As is well known, wind turbines only deliver energy when the turbines are turning. They do not do so when the wind is calm and when the turbines need to be serviced. While the duration of the first mentioned periods cannot be changed, the case is different for downtime. Here, for example, aids for service technicians can cut large parts of the downtime, which costs electricity production and therefore money.
One of the aids that can cut a good chunk of downtime is the SQYFlex service platform from Danish PP Techniq A/S. According to the Danish company, using the platform for service can reduce the turbine's downtime by half or in some cases by two-thirds.
The platform provides access to work on the blades in light, shelter, warmth and optimal safety. This extends the season for servicing the blades and provides increased earnings for both the turbine owner and the service companies, PP Techniq A/S states in a press release.
- We can now hoist our technicians into a well-lit, weatherproof and heated environment instead of having them climb up and down the blade on four ropes. When they are well protected by the platform, they can work 24/7 in shifts and thus reduce the turbine's downtime considerably. The protected environment also ensures a higher quality of the repairs, because we can control the humidity and temperature of the air. It makes a big difference, says Scott Smith, Renewables Manager at Geo-Structural Ltd. The English company uses SQYFlex in connection with their servicing of wind turbine blades.
Another advantage of the SQYFlex platform is the SQYPower power supply system. It draws power directly from the turbine for the repair work. Using SQYPower avoids the need for a traditional generator that runs on fossil fuels. Scott Smith estimates that servicing 30 wind turbines with SQYPower will reduce CO2 emissions by at least 1.2 tonnes of CO2.
Platform has proven its worth
Following the first successful trials of SQYFlex at the UK’s largest onshore wind farm, Whitelee Windfarm, in 2022, Geo-Structural Ltd. now owns three platforms. With them, Scott Smith’s technicians can work 12 months a year, compared to the traditional 5-6 month working window for rope technicians.
Since Geo-Structural Ltd. invested in its first SQYFlex platform, the harsh, cold wind and rain that its technicians were previously exposed to has been replaced by a barrage of innovation awards. The company recently received the award “Wind Turbine Blade Maintenance of the Year 2024” at the UK Enterprise Awards. Before that, they were honored with The Scottish Renewables Green Energy Awards 2023 for the best innovation of the year.
- We are very proud that our SQYFlex has won international awards together with Geo-Structural Ltd. It is a great recognition of our efforts to reduce the costs associated with wind energy production. Our goal is to minimize downtime and ensure that the wind turbines continue to produce as much green electricity as possible, says Jesper Juhl, CEO, PP Techniq A/S.
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