tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post8026302448867389786..comments2024-01-09T00:39:13.955+00:00Comments on Oh what NOW!: Offshore wind turbines revisited.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-78863995070817307832010-08-05T21:45:33.169+01:002010-08-05T21:45:33.169+01:00Maintenance costs are the 'Incovenient Truth&#...Maintenance costs are the 'Incovenient Truth' of offshore wind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-31969237141563468432010-08-05T16:18:47.090+01:002010-08-05T16:18:47.090+01:00For those that think my maintenance time estimates...For those that think my maintenance time estimates are light, I deliberately gave the best case scenario. I reckon just opening the casing would be an absolute nightmare in itself.<br /><br />As for craneage. It doesn't bear thinking about if done from a ship even in light swells.The Filthy Engineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07584236558282159183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-75494167476733104302010-08-05T16:14:20.860+01:002010-08-05T16:14:20.860+01:00Wherever I look the costs of maintenance are eithe...Wherever I look the costs of maintenance are either glossed over or seem to outweigh any advantage of having wind turbines in the first place.<br /><br />Anyone know where I can get a small nuclear power plant that I can fit in my garden?The Filthy Engineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07584236558282159183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-65911198197965893752010-08-05T15:42:47.663+01:002010-08-05T15:42:47.663+01:00Oh and if you are looking into the costings of run...Oh and if you are looking into the costings of runningth emincers, this looks interesting,<br />http://www.tacook.co.uk/tagungen_kongresse_progr.php?id=00101<br />Particularly given the intro to the Conference,<br />"Most offshore wind farms to date have faced <b>unexpected maintenance demands</b> and seen <b> costs rise sharply</b>, to a level which would significantly delay or prevent new projects being profitable."Gawain Towlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08583658895528269901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-35706344096392650822010-08-05T15:22:03.202+01:002010-08-05T15:22:03.202+01:00I am enjoying this little snippet,
"In the ev...I am enjoying this little snippet,<br />"In the event of loss of turbine power generation or lost electrical grid connection, there is no power at the isolated turbine for maintenance work or to keep turbine systems running.� At Horns Rev, it is intended to have a back-up diesel generator sited on the substation platform to provide power should the electrical connection to shore be broken."Gawain Towlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08583658895528269901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-78434070383785448892010-08-04T23:42:25.495+01:002010-08-04T23:42:25.495+01:00I have some experience of these wind turbines in D...I have some experience of these wind turbines in Denmark. <br /><br />About 5% of main bearings fail in the first 2 years of operation. The rotor has to be removed to replace the bearing. Offshore, you need a "lift boat" with a special crane to remove the rotor- the lift boat has legs that extend to the seabed and jack up the boat to make a stable platform for the crane. Etc etc- the bottom line is that it is not economical to replace the bearing- once it fails the whole turbine is shut down for good. There are dozens of them offshore Denmark that have been shut down for years now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-32336800016425670452010-08-04T09:11:52.307+01:002010-08-04T09:11:52.307+01:00I think the main bearings are lifted components, m...I think the main bearings are lifted components, meaning they require replacement whether they are damaged or not after a certain period of time. I think the lift of most turbine main bearings is 5 years. A barge mounted crane is needed for this operation.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-46340810939514078742010-08-04T02:30:16.476+01:002010-08-04T02:30:16.476+01:00I think you underestimate the size of these turbin...I think you underestimate the size of these turbines.<br /><br />The nacelle is about the same size as a large van, or a small removal truck.<br /><br />You don't just open up the casing, you have to climb up a ladder inside of the tower to get into the nacelle from the inside.<br /><br />Everything you need to do preventative maintenance has to be hauled up by a winch, and major repairs requires a floating crane to lift the generator out. <br /><br />I agree, your estimates are light.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-29992888290906774742010-08-03T21:46:21.007+01:002010-08-03T21:46:21.007+01:00"opening the casing, one hour"
Ahem.
T..."opening the casing, one hour"<br /><br />Ahem.<br /><br />This assumes, I take it, perfectly lubricated fastenings correctly torqued, with no corrosion evident.<br /><br />After five years, x hundred feet about the North Sea, in the open air?<br /><br />I think even your figures are bit optimistic.Weekend Yachtsmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04262853091154005651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-4656072081766722632010-08-03T21:08:10.659+01:002010-08-03T21:08:10.659+01:00Frank. Trying to make the media aware of the scam ...Frank. Trying to make the media aware of the scam of wind turbines is like pissing into the non existent wind.<br /><br />Oh and don't get me started on the smoking ban.<br /><br />I like your articles. maybe one day we can have an honest politician that will see how this ban has been inflicted on us in the most shamefull way. I'm not holding my breath.The Filthy Engineerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07584236558282159183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3508346572086151757.post-2111304197615954502010-08-03T20:31:47.900+01:002010-08-03T20:31:47.900+01:00Tried copying these comments into my local rag Nor...Tried copying these comments into my local rag North West Evening Mail and they won't publish them, bastards.<br /><br />Mind there are 135 of the white elephants rising up from the waters betwixt the Isle of Walney and the Isle of Man and the papers editor is a leftie so this may explain it.<br /><br />There are already about thirty out there from an earlier installation. They don't turn when its cold, they don't turn when its hot and they shut themselves down if it gets too windy!<br /><br />What's the bloody point?<br /><br />The local rag is obviously 'on message' 'in cahoots' 'being bribed' or whatever, bastards.Frank Daviesnoreply@blogger.com