ILMA Compoundings - September 2020 - 22

can strive to "be at the source when
wind turbine manufacturers come out
with a new technology, so your lubricant gets written into the blueprint,"
said Casey. "They have to provide
the appropriate level of capability for
the lubricant. These guys design. You
have to go and put your data forward.
That's where the fun's at."

Environmental Alignment
"If you're in an alternative energy
space," said Casey, "you're in the green
space. If you can do biodegradability
and maintain extended warranties and
appropriate gear protection, that puts
you in a better spot."
Lubricant manufacturers say that
the makers and operators of wind

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SEPTEMBER 2020

| COMPOUNDINGS | ILMA.ORG

turbines often - but don't always -
want lubricants that align with their
environmentally conscious missions.
"There's a huge potential in the clean
energy sector for environmentally
preferable lubricants," said Miller.
Depending on the application, he sees
highest potential in hydraulic fluids,
gear oils and greases.
The old days of simply touting a
product's biodegradability have given
way to sustainability metrics, Miller
added. The fact that his own products,
for instance, are carbon-negative,
consuming nine tons of carbon for
every ton of estolide, gives buyers
a factor to incorporate into their
corporate sustainability goals. "People
keep raising the bar on sustainability
and the circular economy," he said.
"We even factor in economic impact
to local people. Are we giving people
jobs? Who are we giving jobs to?
Are we giving jobs to those on lower
rungs of the socioeconomic scale and
creating opportunities in traditionally
overlooked communities?"
Dilk sees pockets of customers
attuned to environmental consciousness, and offshore wind facilities must
keep a close eye on averting damage
from potential oil spills. But in an
atmosphere of minimal governmental
requirements or regulations, "people
aren't taking those avenues."
"It's kind of a feel-good thing that
has a small place right now, but it's
not a big thing," Dilk said.
He added that lubricant manufacturers can promote environmental
benefits while saving the customer
costs and time through innovations in
applying and packaging their products - perhaps automated lubrication
systems or packages pre-filled with the
precise amount needed.
"Understanding what the lubricant
needs to do and understanding how
to help the people using it are two
different aspects," Dilk said. "If

it's the case that you can't reduce
consumption, how can we help you
get it up there?"

A Maturing Industry
As the wind power industry matures,
governments worldwide are phasing
out monetary incentives and, instead,
encouraging renewable energy targets,
grid priority and land allocations,
wrote Tarle in a June 2020 analysis, "Can the Wind Energy Industry
Survive with Governments Tightening
Purse Strings?"
"In the aftermath of the COVID-19
pandemic, government policies to
jump-start economies will put more
pressure on finances," he said. "This
may accelerate the phasing out of
monetary incentives. The industry will
have to learn to stand on its own."
Still, the Global Wind Energy
Council predicts that wind power
could be "a key building block for
economic recovery from the impact of
COVID-19, which will enable governments to renew critical infrastructure
for a sustainable future."
In such global markets as China,
India and Germany, wind energy's
green image can drive growth, said
Tarle. In the U.S., "There is no shortage of ideas for a broader stimulus
package for the renewable energy sector," he said. Ideas include extension
of the PTC for wind power, or the
temporary conversion of the PTC and
other incentives to direct tax refunds.
State-level renewable portfolio standards can make new developments
"lucrative and attractive," and the wind
power industry "has a good momentum," said Dilk. The lubricant side
continues to find opportunity among
the equipment that is in the ground
and needs to be maintained.
"The industry has a foundation and a
leg and a tower to stand on," he said.
McCormick is a Pennsylvania-based
freelance writer.
http://www.ILMA.ORG
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