal wind sites. These wind farms typically do not cause inconvenience to those working on the land, and landowners receive rent from wind power plant owners for the use of the land. 

Wind power challenges 

  • Wind energy has to compete with the costs of traditional generation sources

While there have been great strides over the past few decades in decreasing wind energy costs, these projects still need to compete to be economically viable against lower-priced electricity.

  • Maintenance costs

The costs of operations and maintenance (O&M) at wind farms in the U.S.  ranged between $42 000 – $48 000 per MW in 2016. These costs can vary widely from projections, highlighting the importance of preventative maintenance to keep wind farms in optimum working conditions to keep O&M costs as low as possible. 

  • Wind sites are often rural

Land-based wind project sites are often located far from cities where electricity demand is high. This means that transmission lines typically need to be built.

  • Noise and visual concerns

While wind projects have far less of an environmental impact than traditional power plants, there are concerns over the towers’ aesthetic effect on landscapes and noise produced by the long turbine blades.

  • Use of land

Land-based projects often need to compete with projects that could deliver more revenue than electricity generation.

If you would like to improve your O&M costs with our expert wind energy services, contact our professional team at ANEMOI today. 

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Assessing The Viability Of Residential Wind Farms

By marty-anemoi,

wind farms

Renewable energy is becoming increasingly popular, and many individuals are considering their own residential wind farms to go off-grid. A residential wind farm can reduce your energy bills and increase the value of your home. However, it should be noted that residential wind systems are typically accompanied by more challenges than residential solar systems. From a practical side, solar systems work better in densely populated areas and take up less space. If you are convinced that a residential wind system might work for your needs, continue reading below.

Will a home wind turbine system work for me?

While a residential turbine system has its advantages, there are several factors to consider, and it will require some planning.

  • A good starting point will be to establish whether small wind electric systems are allowed in your area. One of the main challenges of residential systems can be complaints from the rest of the neighborhood. These turbine towers are typically tall structures of about 80 to 100 feet high to get sufficient turbulence. For this reason, these systems are predominantly found in rural or farmland areas where there is space between properties.
  •  Residential wind turbines are much smaller than popular industrial models. However, turbines require a minimum wind speed of 9-10mph, so be sure to establish whether your area will be able to meet these requirements. 
  • The Department of Energy has helpful information on residential renewable energy systems and stipulates the necessary regulations you will need to be aware of. You should also enquire about possible Federal tax breaks or refunds that might be available to homeowners who convert to renewable energy.   

Determining costs 

You should get different quotations from different companies for turbine prices and installation. You should take the following costs into account when doing your calculations to determine whether a residential wind farm will be economically viable for you:

  1.   Cost of a pole-mounted residential wind turbine
  2.   Cost of the turbine pole with guy-wires
  3.   Cost of concrete needed to secure the tower
  4.   If a Federal Energy Tax credit applies to you, do factor that in to decrease your costs
  5.   Research your local average annual wind speed.
  6.   Determine how much kWh your turbine will generate per day in your area’s average wind zone to establish whether the costs associated with your residential system will be economically viable. 

While residential wind farms might be viable to some consumers under the right conditions, solar energy systems are currently a better option. 

If you require any commercial wind turbine services or information for your commercial wind farm project, contact our team of experts at ANEMOI today.

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How Do Wind Turbines Work?

By marty-anemoi,

Wind turbine

Wind power has been used for thousands of years. From using windmills to crush grain or pump water, civilizations have seen the benefits offered by the wind. But how exactly are modern wind turbines being used to create renewable energy?  

What do wind turbines do? 

Wind turbines are tall machines (about the same height as the Statue of Liberty) designed and built to convert the wind’s kinetic energy into mechanical power to generate electricity. 

How do wind turbines create renewable energy? 

  • The rotor blades on a turbine need to turn – but how exactly does this happen? The design of these blades resembles aircraft wings, which generate aerodynamic torque from the wind. This occurs because air flows across the blades and decreases the air pressure on one side of the blade. 
  • With this difference in air pressure, both sides of the blade lift and drag. However, the lift force is stronger than the drag force, resulting in the rotor blade spinning. 
  • Large modern wind turbines usually have the capacity for rotor blades to swivel to allow them to find the optimal pitch angle to harvest this energy. 
  • The rotor blades connect to the nacelle, which is located behind the blades and contains a gearbox and a generator to convert the kinetic energy into electrical power. The gearbox will translate the blade rotation speed from a low-speed shaft to a high-speed shaft into the generator. 
  • Once it has passed through the generator, the electrical energy travels through a cable that runs to the bottom of the inside of the tower. 
  • This is when a transformer will convert the electrical energy to a much higher voltage to be transmitted to the power grid. 

Should you require more information about our wind turbine services, get in touch with our team of countrywide experts at ANEMOI today. 

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Wind Turbine Terminology And Components

By marty-anemoi,

Wind turbine

An increase in demand for renewable energy and electricity required worldwide is driving the growth in the wind turbine component market. While wind turbines may seem minimalistic to the average eye, they consist of various components that allow them to transform the wind’s kinetic energy into mechanical power to ultimately generate electricity. 

Wind turbine components

Modern wind turbines come in different sizes, but they generally consist of these main components: 

Rotor blades

Rotor blades generate aerodynamic torque from the wind and resemble aircraft wings. One side is flat, while the other side is curved to allow wind to flow quicker over the blade edge to create a difference in pressure on both sides of the blade. To equalize this pressure difference, the air effectively pushes the blades and causes them to turn.

Nacelle

The nacelle consists of the drivetrain that converts the aerodynamic torque into electrical power. It contains a set of gears that translate the blade rotation speed from a low-speed shaft to a high-speed shaft that goes into a generator in the nacelle. The generator is connected to the converter, which can convert the speed from the generator to grid-frequency. This is then transformed into the grid. 

Tower

The tower holds the nacelle and rotor blades off the ground at a height to garner ideal wind speed. Towers are typically constructed approximately 50 to 100 meters above ground or water surface. Offshore tower foundations are generally secured to the bottom of the body of water, but research is being done to develop towers that can float on the water surface. The tower also provides access to the nacelle for maintenance.

If you require information on wind turbine components or our wind farm services, get in touch with ANEMOI today. 

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A Day In The Life Of A Wind Turbine Engineer

By marty-anemoi,

Wind turbine engineer

Renewable energy is growing at such a rapid pace that the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) says that wind energy was responsible for 39% of the energy capacity in the US in 2018. Wind Turbine Engineer Technicians are becoming sought-after with a growing wind energy sector, and the occupation shows promising growth and wage numbers.  

What does a Wind Turbine Engineer Technician do? 

Broadcast Media Services followed a day in the life of Wind Turbine Engineer Stephen Fisher, who was working on the London Array – one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms. Fisher explains that his work typically involves climbing the turbine, where he then takes off filters and puts fresh oil in certain parts. Work will often include having to crawl underneath tight spaces or even climbing into the blade to change the grease inside the blade. 

A typical day at work for a Wind Turbine Engineer 

  • Most shifts are 12-hours long.
  • The day usually starts by clocking-in and getting the necessary paperwork and tools from the O&M Centre that the team will need to conduct their work for the day.
  • Paperwork is an essential part of starting the day, as it is used to stipulate isolations for when work is being done on certain parts of the turbine to make it safe for everyone working on the turbine.
  • Next, the team heads to the warehouse to get their kit-bags, which will include a climbing harness and an immersion suit for offshore work. (Lunch is also taken along, as there are no lunch options once you are on the turbine).
  • The team is transported to the turbine, and they climb to the first part of the turbine. Once at the top of the turbine, you get to enjoy the views from an approximate height of 100 meters (sometimes you will even work above the clouds). 
  • Once the work for the day is concluded, the team clock-out. 

What do those in the Wind Engineering industry say? 

Those in the industry believe it’s one of the best careers to follow. Renewable energy will continue to grow, and once you get into the industry, you’ll have a lifetime career. You get paid to climb turbines and enjoy some unbelievable views – not something everyone gets to do at work.  

If you would like more information about the services our team of expert wind turbine engineers offer, get in touch with ANEMOI today. 

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