12.01.2007

Wind turbine maintenance costs to fall

The cost of wind turbine maintenance looks set to fall with a new lifting device called Orangutan. If successful, the device will reduce the cost of having to use large cranes and platforms to maintain the growing number of wind turbines in the UK.

Designed by Aberdeen-based Oreada Ltd, the lifting device is being further developed with a £2 million boost by ITI Energy.

Orangutan consists of two friction clamps connected by a hydraulic structure that allows a caterpillar-like motion as it climbs the wind turbine mast. The device has the capacity to also carry the required maintenance tools.

Maintenance is a significant part of the overall cost of energy from wind. Several crane manufacturers such as Terex Demag and Liebherr have produced narrow track cranes that are specifically designed to erect wind turbines more quickly and with less environmental impact.

However they are still relatively expensive and can only operated in low level wind conditions. The Orangutan lifting device claims that it can overcome these problems.

Oreada was formed as a renewable energy spinout from the oil and gas consultancy Boreas five years ago. Oreada co-founder Stuart McIntyre said initially the Orangutan was designed for the erection of wind turbines. However, when the device was shown to manufacturers based in northern Germany and Denmark, they indicated maintenance was the primary issue.

McIntyre admitted surprise that the company appeared to be alone in developing a device to remove the need for cranes, but a patent attorney had not managed to find any similar designs. "So, if we are able to develop this in around 18 months as we hope, we believe we could have an early advantage," he said.

While using the device on land could save costs and reduce the impact on the environment, McIntyre said the real commercial benefits would be offshore, where using cranes is even more complicated.

ITI Energy chief executive Nial McCollam said that, as the wind farm industry grew, the commercial potential for the Orangutan could be huge.
"The wind farm industry has grown to be quite substantial, there are huge numbers being deployed, so the market for maintenance, repair and servicing is really beginning to grow quite dramatically."

The wind farm industry is currently growing at around 20 per cent per year. At the start of 2006 it is thought that there was 35 gigawatts of installed capacity globally, expected to rise to 90GW by 2010, with more than 40,000 operating turbines worldwide.