Here’s something you might not have considered when it comes to wind power: The amount of time, money and productivity that is lost to repairing and maintaining the turbines. Turbine-manufacturing giant GE has thought about it, and says costs are “skyrocketing.” To try to get things under control, the company is working with the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) on a two-year study that “will focus on helping wind farms to reduce maintenance costs and improve availability through predictions of impending problems.”
“Wind farms need to know ahead of time what needs to be fixed – and what doesn’t,” Stacey Kacek, GE Intelligent Platforms’ general manager, said in a statement. “If they have credible early warning of impending equipment problems, the farms can prioritize tower inspections, optimize crane usage and leverage resources in remote locations. Being able to avoid surprises and take control of maintenance in a proactive way translates to significant cost savings for the industry.”