Maintenance

When it comes to any type of machinery, including wind turbines, proper lubrication is one of the simplest yet most important ways to keep everything running smoothly. Understanding how lubrication works can save a lot of time, money, and headaches. This article takes a closer look at oil and grease — what they are, how they work, and why they matter.

Wind turbines are spinning, clean energy is winning, and the industry is racing full speed ahead. But as the momentum builds, bearings wear out, shafts take a beating, and downtime costs money. Fortunately, with the right approach, many worn components can be restored instead of replaced.

Wind turbines are not without their hazards, as demonstrated by the recent fire at the Clements Gap wind farm in South Australia. This incident has brought to light the various factors that can lead to wind turbine fires, sparking discussions on how to mitigate these risks to ensure safer wind turbine operations.

Wind turbines present unique challenges as they age, particularly concerning component wear and inventory needs. In such cases, predictive maintenance provides a lifeline in the form of optimized lifecycles, maintenance schedules, and return on investment of infrastructure. Read how, by leveraging data and advanced technology, operators can maintain a higher degree of confidence in the performance of their fleet.

By leveraging IoT devices embedded with sensors, advanced data analytics, machine learning, and other technologies, predictive maintenance is significantly enhancing the wind energy sector. But what exactly prompts the sector’s key stakeholders to adopt predictive maintenance in their operations?

Keeping turbines spinning smoothly requires timely and proper maintenance, as well as a constant supply of spare parts — a task that can be time-consuming and distract from the main mission. This is where bringing in outside expertise can make a world of difference.

As wind technology has advanced, we have seen more efficient turbines and better overall output. But what happens when these turbines age and become less efficient? The answer could lie in wind repowering, a win-win strategy that combines financial viability, efficiency, and sustainability.

Recently, the wind energy sector has been shaken by two significant incidents in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. In one case, a wind turbine collapsed and crashed into a corn field at Gescher; in another, a fire broke out in a wind farm in Stemwede Bürgerwindpark. Both instances have drawn attention to the challenges aging wind farms are facing. Could these unfortunate events have been prevented?

As wind turbine performance declines, it could be that crucial components are nearing the end of their service life. This leaves wind farm operators at a crossroads. On the one hand, replacing aging parts means downtime and lost production, but could it also be an opportunity for them to improve the existing infrastructure?