Author: Francesco Miceli
-
Wind turbines defective parts warranty
Lately I’ve been spending some time trying to learn something more about quality. Although I see that there is no consensus on the business effectiveness of some of these technique I’ve decided to take a certification (ASQ Six Sigma Green Belt) to have a first-hand experience. One of the first concept I’ve learnt is the…
-
Why wind turbine blades are made of composite materials?
I’ve received a question regarding material selection for wind turbines blades. The reader asked why there is a predominance in the use of composite materials for the blades instead of wood, steel and aluminium and other materials used in the first glorious, pioneering years of wind energy. Please note that I’m by no mean an…
-
Wind turbine controlled demolition
A reader of the blog shared a video with the controlled demolition of a wind turbine in the UK. The turbine looks like an old Acciona Windpower model. The turbine is connected using a rope to a back hoe and the base of the tower is slowly cut using a blowtorch. Then the backhoe start…
-
Multirotor wind turbine: an update
Some time ago I wrote a post about the interesting concept of multirotor wind turbines, including the full scale prototype built by Vestas with 4 refurbished V29-225kW (that is, with a 29 meters rotor diameter). It has been installed in a test site of the Technical University near Roskilde, in Denmark – I believe I’ve…
-
What happen to decommissioned wind turbines?
In a previous post I mentioned my experience with a repowering (a wind farm where the old turbines are exchanged with new models to increase the production and lower the maintenance costs). But what happen with the old turbines when they are dismantled? For some of them there might be a new life. There is…
-
PMP methodology & wind farm project management
This week I had the pleasure to pass the PMP (Project Management Professional) exam – one of the two leading certifications for project managers, the other being PRINCE2 from the UK. The exam itself is notoriously not trivial: long (200 questions in 4 hours) and based on a book very hard to read, the Project…
-
The new playing filed: multi-brand wind turbines service
Yesterday I had the pleasure to meet my friend J. here in Hamburg. J. works for V., a very big Danish wind turbine manufacture. Specifically he works in what looks like the new battle field for our industry – multi brand wind turbine operation and maintenance (O&M). Basically it means that V. is offering not…
-
Readers’ questions: may I use an anchor cage somewhere else?
I’ve just received this question from a reader. As I believe it’s an interesting topic I’ve decided to answer with a post instead of an email or in the comment section. “I’m custom broker and I have to classify under HS Code an anchor cage. I have consulted to Classification Office of Argentine Customs Service…
-
Peikko rock adaptor foundation
I’ve been asked by a reader of this website why there are no references to the various technical solutions available for wind turbines on rock. The truth is that I’m not a specialist on this topic. However I’m learning, due to the fact that I’m currently working at several projects in northern Europe where it…
-
There is always a second time: wind farm repowering
At the beginning of the year I’ve had the pleasure to work at my first repowering EPC – Vergao, in Portugal, together with Generg (a big local player). This is supposed to be one of the many projects that should materialize during the next years. My former manager Luis Miguel thinks that repowering is “the…