Category: Industry News


Wind Farms In The US

By marty-anemoi,

US wind farm

 

The United States has seen a drastic increase in the installation of wind farms over the last decade due to greater interest in investing in renewable energy. The US Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that an average of 3000 wind turbines has been built annually in the US since 2005. The US Wind Turbine Database contained more than 58 000 wind turbines in 2019, all of which were constructed after 1980. Today, there are approximately 1500 wind energy projects that span at least 43 states in the US. As technology continues to evolve, so too do wind power projects.

Largest wind energy projects in the US  

Texas remains the US’s state industry leader, with an installed capacity of 24 899MW as of April 2019. In California’s Mojave desert, the Alta Wind Energy Center is the largest wind energy project in the US today in terms of installed capacity, with an approximate capacity of 946MW. With an installed capacity in excess of 96GW, the US is the second-largest producer of wind power in the world, hosting six of the top ten global onshore wind farms.

Country-wide wind energy projects ANEMOI has worked on

 

Shepherds Flat (Oregon)

This is the first wind farm to utilize GE2.5XL technology, and ANEMOI was afforded the opportunity to be the first company to complete a gearbox oil conversion on the turbines at the 845MW wind farm. ANEMOI met Amsoil’s strict standards, and our experts have mastered the process.

Panther Creek (Texas)

Three ANEMOI teams were deployed to work six-days-a-week for two months to perform the pitch battery replacements on 305 turbines. Each crew performed an average of two towers per day and finalized the work under-budget and four weeks ahead of schedule.

Mehoopany (Pennsylvania)

Tucked deep in the Appalachian Mountains, logistics and transport proved to be challenging when ANEMOI was called upon to perform annual maintenance at all of the site’s wind turbines within three weeks. Our five crews with three technicians per team completed the project on time and provided valuable feedback on such focused maintenance feasibility.

Balko (Oklahoma)

One ANEMOI crew of three technicians performed 162 Pitch & Yaw oil changes three weeks ahead of schedule, finalizing work in just over seven weeks. The site was so impressed that they requested ANEMOI to perform additional site maintenance for eight extra weeks.  

Rail Splitter (Illinois)

ANEMOI performed 67 gearbox oil conversions from Castrol A320-X320 and was the first company to perform this conversion to X320. ANEMOI was instrumental in developing the procedure, working closely with GE and Castrol to ensure the best overall results.

Sweetwater (Texas)

ANEMOI was called in to perform the first round of maintenance on the 170 turbines at the farm. The ANEMOI team worked for several months to perform maintenance on the turbines and performed hefty cleaning to bring the turbines back up to GE’s stringent operational standards. 

If you would like to discuss your energy needs for your wind farm, get in touch with our countrywide experts at ANEMOI today.

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Expertise In Onshore Wind Power Generation

By marty-anemoi,

Onshore wind power expertise

The United States is home to more than 100 gigawatts of wind energy capacity, and this sector of renewable energy will continue to grow due to the sustainable results produced by wind farms. However, finding a reputable company to partner with to look after all of your service and maintenance needs can be a daunting task. ANEMOI provides a highly-trained workforce and a cutting-edge fleet throughout the country for reliable response when you need us most. 

Why choose us for your wind turbine services and maintenance needs? 

  • All ANEMOI Operation Managers are becoming Safety Trained Supervisors (STS) through the board of certified safety professionals (BCSP).
  • All ANEMOI Field Operation Leaders are working towards OSHA 510, and all will be certified by the end of 2020.
  • ANEMOI has had no lost-time accidents and no OSHA recordables for six years.

Our expertise in onshore wind power generation 

Wind turbine blades

Wind turbine blades are the most critical components for efficient wind turbines, and damage caused by erosion, lightning strikes, and expected degradation can negatively impact a wind turbine’s power curve. Our composite repair specialists work with wind farm owners and OEMs to deliver project certainty for blade composite inspection and repair needs. Our combined team comprises seasoned blade technicians for up-tower or on-the-ground project repair needs.

Gearbox oil changes

We have the necessary experience, equipment, and capability to perform any gearbox oil change and conversion needs. Whether you are performing a straight-change with the same oil type or switching oil types, ANEMOI is your trusted wind turbine maintenance and service provider. 

Scheduled maintenance

When we work with clients, we ensure that the maintenance checklist provides all the essential information about safe maintenance, cleaning, inspections, testing, and replacement tasks for the proper operation of generators and associated equipment. We offer technical expertise from start to finish for a wind turbine site’s planned maintenance project.

Manpower augmentation

Given the complexity that accompanies a wind energy project’s maintenance and troubleshooting schedules, wind sites can be hit with the need for temporary workforce augmentation. Recognizing the challenges that may arise in these situations, we provide short- and long-term skilled and qualified staff to meet any project’s needs.  

Retrofits

Whether you need to correct a serial defect or want to perform an upgrade for efficiencies, we have the skills, tooling, and knowledge to complete your retrofit fully. 

If you would like to find out more about our onshore wind power expertise, get in touch with ANEMOI today.

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Services For Onshore Wind Energy Assets

By marty-anemoi,

Onshore wind energy services

Given the complexity of schedules at onshore wind energy projects, regular services are necessary for wind farms to function optimally. Wind farm owners and operators have to plan asset and project schedules according to maintenance cycles, everyday troubleshooting, fleet-wide retrofits, and manpower augmentation – while always keeping maintenance costs top of mind. ANEMOI offers a range of reputable and convenient services for onshore energy assets.

Manpower augmentation for your onshore renewable energy projects 

We provide both short- and long-term skilled and qualified staff to meet the needs of any project. Our workforce augmentation provides immediate skilled and qualified technicians without delays in hiring and training personnel.

Our services include:

  • Laydown yard support
  • Shipping and receiving support
  • Construction support
  • Scheduled or unscheduled maintenance
  • Inspections
  • Retrofits

Gearbox oil changes 

We have the experience, equipment, and capability to perform any gearbox oil change and conversion needs. Whether you are performing a straight change with the same oil type or switching oil types, ANEMOI is your trusted wind turbine maintenance and service provider. We do not just change your gearbox oil –  we inspect, observe, understand, and report any anomalies we might find during your oil change. Our gearbox oil changes consist of the following features:

  • Completely enclosed and self-contained unit to work in most environments without external power source needs.
  • Temperature controlled tanks to optimize oil flow in any climate.
  • Four segregated oil tanks for: waste oil, flush oil (heated), rinse oil (heated), new product oil (heated and filtered).
  • New product oil is filtered to ISO 4406 standard.
  • Staff certified to perform warranty repairs on gearbox OEM equipment.

Retrofits 

Many owners and operators decide to retrofit their turbines with new parts to ensure better reliability of the replaced parts and increased productivity while also reducing future running costs. Parts typically have a lifespan, and owners and operators find that they can retrofit and replace some exhausted end-of-life components to keep their assets online and extend their productivity for longer than the usual 20 years.

Scheduled maintenance 

As a leading service provider for the top OEM’s, our technicians receive the latest comprehensive training on OEM equipment. ANEMOI always ensures that a client receives a maintenance checklist that provides all the essential information for safe maintenance, cleaning, inspections, testing, and replacement tasks necessary for the proper operation of generators and associated equipment.

If you would like to find out how we can assist with your onshore wind energy services, get in touch with our qualified team at ANEMOI today. 

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The Onshore Wind Power Industry

By marty-anemoi,

Onshore wind power

 The onshore wind power market in the United States has seen significant development in recent years, and a recent report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) states that the U.S. now holds more than 100 gigawatts of wind energy capacity. The increased height and capacity of wind towers, coupled with technological developments, have prompted growth forecasts for the global onshore wind power market of almost $27 billion between the 2019-2023 period. 

The advantages of onshore wind farms 

Increased hub heights in inland areas with high wind turbulence can deliver better wind yields since wind turbulence declines at higher altitudes. Taller wind towers mean fewer turbines are required on wind farms since a single turbine can produce more power. Since the wind turbines are higher, their energy conversion rates are better, which can increase the annual energy production at onshore renewable energy projects. Bigger rotors and blades at these wind farms also enable the turbines to deliver greater generation capacity. 

  • A reduction in wind turbines needed on wind farms
  • Less capital expenditure required
  • Decreased risks associated with project execution
  • Reduced operational and maintenance costs for farm operators
  • Lower electricity generation costs

As a result of these key advantages, several wind turbine manufacturers have embarked on manufacturing taller wind towers to increase onshore wind turbines’ production capacity. These measures are predicted to aid market growth of onshore wind power systems at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 6% during the 2019-2023 period. Investment continues to thrive in the research and development arena to improve the efficiency of equipment used at onshore wind farms while also looking at ways to optimize the installation process of turbines.

If you would like to discuss your onshore wind power project’s energy services, contact our experts at ANEMOI today. 

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Retrofitting Wind Turbines To Lower Costs

By marty-anemoi,

wind turbine

The renewable energy industry continues to grow rapidly, and pundits predict that if this growth continues, one-third of the world’s electricity demand will be supplied through wind energy. Many wind turbine owners and operators behind such supply management have decided to retrofit their turbines with new parts upon realizing that future running costs can be reduced. The retrofitted turbines also become more reliable due to the new parts, which culminates in increased productivity of the wind turbine that has been updated. Parts typically have a lifespan, and as turbines are reaching the end of their 20-year design life cycle, owners and operators are discovering the benefits of retrofitting and replacing some components to extend their assets’ online capacity for years to come. 

What are the benefits of wind turbine retrofits? 

Retrofits provide an opportunity to take full advantage of your wind turbine’s capacity and potential.  Thousands of turbines installed at wind farms over the past 20 years have performed as anticipated while generating return on investment for owners. However, most of these aging assets require costly services, which has prompted the sector to look at more cost-effective solutions. Retrofits reduce service costs while increasing a wind turbine’s life span, sometimes allowing the turbine to be online for an additional 10 to 20 years.

These are a few of the benefits to expect after a retrofit: 

  • Increased availability and efficiency
  • Higher revenue
  • Less unscheduled maintenance
  • Lower O&M costs
  • Increased surveillance and control
  • Extended turbine lifespan

Whether it’s correcting a serial defect or performing an upgrade for efficiencies, ANEMOI has the skills, tooling, and knowledge to complete your retrofit fully. ANEMOI has experience with retrofits from as small as ladder bracket retrofits to installing a complete fleet redesign on a turbine airflow nacelle cooling system. To discuss your retrofit requirements, get in touch with ANEMOI today. 

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Bringing down the cost of wind energy

By marty-anemoi,

Wind turbinesBringing down the cost of wind energy

Wind turbines are responsible for powering entire businesses and residential areas worldwide. The US benefits massively from wind energy which has proven to be a cost-effective method of generating renewable electricity that is environmentally sustainable. The cost of wind power turbines can be costly but there are factors such as wind technology and wind turbine maintenance that strongly impact profit and operating costs. We take a look at these factors and their impact on the cost of wind energy.

Wind energy – a financial overview

Wind turbines and its technology is rapidly becoming the most advanced form of renewable energy in the modern world. Wind farms and wind turbines can generate significantly lower cost-saving solutions in the United States and it is already a source for positive economic impact, energy security, and health benefits. 

The costs of wind energy have been gradually falling, with offshore wind energy seeing a reduction of over 60% in the past three years alone. Wind generation usually comes with 20-year fixed pricing and developers will be responsible for saving America up to $280 billion in the next 30 years due to the reduction in price spikes, supply disruptions, and coal fuel costs. 

Maintenance brings down wind energy costs

The wind is an affordable source of fuel energy, however, the maintenance costs of wind turbines can be high. Maintenance for wind turbines is usually done once a year but once this occurs, the risk of a turbine breakdown is reduced and the costs involved in future repairs are diminished. 

Studies show that a higher failure rate and greater repair resource requirement leads to higher costs of energy. The pitch and hydraulic system make up most of the costs involved when a wind turbine fails and these are expensive components to repair. It is therefore critical to ensure that these components are maintained for effective use. Regular and scheduled maintenance of wind turbines can save wind-powered developers money on the labor, operational, and manufacturing costs that they could acquire should they wait until the turbine broke down.

Digital technology and wind energy costs

Experts can make use of intricate data devices, analytics, automation, and predictive maintenance to help developers to manage the costs of unplanned repairs. The use of digital technology also helps them to detect mechanical and electrical issues within wind turbine services before the damage is done, thus saving time and money in the long haul. 

Wind energy technology involves the gathering of data related to torque, physical movements of rotor shafts, oil quality, and strain. The data indicates when a maintenance period is needed for the optimal performance of wind turbines. It also helps to estimate the costs involved and mitigate any financial risks. The costs of renewable energy from wind drops as experts gain more knowledge and experience on these methods of sophisticated digital solutions.

Choose expert wind turbine maintenance services

With all the information on the cost of wind energy at your disposal, it is expertly proven that the maintenance of wind turbines play a critical role in cost reduction and wind energy development. Expert wind energy technicians are the best people to consult when it comes down to this. These technicians have the knowledge and qualifications to conduct the research needed on wind turbine fault analysis, as well as provide condition monitoring techniques and optimized maintenance procedures to save costs and ensure that wind energy devices work for decades to come.

Regularly scheduled maintenance is critical! At ANEMOI Energy Services we provide all the tooling you need for a turnkey job. Our professional team offers comprehensive wind turbine maintenance and service to ensure your units are running efficiently and at optimal capacity each day. We can bring down the cost of wind energy for you by the use of our scheduled and unscheduled maintenance plans. Interested in more information? Give us a call today!

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The cost of wind vs. solar energy

By marty-anemoi,

We want to provide services that save the environment and save costs in doing so – renewable energy is a sustainable way to accomplish that. The cost of solar energy vs wind energy is a continuous debate in the environmental community. Which has more benefits in the long-term and what can be done to save energy service providers and developers’ costs? Heloo m good and you 

Wind energy vs solar energy? Factors to consider

Both solar and wind-powered energy are excellent sources of renewable energy with unique benefits. The cost of each source however differs and when it comes to a sustainable and cost-effective service, wind energy has benefits that outweigh its expenses. We take a look at the factors influencing this choice below:

Installation 

The installation of solar panels is undoubtedly convenient as the electrical current from the solar panels does not need further labor costs beyond basic installation. Solar panels, however, does not work effectively if it is not placed in an area that gains the most sunlight. This may be costly to arrange in residential areas and areas with unpredictable weather patterns. 

Wind turbines are easier to install and are often located in any available open area for optimal effectiveness. Costs are lowered in country areas where the installation is significantly easier due to a lack of obstruction and better weather conditions. 

Power generation

Solar energy has a history of producing more energy, however, with an increase in technological advances in wind design and taller turbines with longer blades, more energy is being harvested, resulting in an increased speed and power generation overall. 

Wind energy is a popular option for utility services and developers that operate within larger areas that need a powerful and reliable source of energy to power a large surface area. Wind turbines are extremely effective in this regard to source more energy from reliable renewables – they produce more energy than solar panels and also release less CO2 into the atmosphere, resulting in a sustainable and cost-effective option. 

Tax incentives

Utilities have been benefiting from federal tax incentives that encourage renewable strategies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to stem climate change. This has had a great impact on investment toward wind farms and developers. As long as there aren’t potential changes to the tax system, the economics of wind energy is seen as a more favorable source of renewable energy.

Maintenance 

Wind turbine maintenance is timely and effective compared to other sources of renewable energy. Wind turbine gearboxes come with an easy-to-follow maintenance guide that experts can make use of should unpredictable issues arise. Not only do experts help with maintenance but they have the technology to predict turbine failure before it becomes a costly problem. Although costs are affected by maintenance, wind turbines that are checked at least once or twice or year are more likely to avoid breakdowns and the expensive costs that could potentially come with it.

The impact of maintenance on wind energy

With wind turbine manufacturing on the rise and powering more industries in the US, the question of wind vs. solar energy is easier to answer. Wind energy is one of the most sustainable and affordable ways to provide power for decades to come. Wind turbine maintenance helps to reduce costs that may arise should a wind turbine ever break down, thus saving money on expensive installation, labor, and downtime. 

Our experts at Anemoi Services suggest investing in wind turbine maintenance for sustainable long-term success. When it comes to wind turbines and their maintenance, our safety-trained supervisors are readily available to offer your business guidance and support every step of the way to ensure you receive the most affordable and rewarding service. For more information on our services, contact us today! 

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Breaking down the cost of wind energy

By marty-anemoi,

Breaking down the cost of wind energy

With the increasing costs involved in running traditional methods of energy and the impact of climate change, more companies in the United States are turning to developers of renewable energy. This increased the demand for wind energy services countrywide but is the development of wind energy a sustainable and cost-effective method of production? 

To answer this question, we break down the cost of wind energy concerning wind-powered and wind turbine maintenance, as well as its component parts. 

Factors that influence wind energy services

Wind power and the wind turbines behind it are an economical and sustainable source of energy. With more companies moving to solar-powered energy production and larger wind turbines, investment in wind energy farms has increased throughout the decade. This is highly dependent on the area that supplies the power. There is a decrease in cost in coastal areas, which have larger areas for setting up wind turbines and ample business for service providers. The cost of wind energy decreases by around 9.2 c€ /kWh in these areas. 

Investments play a vital role when it comes to wind energy services. It is predicted that the wind industry will invest over $62 billion in new projects over the next few years. With this investment, there will be more finance available for developers, as well as more energy service use countrywide, leading to an increase in a profit margin.

The impact of scheduled maintenance on wind energy 

The affordability of wind energy largely depends on the maintenance of wind turbines and their parts. Turbines mostly fail due to improper maintenance or diligence. It is therefore critical that developers prevent wind turbine failure, instead of running turbines until they break down as it is less costly to fix a turbine than to repair it. With only 1.5 days a year needed for wind turbine maintenance, maintenance is a significant and cost-effective method to save money on expenses in the long term. 

Scheduled maintenance is also important to prevent any downtime and disruption to wind energy services, which could impact wind service providers and their income. Experts that provide wind turbine maintenance ensure that financial risks are taken care of. They do this with the use of advanced wind energy technology and thorough site assessments.

The role of wind turbine maintenance providers

Scheduled maintenance keeps wind turbines in working order for a longer period. Wind technicians are an important part of what keeps wind turbines running smoothly. They reduce any financial risk that developers could face by providing wind turbine services maintenance. These services include the lubrication of moving parts, gearboxes, and bearings, thorough checking of connections, and assessment of faults. It is done only two to three times per year, making it convenient and cost-effective.

Where can you find this expert team of wind technicians? ANEMOI has a professional and certified team that ensures that maintenance is carried out in a safe and timely manner. We take care of your maintenance before it can cause you trouble by providing cleaning, inspections, testing, and replacement tasks that are necessary to ensure the proper operation of generators and associated equipment. 

For further information on breaking down the cost of wind energy, contact us today! 

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Wind energy maintenance costs

By marty-anemoi,

Wind energy maintenance costs

With climate change affecting us every day, onshore and offshore wind is increasingly becoming the leading renewable energy source in the US. Data released from the U.S. Energy Administration Information (EIA) show that wind energy is officially the most-used renewable electricity generation source in the U.S, surpassing hydroelectric generation. In 2019 alone, the figures for wind energy increased to over 300 million megawatt-hours (MWh). These figures indicate that wind energy is bringing in new investments around the world in an ever-increasing high-value market. 

Renewable energy sources can be costly if not properly maintained. Energy services and wind developers that don’t make use of proper maintenance services can spend millions on operating expenses such as capital and labor. With proper maintenance of wind energy turbine services, there is a deduction of maintenance costs as it requires less labor than traditional methods of maintenance and accurately obtains data that is used to keep wind turbine services running optimally throughout the year, saving on costs associated with repairs.

The cost of wind energy maintenance is affordable and beneficial to keep wind turbines functional for decades to come. We have a guide on more information regarding the costs involved with wind energy maintenance. 

The importance of wind energy maintenance

Establishing a good maintenance plan for a wind project is often the best way to predict (and avoid) issues that could impact land leases, project permits, and wind-farm financing. Wind developers require a proper and financeable wind-measurement campaign during the process of wind-farm development. This data includes essential maintenance information, such as an equipment maintenance plan. The data from this campaign helps them to secure finance from investors, wind turbine manufacturers, and banks, which often require a minimum of one year of onsite wind data. 

The maintenance plan also assists developers in obtaining reliable measurements on predicting future repair costs needed and financial risks concerning projects. Permitting bodies also have a more favorable disposition towards wind energy projects that have a strong maintenance plan and support, so being proactive towards maintenance can have a successful impact on wind energy services.

The maintenance costs of wind turbine services 

Due to previous large turbine designs, the maintenance of wind turbines was excessively often costly and time-consuming. This trend, however, has declined, resulting in a significant drop in expenses. There has been a significant reduction in maintenance costs due to turbines that make use of better design and technology (more than 90 percent from 1983 to 2015). 

A Reuters report showed that the median operations and maintenance (O&M) cost for a U.S. utility-scale wind farm in 2016 was just over $48,000/MW, with an average age of installed turbines being around six years. As US developers start to spend more on wind energy, the cost of its services such as wind turbine maintenance has been lowered by $42,000 – $48,000 per year.

It is important to note that operation and maintenance costs include insurance, land rent, service repair costs, spare parts, as well as all administrative costs involved. There are turbine types that have higher upfront costs and some that have higher operations and maintenance costs. Even though this can be recurring costs, the income and money saved from the use of wind turbines significantly out-produces the maintenance costs. 

Why should you make use of energy maintenance services?

With the rise in investments in solar technology around the wind, it is undoubtedly a future that is going to be dominated by wind energy services and manufacturing. Proper due diligence and maintenance plans are important to keep wind energy services running for decades to come. It is also critical to ensure that you keep wind turbines working effectively to avoid costly mistakes down the road. 

Wind energy service developers are sometimes financially affected by changing market costs, which impact their maintenance of wind turbines and parts. A maintenance campaign is therefore essential and should be initiated in advance to predict maintenance costs involved in projects. This will also assist developers so that they are prepared for any maintenance costs that occur even during challenging times.

Anemoi Energy Service offers affordable high-powered wind turbine maintenance services to ensure your wind energy equipment runs efficiently and smoothly. Our team works across the US ensuring that regular maintenance is carried out, and we have experts that promptly schedule and predict the maintenance of wind turbines  – saving you and your team time and money! 

For more information on our wind energy maintenance costs, contact us today

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What Are the Pros and Cons of Wind Turbines?

By marty-anemoi,

Wind turbines

Wind turbines are an attractive investment because they can help you earn money by generating renewable energy. The potential profits from investing in wind energy are especially true for Avangrid, Dominion Energy and Equinor. These are companies that have partnered up with states to build offshore wind farms and plan to operate them for decades. Also, “they are all in a position to take care of a generous investment tax credit.”

In addition, there are more than 200 projects undergoing construction or late-stage development in 33 states across the USA, according to a 2019 report from the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). These new projects add up to “41,801 megawatts of new capacity, up 10 percent year-over-year.”

To help you decide whether wind turbines are the right investment for you, here is a list of pros and cons.

Pros of wind turbines

  • Wind energy is clean and renewable
  • Wind energy is sustainable
  • Wind turbines have low operation costs
  • The land used for wind turbines can be used for other purposes, e.g., farming
  • Wind turbines are environmentally-friendly. They do not produce greenhouse gas emissions
  • Wind turbines produce jobs. In fact, the US wind energy sector employs more than 100,000 workers.

Cons of wind turbines 

  • Expensive to purchase
  • Wind turbines depend on windy weather conditions to generate electricity and in turn, money. It can be difficult to determine exactly how much money you will make every day
  • Wind turbines are noisy and can sometimes be visually displeasing 
  • Wind turbines can harm birds and bats.

Before you invest in wind turbines, you need to consider the above pros and cons. On top of these factors, you also need to consider maintenance plans. For more information on wind turbine maintenance and wind turbine services, you should contact an experienced wind energy service provider like Anemoi Energy Services. Contact Anemoi today for all your wind energy solutions.

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