Wind Today - Q1 2008 - (Page 32)

somebody who can be good at electronics, but they also need mechanical skills.” They also need to be able to work well with people. “In both construction and operation of the Elk River Wind Farm, PPM Energy has demonstrated high integrity with a high standard of protocol,” says Pete Ferrell. They have definitely established a good neighbor relationship, he says. “I am very pleased with Greenlight’s choice of PPM Energy to construct and own this wind farm,” Ferrell concludes. Christine Coates, editor Ryan Orban, PPM Energy plus torque check of tower bolts and all fasteners on the turbines. Torque check involves climbing up to all three levels of the tower and checking the bolts that connect each section. The maintenance crew checks 10% of the bolts to see if they are at the proper value, with no loosening due to vibrations or movement of the machine. If they find any loose, then the crew would complete a 100% check and tightening. Operation is mostly handled by the PPM 24-hour remote operations group out of Portland, OR. They manage operations of all PPM-owned sites using the VisuPro SCADA interface system that GE uses on sites with their turbines. Orban says the Elk River Wind Farm also uses the OSIsoft System, another operating and management tool used to collect data from turbines and compile real-time information. The remote operations group takes care of simple resets for faults that may occur for a reason, not threatening to the turbines. Remote operations are used most during evenings and weekends. When faults occur that require immediate attention, a local technician will be sent out. Balance of Plant (BOP) duties involve road maintenance and transmission inspections. The substation, underground collection cables and pad-mount transformers fall in this category. “When hiring a technician to work at a wind farm,” says Orban, “I look for 32 Riv iver Wind Farm Elk River Wind Farm Supplier List Blades GE Energy Civil Infrastructure M.A. Mortenson Collection System and Tower Wiring Christenson Electric Consulting Engineers Stantec Consulting Engineers Electrical Contractor Christenson Electric and Par Electrical Contractors Electrical System Design Stantec Consulting Engineers Engineering: Substation, Switching Station, Collection System Stantec Consulting Engineers Engineering: 345 kV Transmission Line Triaxis Consulting Engineers Engineering: Geotechnical Engineering, Foundation and Road Design Barr Engineering Environmental Consulting HDR Foundation Construction M.A. Mortenson Generator Services GE Wind Energy Nacelles GE Energy Operation & Maintenance PPM Energy O&M Building SM Anderson Pad Mount Transformer GE Energy Project Management PPM Energy Substation, Switching Station and Transmission Line Par Electrical Contractors Turbine Erection Mortenson Construction Transformer GE Energy Turbine Towers GE Energy Utility Westar Wind Farm Management System GE Wind Energy Wind Assessment Towers Sioux Falls Tower Wind Sensor & Data Logging Equipment GEC Wind Sensor and Data Logging Equipment Commissioning GEC WIND TODA Y First Quarter 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wind Today - Q1 2008

Wind Today - Q1 2008 Contents Windpower 2008 U.S. Energy Map Canada Energy Map Global Report Options and Expectations for O&M Service Providers O&M Safety Issues for Wind Farms Guanting Wind Farm to Power 2008 Olympics Operating Economics of Wind Farms Long-Term Operating Costs Post-Warranty Energy Bill Incentives May Have Another Chance Wind Gears: A Closer Look at the Drive Train Elk River Wind Farm Should Lightning Be A Concern For Wind Farms? Interview: Steve Sawyer Zephyr Powers Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort WT News: United States & Canada Interview: Willett Kempton Centennial Wind Energy WT Transmission: Southwest Power Pool EPA's Top 25 Wind Power Projects 2008 RPS Update Mark Scher, MSE Power Systems Richard Legault, Helimax Second Wind Henkels & McCoy NRG Systems Apterra Technologies, Inc. Wind Resource Maps: Michigan and New York Calendar Glossary Product Surveys Ad Index

Wind Today - Q1 2008

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