For many years the idea of installing commercial wind turbines on rooftops was considered impractical, due to vibration, torque, and a host of other negative factors. This residential high-rise building in London tells a different story. Three 19 kW turbines mounted on the roof are expected to produce 8% of the building's energy needs. At 43 stories tall, the building is the tower.

Join key manufacturers and industry professionals from around the globe at GlobalSpec's Wind Energy Technology event. Explore the latest developments in utility-scale and smaller wind turbine and generator technologies; learn of developments in control system design, data acquisition and field measurements; examine new approaches for energy storage, distribution, wind farm siting, and construction. By attending GlobalSpec's FREE online event, you will be able to network with peers and suppliers, participate in key educational sessions, and keep pace with today's fast-changing wind energy marketplace.

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Although blades represent a small portion of the total capital cost of a wind turbine, swept area is the primary driver of turbine output. For this reason, manufacturers are constantly pushing the limits on blade length. To generate 20 MW, blade diameter will have to approach 250 m. Reducing weight while increasing strength is key to building such large turbines, but the technology exists, according to Renewable Energy World.

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The SKF® WindCon 3.0 offers a proactive solution enabling wind farms to extend turbine maintenance intervals, effectively manage maintenance resources, reduce unplanned downtime, predict remaining turbine service life, and decrease operating costs per KWh. This third generation system monitors component conditions in real-time... (read more).

Standard and custom resistors used widely throughout the growing wind energy field as well as commercial, industrial, and military applications. EBG is a highly experienced manufacturer of high voltage (to 100 kV), high power (to 1700 W) thick-film resistors.

Producing non-inductive resistors for over 30 years for regen, dynamic breaking, switching, balancing, motor drives...

Higher altitude equals more wind. By flying a huge kite to 3,000 ft, an Italian company hopes to commercialize its novel approach to wind power. The Kite Gen system uses a tethered kite to pull out cables and spin ground-based alternators. During a generation cycle, the kite first rises, then furls and falls, allowing the cables to be wound for another power pulse.

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CKE products from Dean Technology include an extensive selection of suppression products for most applications. Perfect for all power generation, we have engineers on staff ready to help you pick the best product for your specific project. Contact us for all of your suppression and high voltage needs!

Betatronix supplies potentiometers that monitor the tilt of wind turbine blades, the speed of the governors on the generators, and fluid pressure and temperature in a power plant. The potentiometers are immune to electromagnetic interference and high temperatures.

Offshore wind is expensive to install and maintain, but there are ways to cut costs. In the UK, the goal is a 30% reduction by 2020, but not everyone thinks this is achievable. Although reducing capital cost is fundamental, a belief that wind projects are still risky does not help. Easier permitting, low-maintenance turbines, and other options can also help, according to Power-Technology.

Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) have never achieved widespread commercial success. The blades are complicated to build, cyclic wind loading creates damaging torque pulsations, and braking is difficult. In spite of all this, the promise of VAWT has attracted the attention of Sandia Laboratories, according to Offshore Wind. Research will focus on blade manufacture, scalability, and development of design tools.

Does the future of offshore energy production require integration of wind, wave, and tidal sources? Seanergy 2020 thinks so. This European Wind Energy Association project uses marine spatial planning techniques to optimize energy production while minimizing its impact on shipping, fishing, and the environment. Suggestions span both internal and cross-border spaces, with the goal of 20% renewables across the EU by 2020.

Traditional power generation systems use stored kinetic (rotating) energy to damp changes in grid demand and frequency. In theory, wind turbines could offer the same inertial damping service, depending on construction. Variable speed machines are easier to control, but constant speed units have other advantages. This U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory study looks at ways wind turbine operation can improve grid performance.

Inspecting wind turbine towers is a daunting task. Personnel with the experience and nerves to dangle 400 ft high are hard to find, and the number of towers requiring inspection grows daily. Luckily, this 30 lb robot doesn't mind heights. Its magnetic tracks enable it to tote up to 225 lbs. Attachments range from cameras and cleaning brushes to sand blasters and paint sprayers.

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