GLOBAL WIND ALLIANCE
THE GLOBAL WIND ALLIANCE AND THE STORY CONTINUES
We continue to follow the work of the Global Wind Alliance having covered their philosophy and aspirations in a previous edition.
We make no excuses for repeating their main principal and concept…
COLLABORATION
The main principal of the Global Wind Alliance, as the name would suggest, is collaboration
SIMPLE CONCEPT
The concept is simple. Alone, each company can only offer a part of the solution that global customers require; but by collaborating with others, who can offer complementary products and services, they can compete and win work on a global stage that would otherwise be unobtainable.
We featured The Danish Wind Power Academy in our last edition and we now concentrate on another of their member companies, Morgan AM&T (Advanced Materials & Technology).
WINDS OF CHANGE
Morgan AM&T - bigger issues could be solved with small component intelligence
As the demand for renewable energy continues to gather momentum with the markets increased longetivity, technological innovation in wind energy is now more important than ever in the race to ensure operating and maintenance
(O&M) costs are brought under control. COST REDUCTION
A reduction in these costs will do much for wind power’s reputation when compared to other forms of energy source – renewable or other. In the first few years the warranty covers the O&M costs but after the general 5 year warranty time period the repair and replacement responsibilities are with the owner.
The wind market has shifted its focus from capacity installation to improving the efficiency and output with its installed base. The market demands at least a 15% reduction in O&M costs over the coming years and Morgan AM&T believe that by shifting focus to the smaller components in wind turbine generators (WTGs),
the market will be able to deliver on the challenging O&M cost-down expectations – and perhaps more.
When it comes to operational cost reduction it is, in many ways, human nature to look at ‘big ticket’ items first. Wind technology is no exception with its prime focus on blades, generators and gearboxes as the potential major causes of high O&E.
THE GREATEST POTENTIAL FOR COST REDUCTION
A wind turbine is made up of roughly 8,000 components. The most valuable data – yet to be collated and shared widely – will explain which sub- components are causing these large units to fail and why. This is where the greatest potential to make savings will be found. With high amounts of the market still in warranty, there is little information available and it might still be some time before such data is made available. But more needs to be done now to ensure the knowledge gap between original design logic and field performance, of certain key sub- components, is reduced.
TURBINE FAILURES
Gearboxes were designed to last the lifetime of a turbine but as the market matures there have been O&M repair costs associated with them which can be extremely high per turbine lifetime - such issues are having a negative impact on the market.
The reasons for such failure can be numerous.
Bearing failure due to the leakage of lubrication or fluting/pitting from stray, unearthed current for example. Or an interruption to the chemical film, or ‘patina’, that gets laid down on the surface of the generator power slip rings by the power brushes, due to incorrect fitment or matching of materials, can lead to poor power output and ultimately failure of the generator.
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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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