Connecting the community – Industry associations and social media in wind energy
In the modern era, social media is one of the most useful tools for businesses to share their message, build brand identity, and reach completely new target groups. Industry associations can complement this by representing the goals and concerns of a sector. This also applies to wind energy and could be a key driver of future expansion.
Brazil Windpower 2019 – Insights into the wind energy market in Brazil
Wind energy is often associated with Europe, the USA, and China. However, Brazil is less frequently mentioned – despite being a major economic power. As Latin America’s largest wind energy event approaches, we take a look at the market situation as well as challenges and opportunities for wind power in Brazil.
Cybersecure operation – The role of cybersecurity in wind energy
Big data, remote monitoring, and process automation are becoming more prominent in wind energy. As a result of many systems and machines being networked, the likelihood of cyberthreats increases. What can operators do to protect wind farms in the digital age?
Set up for success – Commonly used bearing arrangements in turbines
Wind turbine design has developed rapidly in the 21st century. Modern turbines are larger than ever before, experience greater forces, and can generate more power. As a result, their bearings are put under higher levels of strain. Selecting the right main shaft bearing arrangement can be a hard decision.
Universal power – Sector coupling to create an all-electric world?
Wind energy and other renewables are on the rise in the electricity sector. This isn’t the case for other areas, such as transport or heating, which still heavily rely on fossil fuels. Sector coupling may provide the catalyst for changing this – contributing heavily to making many industries greener.
Only the best will do – What do performance-based contracts offer wind energy?
When a failure occurs in a wind turbine, maintenance tasks can be costly and take time to complete. But what if there was a way to proactively assess costs, risks, opportunities, and benefits to positively impact the levelized cost of energy (LCOE)? Performance-based contracts for operation and maintenance could usher in a new era of reliability in wind energy.
Attention turns to 2019 – What will be this year’s hot topics in wind energy?
2019 promises to be a big year for wind energy. There are plenty of important events coming up, and new approaches to O&M will play a significant role in the sector. The Wind Farm Management Blog talks to Dr. Philipp Schmid from SKF for key insights into what we can expect in 2019.
Core assessment – SKF supports NREL wind turbine drivetrain failure investigations
Premature drivetrain failures are a common cause of wind turbine downtime. However, the cause of these failures is not always clear. SKF is supporting the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to conduct a study that could provide the wind energy sector with vital insights into drivetrain defects.
A day in the life – The duties of a modern wind turbine service technician
There are a diverse range of career paths in wind energy. As a result, there is a wide variety of responsibilities to ensure reliable wind farm operation. The first part of this series looks at the duties of a wind turbine service technician.
