North American Clean Energy November/December 2021 Issue

VOLUME 15 ISSUE 6

2022 WIND

BUYERS GUIDE Pg. 35

Innovative Switching Helps Solar Connect to the Grid Pg. 8

“Risky Business”

Managing risk for module manufacturing Pg. 14

A Cleaner Detox

Extracting precious metals from recycled catalytic converters Pg. 78

Maintaining Supply Chain Confidence

Pg. 86

Plus Show-in-Print Feature: • CLEANPOWER 2021 Pg. 68

Pg. 22

Pg. 88

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contents

VOLUME 15

Solar PV System 24 Rail-less Mounting for Metal Roofs

ISSUE 6

2022 WIND

NOVEMBER•DECEMBER2021 Volume 15, Issue 6 PUBLISHER

BUYERS GUIDE

Ian Stuart istuart@nacleanenergy.com

Pg. 35

Innovative Switching Helps Solar Connect to the Grid

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Pg. 8

"Risky Business"

Quinn Stuart quinn@nacleanenergy.com

Managing risk for module manufacturing Pg. 14

A Cleaner Detox

Extracting precious metals from recycled catalytic converters Pg. 78

EDITORS

Maintaining Supply Chain Confidence

Jill Walters editor@nacleanenergy.com

Pg. 86

Plus Show-in-Print Feature: • CLEANPOWER 2021 Pg. 68

Pg. 22

Meg Lugaric meg@nacleanenergy.com

Pg. 88

ART DIRECTOR

NACE_NovDec2021-FINAL.indd 1

Chris Van Boeyen production@nacleanenergy.com

2021-10-24 6:08 PM

On our cover…

With 76MW of installed capacity, Castle Rock Ridge’s (CRR) 33 wind turbines in Alberta, Canada generate more than 200 million kWh annually, therefore avoiding the atmospheric emission of over 130 thousand tons of CO2.

SALES

Ian Stuart istuart@nacleanenergy.com

spotlight: 34 Solar Maintenance

Enel Green Power

Quinn Stuart quinn@nacleanenergy.com Don McIntosh dmcintosh@nacleanenergy.com

/// www.enelgreenpower.com

Keaton Spence keaton@nacleanenergy.com

departments 6

News bites

8

Top story

10

Solar energy

33

Solar spotlight: Maintenance

35

2022 Wind Buyers Guide

Wind 48 2022 Buyers Guide Bronto Skylift, Inc.

Energy storage

86

Energy efficiency

90

Events calendar & advertisers' list

8

ACCOUNTING

72

Alison Bell abell@nacleanenergy.com

Show-in-print: CLEANPOWER 2021

Zinc Advantage 82 The How fires and supply chain concerns are driving attention

towards zinc battery chemistries

The Mining Opportunity in the Clean Energy Transition

80

10

22

82

12

Midair Subsurface Exploration

How UAVs solve the challenge of surveying unforgiving terrain

14

“Risky Business”

Managing risk for module manufacturing

16

7 Considerations for Solar PV Safety

18

How Big Data, Technology, and AI are Innovating Residential Solar

4

Port Moody, B.C. V3H 5H1 Phone: (604) 461-6223

North American Clean Energy accepts no responsibility or liability for reported claims made by manufacturers and/or distributors of products of services; the views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of North American Clean Energy. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the permission of the publishers.

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20

A Solar Wishlist

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Innovative Switching Helps Solar Connect to the Grid

Design considerations from an operator’s perspective

CIRCULATION MANAGER

James Vail circulation@nacleanenergy.com

68 Show-in-print:

CLEANPOWER 2021 78

Ben Mitchell ben@nacleanenergy.com

Learning from Others’ Mistakes

24

Rail-less Solar PV System Mounting for Metal Roofs

Four Trends in Energy Storage Systems Hardware Manufacturing The Zinc Advantage

How fires and supply chain concerns are driving attention towards zinc battery chemistries

84

33

Solar spotlight:

Maintenance

Scaling Vehicle Electrification Through Distributed Energy Resources

35

2022 Wind Buyers Guide

86

68 Show-in-print:

CLEANPOWER 2021

78

A Cleaner Detox

Extracting precious metals from recycled catalytic converters

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Maintaining Supply Chain Confidence

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How the Shift to Distributed Energy Resources Impacts the Water-Power-Carbon Nexus

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North American Clean Energy

5

editor's note

news bites

3D-printed blade parts

TO CELEBRATE MY SISTER’S BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR,

we spent almost a week in the beautiful Mexican town of San Miguel de Allende. If you’re in the market for a trip or entertaining the idea of retiring outside of the states, this spectacular city is a must-see. San Miguel de Allende (SMA) lies in the eastern part of Guanajuato, which is a generally arid region in the center of the country, surrounded by mineral-rich mountain ranges. According to climate-data.org1, this area of rugged terrain gets very little precipitation each year, yet locals informed me and my sister that we happened to arrive after weeks of nonstop rain. That was just the first of several inconsistencies I discovered during the trip.

SMA is a haven for expats. As such, you will find signs everywhere touting robust sterilization protocols and masks required indoors. Even the open-air artisan market that stretched for blocks was guarded by locals sitting under umbrellas, holding out large unmarked bottles to either spray or pump every outstretched hand with what I hope was hand sanitizer. Yet, the main square in the center of the historic district had no such sani-guards. True, my favorite little convenience store only let three people in at a time, but the place was so small that any more than three would make it almost impossible to move around. And the tchotchke carts that rolled out every day had no problem with tourists trying on the hand-woven traditional blanket shawls, or “zarapes”, before purchasing. Dining anywhere inside, however, involved a temperature check and requisite doling out of gel sanitizer before sitting down to that magical altitude where we could remove our masks and be secure in the knowledge that any airborne virus particles would harmlessly sail above our heads. In the lobby of one restaurant, my sister and I were actually sprayed down head-to-toe before being allowed beyond the hostess/guard post. I felt extra clean.

In 2008, SMA was designated a UNESCO site, preventing future generations from modernizing its 16th century appearance. The pink limestone churches with their original 1510 wood doors are a striking contrast to the free citywide WIFI and ubiquitous handheld credit card terminals brought to your table at the end of a meal. During a morning tour of the miles of cobblestone streets and color washed building fronts, I asked our guide Diego where the recycling was so I could toss my drink bottle. “We don’t have them here,” he said. In town, where plastic is used for nearly everything (especially since Covid), you could be forgiven for looking down your nose at such a statement. But on the ninety-minute drive to the airport, you see how much plastic is reused by the locals selling food from rickety tables under highway onramps. Given that a majority of the rural population lives a far less disposable lifestyle than their city counterparts, you quickly understand how poorly your typical American-run municipal recycling program would translate for our southern neighbors.

According to an October 21st press release from GlobalData, Mexico appears to have reversed course on an all-or-nothing zero carbon future. I was struck by the headline: ‘Pro-fossil fuel policies by Mexico to help thermal power continue dominance till 2030, says GlobalData’. Good for them, I thought. While peer pressure can have a positive impact on behavior, I’ve personally felt discouraged by the recent trend of countries willing to bully one another into accepting a one-size-fits-all solution. The way I see it, the Mexican government, presumably run by Mexicans, knows better than we do what’s best for their country and their people. Upon reading the press release further, I noted that Mexico’s energy bill, passed in March, specifies that ‘electricity will be bought first from state-owned hydroelectric plants and those that run on coal and oil.’ Mexico is not a small place. Towns are scattered over hundreds of kilometers of grassy plains and mountain ranges. For a country that relies on gas powered vehicles to get anywhere, revamping its entire infrastructure and culture is counterintuitive. A more realistic route would be for thermal- and carbon-capture enterprises to step up and offer their services to a market ripe for opportunity.

I get the feeling the grand Covid lockdown gave the entire world way too much time to sit around and ponder. Maybe some of the pondering was good, but it was mostly crap. As the backs of people’s laps grew, so did their belief that the rest of humanity would embrace their every little epiphany.

Happily, we each have the ability to think for ourselves. If living in a shrinking world meant that we all had to look alike or act alike, we might as well go nowhere.

Meg 6

https://en.climate-data.org/north-america/ mexico/guanajuato/san-miguel-de-allende-3371/ 1

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

GE Renewable Energy, together with research centers, national labs, and industrial partners, has been testing new manufacturing technologies and materials on large components like wind turbine towers 3D-printed from concrete, and more recently, blades. The company formed a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy to 3D-print wind turbine blade tips. The focus of the 25-month, $6.7 million project is a full-size blade tip made from low-cost thermoplastic skin reinforced with a 3D-printed, skeleton-like structure. The GE team and its partners, the Oakridge National Laboratory and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, will test the structural properties of one tip in a lab and install another three tips on a wind turbine. The company and LM Wind Power, a GE Renewable Energy subsidiary that makes blades for onshore and offshore turbines, will use the grant to bring the technologies to industrial scale. But manufacturing at scale is not the only way 3D printing can help lower cost. Materials and efficiency can provide further savings. Blade tips 3D-printed from thermoplastic composites could help translate into several benefits. Lighter blade tips could allow larger rotors on turbines to generate more power. They would also ease the strain on the entire turbine, reducing wear and tear on gearboxes, drivetrains, bearings, and the turbine foundation, thus lowering overall lifecycle costs. 3D-printed thermoplastic blade tips also could be melted down and recycled when they end service.

GE Renewable Energy /// www.ge.com

Contributing to the future of trades

CEO/President Karl von Knobelsdorff of Knobelsdorff (KE) has committed $500,000 over the next 10 years towards “Operation Trades Awareness” (OTA). OTA’s goal is to build awareness and interest in a variety of trade, STEM and construction career paths offered by KE and local companies to a new generation of learners. For 2021, KE is working with school districts and providing tool kits for all graduating seniors, a field trip to a local KE solar site for eighth-graders, the book “Build It” and STEM activity bin for kindergartners, and OSHA-10 certification sponsorships for high school students interested in the trades.

Knobelsdorff /// www.keway.com

Hydrogen lights the Eiffel Tower

As Toyota, Daimler, and other parties move ahead with plans for Hydrogen Fuel Trucks, the Eiffel tower is lit up with Hydrogen. It's a signal that hydrogen fuel is here to stay in a big way. Raghu Kilambi's company, PowerTap, is building out 500 hydrogen refueling stations across America. PowerTap will begin installation of their on-site hydrogen production systems throughout California before the end of the year at gas stations owned by race car legacies Mario and Michael Andretti. PowerTap will construct small hydrogen production equipment at stations, and they will use natural gas and city water to produce blue hydrogen, capturing and storing leftover carbon.

PowerTap /// www.powertapfuels.com

REASON #32 ,562

news bites

Starry Nights

50,000 Megawatts for North America’s Renewable Energy Leader Delivering certainty with every megawatt to energize industry, innovation and life.

To our teams, partners and everyone building a better tomorrow: Here’s to the next 50,000.

Tell us what powers you at BLATTNERCOMPANY.COM/WHATPOWERSUS

The Blattner Family of Companies includes Blattner Company and its several subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, Blattner Energy, Inc., and D.H. Blattner & Sons, Inc.

North American Clean Energy

7

top story

Innovative Switching Helps Solar Connect to the Grid

by Karl Fender

Application Overview

According to Solar Energy Industries Association’s (SEIA) latest solar market insight report, the U.S. installed 5.7 gigawatts (GWdc) of solar PV capacity in Q2 of 2021, reaching over 108 gigawatts of total installed capacity. This is enough to power 18.9 million American homes! While the vast majority of all installations taking place are on residential systems, nearly 55 gigawatts of large-scale solar projects are currently in operation with another 110 gigawatts under construction or development. This number is only expected to increase, as electrical utilities pursue 100 percent renewable, clean energy and look to leverage investment tax credits.

Because solar energy has and will continue to represent a large portion of many utilities’ Distributed Energy Resource (DER) portfolio, there is an urgent need to ensure its safe and efficient integration into the grid. Many solar farms are connected to weak areas of distribution system (15 to 38 kV); this poses a number of challenges for solar developers when energizing the farm through an interconnecting transformer, including: • High inrush currents that result in unacceptable voltage sags on the feeder • Relatively high switching frequency that reduce the life of the transformer • Potential ferro-resonance • The cost of transformer no-load losses at night

IEEE Industry Standards

It is critical that existing and new DER installations meet the interconnection requirements specified by the utility. IEEE Std 1547-2018, IEEE Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Distributed Energy Resources with Associated Electric Power System Interfaces, establishes criteria and requirements for interconnection of distributed energy resources with electric power systems.

Section 7.2.2 of the standard states, “When the point of common coupling (PCC) is at medium voltage, the DER shall not cause step or ramp changes in the rms voltage at the PCC exceeding 3 percent of nominal and exceeding 3 percent per second averaged over a period of one second.”

Minimizing Voltage Sags & Extending Transformer Life

Energizing a DER interconnecting transformer results in a harmonic rich magnetizing inrush current that can exceed 10 times the transformer’s rated full load current. , placing mechanical and thermal stresses on the transformer. This high inrush current can lead to unacceptable system voltage drops and ferroresonance issues that will negatively impact power quality and result in premature failure of the transformer.

Increasingly, solar developers are being required to meet specific power quality requirements mandated by the local utility. Connecting to weak distribution systems makes meeting these requirements more difficult. To minimize the impact on customers sharing the line, many utilities have started adhering to IEEE 1547-2018, limiting rms voltage change to 3 percent. For developers experiencing voltage sags in excess of the utility limits, a switching method must be implemented to minimize inrush currents and resulting voltage dip.

Energy Cost Savings

Transformer no-load losses are caused by magnetizing current needed to establish flux in the core of a transformer. Because solar generating sites are not producing energy at night, they become loads on the system as the system supplies power to maintain the magnetizing current.

It has been estimated that, even on a small 3 MVA transformer deenergized 8 hours per day, a $7,500 savings can be achieved assuming a 20-year service life and 10 percent required rate of return. Because DER asset owners are looking to maximize return on investment, there is significant value in an effective solution that will allow for daily, safe switching of the transformer.

Switching Technologies

The following switching solutions are most often used to address the above interconnection challenges: 1. Controlled Switching Technology This solution involves utilizing a controlled switching device to switch the transformer. Controlled switching utilizes electronic controls and knowledge of residual flux of transformer core to help the switching device close on a specified point on the voltage waveform to minimize disturbances. This approach, however, depends on many variables such as control voltage, ambient temperature, mechanism wear knowledge, transformer residual flux by phase, etc. To maintain consistency, this (typically expensive) approach requires continued maintenance by qualified personnel to maintain reliability. Low reliability of sensitive electronic controls is a known issue in these remote application environments.

2. Closing Resistor Technology An alternative approach to mitigating inrush current is to utilize a closing resistor to insert resistance into the circuit prior to the main contacts of the vacuum interrupter being closed. The resistor provides a soft energization of the transformer, limiting the inrush currents. If properly sized for the application, the closing resistor solution is a mechanical, highly reliable, and repeatable switching solution. In addition to being easier to install, operate, and maintain, this switching technology is more cost-effective compared to other solutions. Additionally, no sensitive electronics and sensors are used, resulting in a more reliable system.

Conclusion

Developers and utilities are becoming increasingly tasked with integrating solar energy and other renewables to the grid. To minimize customer impact, many utilities are adhering to IEEE Std 1547-2018, requiring the DER asset owner to limit RMS voltage drop to 3 percent when energizing the interconnecting transformer. Developers who experience RMS values in excess should consider a device that minimizes voltage sags, extends transformer life, and allows for daily in and out switching to eliminate no-load losses. While controlled switching is an option, a device utilizing closing resistor technology can offer a more reliable, cost-effective solution.

Karl Fender is National Sales Director at Southern States, which designs and manufactures high-voltage switching devices to support grid resiliency and reliability for electrical utilities worldwide.

Southern States, LLC /// www.southernstatesllc.com

8

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Powerful connections create infinite possibilities.

Learn more visit the new terrasmart.com North American Clean Energy

9

solar energy

A Solar Wishlist

Design considerations from an operator’s perspective

by Zack Hobbs

When best practices are overlooked in the design and construction process of a utility solar power plant, it can have tangible impacts on the maintenance budget for the lifecycle of the facility.

If there’s one thing solar professionals can agree on, it’s that – regardless of how it’s designed – a commercial solar array should maximize output for the owner/operator. While everyone has the same destination in mind, however, the journey can look quite different depending on your point of view.

The operator of the final product, for instance, may have their own list of priorities. The following details several items that you might find on that list.

Site Selection & Array Layout

Ease of Access Ease of equipment access varies widely across different sites, and can have a meaningful impact on operational costs. Simple things such as providing 12 feet of clearance between the end of a row and the fence (for vegetation equipment to turnaround) or providing adequate space around equipment pads (for when it’s time to crane in a new transformer) should be considered during the design phase. The worst designs “island” access to portions of the array due to racking crossing over drainage ditches, or they end up blocking off the only accessible portion of the row with cable trays.

Vegetation Vegetation management (VM) can be the most underestimated cost driver for site maintenance. Owners can reduce these costs by: • Maximizing row spacing • Opting for fewer, longer rows • Maximizing array height off the ground • Choosing buried conductors instead of above ground cable trays • Choose independent row trackers These features reduce the cost of mechanical VM methods, reduce the amount of herbicide application required (reducing fire and erosion concerns), and make the site a better host for pollinator habitat or sheep grazing.

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Fire mitigation As average temperatures rise and droughts worsen, it is surprising how often fire mitigation strategies aren’t factored into the design process. Providing a continuous fire break - in the form of a gravel road kept clear of vegetation around the entirety of the array - not only aids in access concerns, but also provides protection from fires entering the site from outside the array, and lessens the chance of electrical fires spreading to neighboring land. Additional mitigation strategies include installing a gravel pad under and around high hazard equipment (such as inverters, or poles with cutout fuses).

Erosion considerations Saving a few bucks on the civil costs and seed mix during construction often leads to costly, drawn-out warranty claims due to sink holes and racking failure, just a few years into a project’s lifecycle. Designing cable trenches to run perpendicular to the gradient, properly backfilling and tamping trenches, and ensuring healthy ground cover through minimal herbicide use are the best prophylactics to erosion issues.

Equipment Choices

It sounds obvious, but the equipment choices made during design and construction have a significant impact on the performance and lifecycle costs of an array. The most important lesson to be learned from an operator’s point of view – and to pass on to our industry colleagues designing, constructing, and owning sites - is that it’s essential to choose equipment that minimizes lifecycle cost, not just first cost.

Inverter If there is a single piece of equipment to “get right” at design, it is the inverter. A 2019 report suggests that inverters account for nearly 80 percent of production losses in PV plants.

One contributing factor to that downtime is the wide disparity in the ease of troubleshooting and replacement part lead times across different central inverters OEMs. The advent of large string inverters has been a game changer for site availability, but bankable central inverters OEMs still offer reliable performance.

Look for central inverters with a larger physical footprint that allows for greater airflow, and stay away from inverters that employ complicated pumped coolant systems. In addition to quality of build, the availability of spare parts, OEM support line staffing and hours, and willingness to partner with and train O&M providers make a material difference in the production availability of the most complicated piece of equipment on an array.

Racking & BOS Components Model the cost/benefit of different racking systems holistically. Fixed tilt racking is tried and true, but can be subject to similar parts availability challenges as more complicated equipment if a manufacturer exits the industry.

Trackers can either aid or inhibit vegetative maintenance, based on the unique design of a specific product.

Their added complexity will almost certainly increase maintenance costs (preventative or corrective), but that might be outweighed by increased production gains. In the southeastern United States, hurricane wind loading

Conclusion

Engaging your O&M partner early in the design and construction process can yield dividends in reducing long term operational costs.

Moreover, incorporating this feedback can be a differentiator in portfolio value by satisfying ESG goals due to enhanced worker safety, reduced sediment runoff, and sustainable land use (agrivoltaics).

As our industry works to establish ourselves as the keystone of a carbon free energy future, we’ll need to continue to think holistically about the power plant lifecycle and build things the right way to protect our reputation as an industry, and to survive an ever-warming climate. is an important design factor; having an OEM that provides alerts and stow recommendations in advance of a storm provides peace of mind for all involved.

Choosing to place conductors in conduit increases first costs but decreases problems with improper backfill and rodent issues. It also facilitates easier repairs and repowering of a site should the owner need or wish to make such a decision in the future.

Safety Specifying equipment that minimize hazards to workers can decrease long term PM budgets. Providing IR inspection ports on high arc-hazard enclosures and specifying an external switch on transformers are small but impactful ways to reduce hazard exposure to maintenance technicians.

SCADA/DAS The ability to measure and communicate operational data with the outside world is at the heart of knowing whether a PV facility is online and producing as is expected. All too often an EPC will install all the proper hardware for data acquisition, but neglect to program accurate data mapping needed for remote monitoring and operation. Utilization of a qualified third-party commissioning agent will ensure an owner gets what they’ve paid for from their data system.

Owners should work with their O&M vendor early on to understand and include the service and calibration costs for critical DAS instrumentation, especially pyranometers and site production meters.

CEO Zack Hobbs founded Carolina Solar Services (CSS) in 2014. Headquartered in Durham, NC, CSS is an independent Operations and Maintenance provider focused on utility PV market in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest. CSS operates a fleet of over 600MWDC and provides third party owner’s representative and commissioning services for over 2 GW of solar.

Carolina Solar Services

/// www.carolinasolar.services

The 1P Tra cker by Soltec

Construction Oversight

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! For owners who don’t have the expertise or bandwidth in house, engaging a third-party (preferably the future O&M provider) to represent the owner for periodic onsite inspections throughout the construction process is one of the highest yielding investments an owner can make. In addition to verifying progress and auditing the EPC’s QA/QC team, a technically savvy owner’s representative can catch and correct workmanship details (such as module handling or wire management) that might turn into costly warranty claims years down the road.

These issues are far easier to remediate when the EPC is fully mobilized onsite.

s ol tec.co m

PAT E N T P E N D I N G

North American Clean Energy

11

solar energy

Midair Subsurface Exploration

How UAVs solve the challenge of surveying unforgiving terrain

by Jim Major

SOLAR PROJECTS ARE BEST STARTED

with a solid understanding of the ground upon which the project will be constructed. Achieving that goal was a challenge on a recent project in Texas. A client requested a magnetometer survey of the site due to its original use for oil and gas drilling and production activities. Normal well plugging and abandonment involves removing the equipment and cutting off the top few feet of the well casing below the ground. Portions of underground wells and flow piping remained on the property, and old permitting office records predating the use of global positioning systems were the only source of information on their location.

As a result, the permit office records for the abandoned well locations were not always accurate or precise. Moreover, the area was inaccessible by foot due to the dense and thorny brush that flourished while the site sat idle. Performing a traditional magnetometer survey on foot would have first involved clearing acres of brush for each suspected well location – a timeconsuming and potentially expensive process.

Since walking over the project site wasn’t an option, the only reasonable choice was flying over the site with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and a lightweight aerial magnetometer. UAVs (commonly called “drones”) once were the domain of hobbyists and photographers. Now they’re a versatile and increasingly

Ev er y k Wh M at t e r s !

CAROLINA SOLAR SERVICES

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE. AB OU T U S CSS is an independent, utility PV Operations and Maintenance provider in the Southeast and Pacific Northwest. Founded in 2014, CSS operates a fleet of over 600MWDC and provides third party owner’s representative and commissioning services on more than 2 GW of solar.

S ER VI CE S W E PR OVID E Electrical Maintenance Vegetation Management Remote Monitoring Center PV System Analysis and Optimization UAV Services Commissioning / Owners Representation Project Consultation

919-808-5285 bd@carolinasolar.services www.carolinasolar.services

12

indispensable tool, capable of performing tasks for clean power projects when having “boots on the ground” is impractical, unsafe, or both.

Recent improvements in UAV equipment and technology have made examination of previously inaccessible areas possible. These improvements include increased payload capacities and battery life, precision lightweight equipment including light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) and video and infrared/thermal cameras, as well as magnetic, electromagnetic, and ground penetrating radar (GPR) instruments. On this project, these 21st-century flying machines helped our team deliver more accurate data than could have been gathered on foot, collecting it quickly and without the need for clearing the land.

Pre-flight Checklist

The client requested the magnetic survey during the early planning stages of their project so the solar equipment infrastructure could be separated from any abandoned underground oil and gas well casings and pipelines at the site.

Information from this survey would minimize the need for design changes, change orders, or other remedial action if any other unidentified wells or pipes were discovered during construction.

The site’s previous oil and gas history wasn’t entirely undocumented; oil and gas permit records were reviewed, along with historical aerial photographs, which were essential in preparing GIS-based maps highlighting the presumed locations of buried wells. The maps were then used to prepare precise flight plans for the UAV, involving 200-foot-by-200-foot survey grids over the suspected well coordinates. GIS software and flight mission software for the UAV were used to fly on course at a steady height and along parallel flight paths to help produce the most accurate results possible. For each well location, 21 parallel flight paths were flown, covering approximately one acre of land.

Precision was essential when planning the survey, which included parallel transects spaced 10 feet apart. The lightweight magnetometer was suspended below the UAV and the flights were conducted at heights of 15 to 60 feet above ground level. Flight speeds varied between 10 to 30 feet per second, allowing each required survey to be performed in 15 minutes or less. Covering the same amount of ground on foot with only minimal vegetation would require two hours per survey, and procuring and mobilizing equipment needed to remove and dispose of the vegetation would have cost thousands of dollars.

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Gathering Data from Above

Every moment of flight time was used to the fullest.

The lightweight magnetometer recorded 200 or more readings per second, and the geographic coordinates of each reading were captured with a GPS data logger.

The air is rarely still in rural Texas; windy conditions might have been detrimental to capturing accurate data with a human pilot. The GPS-enabled flight software automatically compensated for wind effects, maintaining the intended flight path, altitude, and speed to help stay on course and acquire accurate data.

Flight plans were created for each survey area and then uploaded to the UAV. Once the plan was uploaded and the UAV was running, it automatically proceeded to the programmed altitude and flew the route on its own.

After completing the route, the UAV either hovered in place or flew to a programmed altitude and returned to the takeoff point, depending on mission parameters.

Federal Aviation Administration regulations require the “remote pilot in command” to maintain visual contact with the UAV and be able to manually control it all times, should it become necessary.

The UAV magnetometer survey was ultimately a success.

The data gathered helped the team identify more than 40 underground well casings and associated flow piping.

Locations with high magnetic field readings were noted and staked. The survey results indicated that the locations for the older abandoned well provided in the permitting office records varied from the actual well locations, in many cases by more than 100 feet.

The combination of a heavy-duty UAV, flight mission control software, and lightweight, high-sensitivity magnetic instrumentation provided valuable planning information that helped minimize potentially expensive and complicated site clearing, construction change orders, project revisions, and associated delays. The client received the information needed to avoid underground well casings when building the solar project, without the expense of clearing hundreds of acres of brush.

Using the high-resolution cameras now available with UAVs, aerial photography and site elevation models can also be produced of current conditions in a quick and efficient manner. These multiple uses make UAVs a valuable resource for a variety of clean power projects.

Jim Major, P.G., is a professional geophysicist and FAA licensed UAS pilot in the San Antonio, Texas office of Terracon. He is the South Texas geophysical services group leader and is responsible for managing and conducting geophysical projects across Texas. He can be reached at jim.major@terracon.com.

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North American Clean Energy

13

solar energy

“Risky Business”

Managing risk for module manufacturing

by Robert Benedict

Risk management is the process of identifying, assessing, and controlling threats to an organization’s capital and earnings. Within the solar industry, the areas of high risk are equipment purchases, construction processes, plans, project investing, and developing. Risk management allows organizations to prepare for the unexpected by having an experienced employee, agent, or Inspector go through the events that would upset a successful result. The objective is to minimize risks and extra costs before they happen.

In the solar scenario, purchasing modules has also become a factor of risk, as the criteria to buy has changed over the years. EPC’s and installers are still purchasing their modules from distributors and PV manufacturers, particularly when buying for utility-scale projects. Should you consider your buyer fully qualified to make the final decision without expert advice?

That would be a firm “No.” For complete de-risking, you need a team of inspection professionals to help you get the best pricing and quality audited panels. It starts with: using dedicated electrical, environmental, and mechanical testing systems; utilizing dedicated characterization systems to ensure optimal data quality and repeatability, and; checking that equipment is properly calibrated and carefully maintained to ensure optimal availability and reliability.

Specialized services are available for product and process qualification, raw material and supplier evaluation, ongoing reliability testing (ORT), risk assessment, lot acceptance, energy yield evaluation, and more.

Keeping the risk management plan up to date can transform it from a doorstop into a vital project management tool. Remember: what you don't know can kill your project.

Armed with the right set of tools, procedures, knowledge, and insight will ensure that quality modules are delivered.

The process sheds light on variables that lead to risk, allowing them to managed.

Consider the following policies, practices, and logistics when engaging a company for PV module derisking. Dž Administrative policies and practices, including change control management, customer complaints management, and employee management.

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NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Dž Quality and reliability policies and practices, including materials management, production processes, equipment management, quality control, and reliability testing management. Dž Facility logistics and environment policies and practices, including production area environment, finished product management, and loading and logistics management.

Prior to the production start date, the Inspector will perform an on-site audit (factory audit) for each factory location identified in the supplier and production details.

the lot and perform additional testing and inspection on each module in the sample.

A visual inspection followed by an electroluminescent test completes the inspection process (this includes the flash testing and nameplate power labeling). The total number of samples and the quantity of modules in each sample shall be determined in accordance with the ISO 2859-1:1999 AQL. Risk management allows organizations to prepare for the unexpected by having an experienced Inspector go through the events that would upset a successful result.

Remember, the objective is to minimize risks and extra costs before they happen.

Knowing your production is taking place with proper handling and manufacturing will give you the piece of mind that your investment is profitable, safe, and on time.

Preshipment Preparation

Once the production has begun, the Inspector will identify the details to inspect the finished product prior to shipment to the client. The Inspector shall also perform pre-shipment inspection on a decided number of lots each week of production between the start date and the end date defined in the agreement.

During the visit, the Inspector will select a random sample of PV modules from

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During the factory audit, the Inspector will review the supplier’s quality and production processes, both in protocol and practice, to assess the supplier’s capability to deliver an acceptable level of quality according to requirements and criteria provided by the client. Inspection activities will be implemented as detailed in an agreement with the client and the manufacturer.

The Inspector delivers the factory audit report within a specified number of days (usually 10 business days). The report includes a comprehensive factory audit score, details of any deficiencies and notable findings, and suggested items requiring remediation prior to accepting material from the factory location.

The Inspector requests advance notice prior to the date the client wishes Inspector to perform a factory audit. It is necessary to secure access to the facility, personnel, and equipment from the supplier in order for the audit to take place. Once the production has begun, the Inspector will visit the factory location to witness production of the PV modules to be delivered to the client; expect audits to be conducted every week of production between the start and finish date per an agreement.

During the on-site visit, the Inspector will inspect production activities for conformance to standard operating procedures, the supplier’s quality plan, and any specific requirements and criteria provided by the client. The Inspector provides periodic reports that will include any deficiencies or notable observations made by the Inspector during the production period.

Robert Benedict is Chairman of Unicorn Solar Development, a California-based company serving all 50 states.

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15

solar energy

7 Considerations for Solar PV Safety

by Sean Silvey

Measuring current in a rooftop solar PV system

Solar technology is improving every year, making it more affordable and efficient at scale. As this technology picks up speed, more workers are heading into the industry from utility, electrical, and other related fields. Making the jump into solar comes with new safety considerations each solar technician must make as they work in and around these high-voltage systems.

It is important to note that measuring live voltages and current in today’s high-energy environments can result in a severe hazard to equipment and users if proper precautions are not applied. Given the risks, it always pays to follow safe work practices and use test instruments rated for the voltage or current being measured.

In photovoltaic (PV) systems, current is not limited by electronics, which has implications for hidden ground faults, wire sizing, and is the impetus for rapid shutdown.

There are three main hazards when working with solar PV: 1. Shock or electrocution from energized conductors 2. Arc faults that spark fires 3. Arc flash leading to explosions.

The control measures and best practices to mitigate risks will differ when working with PV versus any other kind of energy-generating resource.

Following are seven considerations for anyone working in or around solar PV to help ensure they and those around them remain safe.

#1 Wiring Differentiation

Direct current (DC) PV conductors not in conduit on the roof are often black for positive and negative, since black wire is more sunlight resistant. Alternating current (AC) wiring can be different colors depending on the voltage and number of phases. 120/240 volts (residential) has red and black ungrounded conductors. 120/208 three-phase has red, black, and blue ungrounded conductors. 277/480 threephase for larger commercial wiring has orange, brown, and yellow ungrounded conductors. There are also other, less common combinations. Neutral conductors (ungrounded conductors) are white or gray. Neutral conductors should have a voltage at about zero volts.

#2 Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO)

Always LOTO at the PV circuit breaker in the main electrical panel and at all disconnects at the module, inverter, charge controller, and batteries. Note that a battery bank with more than 24 two-volt cells in series must have a disconnection mechanism.

#3 PV Disconnects

PV modules can never be fully de-energized, so a disconnection mechanism is required for emergency responders to isolate a PV array from the rest of the building.

#4 Microinverter Disconnects

Module-level power electronics, such as microinverters, are becoming increasingly popular. DC voltages are often limited to 50 Vdc or less with microinverters, compared to the 600 Vdc limit in string inverters. As a result, the NEC permits certain connectors that comply with Section 690.33 of the NEC to be used as dc disconnects for microinverter dc circuits. Per Section 690.33(E)(1) states that connectors shall either “be rated for interrupting current without hazard to the operator” or “be a type that requires a tool to open and marked ‘do not disconnect under load’ or ‘not for current interrupting’”.

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Taking voltage measurements on a solar inverter

proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and use the right tools for the job that meet the right CAT rating and voltage. With these tips in mind and correct use of the right PPE and tools, working in and around solar PV systems will be safer for all involved.

Sean Silvey has been a product application specialist at Fluke for the past five years. Prior to that, he was a residential/commercial HVAC technician, and most recently a field service manager. Sean’s focus is on application awareness and product education.

Fluke /// www.fluke.com

#5 Capacitor Discharge

In PV systems, inverters store energy in capacitors. It is important to discharge that energy before beginning work because there still could be capacitance on the dc side. It can take a few minutes to ensure inverters are at a zero state of energy.

#6 Energized Testing

Some tests, such as determining PV string current or insulation resistance with a megohmmeter, require the system to be energized. In other instances, it is necessary to isolate and de-energize a specific component—such as an inverter or transformer—while leaving the rest of the system on.

#7 Batteries

Many new PV systems with battery storage are ac-coupled, meaning the battery bank has its own multimode inverter with one AC circuit connected to stand-alone loads. This not only increases resiliency but also complexity in maintenance and LOTO. To fully deenergize the system, both the PV interactive inverter and battery multimode inverter need to be off.

No matter the level of experience as an electrician or in the electric power industry, it is critical to always wear the

North American Clean Energy

17

solar energy

How Big Data, Technology, and AI are Innovating Residential Solar

by Bardia Andalib and Veronica Malinski

FROM GENERATING A LEAD TO SEEING

a project through to installation, solar professionals today are facing challenges in various stages of the sales and project cycle. The residential solar industry is fragmented and has a long and convoluted customer journey for both the homeowner and solar company. Worst of all, the industry is plagued with a rising customer acquisition.

Overall, lead generation for residential solar is more of a spray and pray approach; an entire neighborhood is either canvassed, targeted with traditional flyer drops, or digitally via social media campaigns just to bring general awareness about the benefits of solar. This can become quite costly, especially during an online lead generation campaign where the cost-per-click (CPC) and

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cost-per-lead (CPL) can be high, with no guarantee that the lead is even qualified.

Given today’s competitive lead generation methods, communication speed can be the difference between gaining a customer or losing them to a competitor.

Solar is a difficult sale. Until you create a custom solar design, you can only inform a homeowner of general information about their solar savings potential.

Until then, the only answer you can give them is, “It depends”. Imagine walking into a store and asking, “How much for that t-shirt?”, and the only response the sales person can say is, “It depends”.

A custom solar design is needed to give specific potential solar savings to homeowners. Solar design software will likely be used to get it done. The design itself usually takes an experienced designer 10-15 minutes to create a custom design and proposal. With many inquiries a day, this creates a bottleneck, often resulting in the homeowner waiting 24-48 hours before they can learn about their savings potential.

Not only are some of these designs still manually created, they are also outsourced, creating a costly problem that savvy third-party companies capitalize on by adding a surcharge for an expedited design.

Big data, technology, and AI are helping to alleviate many problems within this fragmented industry. Thanks to their combined advanced input, solar communication is poised for a massive redesign. Think about the airline business twenty years ago; we used to walk into a travel center to book a flight and wait there while the agent would shop around to secure our travel arrangements. Today, you could pause reading this article right now and, within a few minutes and a couple of clicks on your computer, book a weekend to Las Vegas. Solar is transitioning in a similar way.

Machine learning means that custom solar designs take as little as 60 seconds to complete, shifting the dynamics in the way solar is adopted today. Not only will it reduce customer drop off, but it will amplify solar sales drastically as you no longer need a team to help facilitate solar sales at scale.

Cloud computing also speeds up solar adoption by allowing us to scale up computing services and solar designs in order to prequalify homes that would be best suited for solar prior to engaging them. Imagine having to hire a team of designers to create one million designs.

How long would it take them? Today, you can use cloud computing to produce that same number of designs in a few days; and the process will be significantly cheaper. All thanks to a few taps on your keyboard.

What does all this mean for residential solar installers, sales professionals, and the overall adoption of solar?

What does the future hold?

With all of these innovations, could the future of solar mean instant quoting, accelerated project timelines, leaner teams, more sales, improved experiences and faster adoption? The answer is yes. In fact, it’s already here. The only question left to ask is, how will you choose to leverage innovative technologies into your business to accelerate business growth?

Bardia Andalib is the Co-Founder & CEO and Veronica Malinski is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Aerialytic. Together with their team, they have developed Aerialytic, an end-to-end software that uses AI to create custom solar designs in under 60 seconds, integrating various technologies to enable solar installers and sales professionals to start and finish their workflow all in one software in order to help save our planet and accelerate solar adoption.

Aerialytic /// www.aerialytic.com

Hyper Target Your Acquisition Strategy

By leveraging machine learning and cloud computing, we can shift the way solar is currently marketed. Instead of a spray and pray approach, we can scan an entire neighborhood and create custom solar designs for each home with ease.

Layered with readily available community data, solar can switch from a spray and pray approach to a hyper-targeted approach. You can further target the list of properties by filtering to the key features you wish to target. Often, the number one reason a property owner adopts solar is for financial gain; you can choose to filter the list to sort the highest potential savings and direct your marketing efforts to those specific homes.

Expedite Your Post Sale Process

The job isn’t done when the homeowner signs the contract. In fact, a solar installer would likely agree that that’s when the heavy lifting actually begins. Purchasing hardware, organizing installation crews, preparing and submitting permitting documents, and communicating with the homeowner are all necessary tasks.

The solar installer's goal is to successfully complete the project and reduce the number of days it takes to go from contract signing to PTO (permission to operate) to ensure homeowner satisfaction and commission payout.

Drones are another technology making it possible for site assessments to be done more efficiently, accurately, and consistently with aerial surveys.

Software has been developed to expedite the permit packages in less than 15 minutes - instant permit approvals are now becoming a reality.

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19

solar energy

The Mining Opportunity in the Clean Energy Transition

by Rob Masinter

Propelled by market force and policies that support investment and deployment of largescale projects, the solar industry is booming. But the industry now faces the increasing challenge of land - finding and securing enough of it to accommodate the utility-scale solar (plus storage) that we’ll need to achieve the clean energy transition.

As Bloomberg stated in a recent analysis1, “The U.S. will need a lot of land for a zero-carbon economy.” In order to produce energy, solar and wind developments require about ten times more land per capita than their fossil fuel counterparts. For example, a 100MWac solar power plant would require approximately 1 square mile of land. Annual projected US installations of utility-scale solar projects totaling 25GW would require 250 square miles of land, or at least 2,500 square miles over the next decade – an area greater than the state of Delaware.

That’s a lot of land. Still, these statistics are not cause for undue alarm. The ability of solar to be co-located with other land uses means that the solar industry can avoid a land crunch through creative collaboration with other industries, including ones that are not typically on our radar or associated with clean energy production.

A prime example of such an industry: mining.

Hard rock mining companies supply the metals – such as lithium, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements -- that are integrated into the solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and other clean energy solutions that will power our future. Coal mining companies supply the fuel for one of the largest and most reliable sources of energy generation, and are keenly tracking the implications of the energy transition.

As vast landowners, surface mining industries (hard rock, coal and others) have opportunities for collaboration with clean energy developers.

According to the National Mining Association, there are over 5,0002 coal and metal mines operating on millions of acres of U.S. land. In addition, there are thousands of legacy mine sites that present huge financial and reputational liabilities for mining companies. With the right planning and early collaboration, both types of sites can host clean energy projects that generate benefits for both the miner and the solar developer.

Legacy mine sites typically include large, low-slope, de-vegetated land areas that offer compatible project development opportunities for the solar

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NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

developer, particularly if the electric transmission infrastructure serving the mine remains in place. In these sites, renewable project developers would see opportunities to design solutions that can supply power to both the electric grid and the miner’s operations.

From the miner’s perspective, a clean energy development project presents an opportunity to reduce reclamation liabilities associated with post-mine land use permits. To the extent that a clean energy infrastructure site can be delineated on post mine lands, the miner can realize a reduction in the surety bond posted to reclaim lands to original contour through re-permitting for solar development and achieving an earlier release from the phased bonding process.

Miners with continuing operations can also benefit from an on-site, behind-the-

Before meter, energy generation project that reduces electric utility bills and (deployed with a battery) can improve power quality and reliability for remote sites.

Mines with both significant acreage available for clean energy re-development and high-voltage transmission infrastructure can create long-term sources of stable lease revenue by entering into land-use agreements with developers. Under such an agreement, the miner would be able to point to clean energy infrastructure sited on their land, from which power could be supplied to electric utilities or to corporate buyers. These arrangements are well received by the investment community, who increasingly expect steadily improving ESG performance and value companies that enable “additionality” of new clean energy projects.

By integrating a solar or solar + storage project onto a post-use mine site, a mine operator can turn this liability into a clean energy asset that creates new jobs and revenue and garners the support of local communities, including public officials.

Seeing the opportunities to reduce costs and win the support of investors and other stakeholders, some mining companies have started to explore the adoption of solar energy, both to power their existing sites and as a reclamation option for closed mines.

NREL found a spike3 in the commissioning of renewable energy projects, from 42 MW of annual installation in 2008, to 3,397 MW of annual installations in 2019 (BNEF 2019).

Propelled by the support of programs like the EPA’s RE-Powering America’s Land and advocacy groups such as RMI4, some mine sites are also hosting solar developments on their post-use or brownfields. As noted in RMI’s Renewable Resources at Mines

After Tracker5, traditional energy companies are hosting solar projects on legacy mines, generating one to 100 MW for surrounding communities.

These explorations are merely a drop in the bucket. There’s much more opportunity for solar to scale on mine sites around the country. With the right know-how and planning, the mining industry has tremendous opportunities to capitalize on the clean energy transition over the coming decades.

Rob Masinter is COO at Redeux Energy, a utility-scale solar and storage development company that transforms greenfield, brownfield, and industrial lands into renewable power infrastructure that produces new revenue streams, meets ESG goals, and spurs economic and workforce development.

Redeux Energy /// redeuxenergy.com https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2021-energy-land-use-economy/?sref=hsVjBwkB https://nma.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/msha_number_operations_by_ sector_2020.pdf 3 https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy20osti/76156.pdf 4 https://rmi.org/sunshine-for-mines-a-brighter-vision-for-sustainable-resources/ 5 https://rmi.org/our-work/industry-and-transportation/material-value-chains/ renewable-resources-at-mines-tracker/ 1 2

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21

solar energy

Learning from Others’ Mistakes

by Robert Dally

AS A LONGTIME INSTALLER AND SOLAR ENGINEER,

I’ve seen many single-axis tracker failures over the last two decades. Failures from wind, bad designs, wrong materials, poor planning, and EPC errors (root cause usually a bad design). Tracker trend was to reduce steel to lower cost, thinning out to excess only to encounter wind failures; the knee-jerk reaction was to apply shock absorbers, springs, multi-faceted torque tubes (e.g., complexity, cost, and uncertainty).

When those ideas fell short, the second knee-jerk reaction was to replace simple steel with complicated steel (e.g., transmissions with gears, oil, and seals, driveshafts with U-Joints, hangers for spinning driveshafts). Thanks to an underabundance of forethought and an overabundance of after-the-fact fixits, a GW solar farm that used to have 20,000 drives (1/row) now has 180,000 (9/row).

I’ve seen contractors beat on the U-joints with a hammer because the HDG on the two mating splines was too thick. Many U-joints’ bearing cups broke open to become a latent defect had I not noticed it as an Owner’s Engineer on a 21 MW tracking solar farm. Simplicity, not complexity, will deliver true cost savings in CAPEX, EPC, and OPEX. Single-Axis Trackers for PV Solar Farms are valuable in all markets. In sun-rich areas, they deliver 20 percent more annual energy compared to fixed tilt, and around 35 percent more in the summer months (air conditioning); the 20 percent more energy (revenue) for perhaps 5 percent more up-front cost to a solar farm (compared to fix tilt) is a net gain of 15 percent on ROI (e.g., 10 percent ROI becomes 11.5 percent). Another way to look at

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the financial gain is that, compared to fixed tilt solar farm in MENA, it can be 20 percent smaller (in less PV, mounting, inverter, transmission, etc.) and net 15 percent cheaper to deliver the same energy/year as a fixed tilt system.

Single-axis tracking in high latitudes, such as the UK and northern Europe, yields a dismal 12 percent more energy than fixed tilt, barely justifying the extra expense for a single-axis tracker mounting system. However, a 4-meter chord tracker (or larger) allows ample access underneath for weed abatement and ground maintenance, an otherwise difficult and costly (OPEX) task with fixed tilt mounting.

Restricted access underneath is also an issue with small trackers (~2m chord) which have relatively low tilting tables of PV. Unwittingly, the single axis tracker expanded its own geographical market simply by going to a 4m chord to support bifacial PV in a 2P configuration.

A 4m chord in England will have 4m wide aisles (at 50 percent GCR), allowing ample access during construction (assuming no linkages or drive shafts blocking thru-access) and for OPEX (O&M, panel cleaning with water trucks, etc.), but most importantly for agriculture activity.

A low laying crop such as clover, carrots, roses, grape vines, in the aisles with drivethru tractor access is possible with single axis tracking of the appropriate size. Single-

axis trackers have sunshine in their aisles 365 days a year (when not cloudy); this is true Agri-Voltaic potential for enhanced ROI. Why confiscate Ag land when it can be shared?

Many of us have seen the video of a 4m tracker failure in Jordan from a January 2018 wind storm. The first knee-jerk reaction was to add shock absorbers as dampeners, and perhaps springs and faceted torque tubes. They have since added drives to each post, connected to the motorized drive with spinning drive shafts. That’s nine times (9X) the number of transmissions with gears, oil, seals, inspection ports, and a required 30-year lifetime in the field.

True cost savings is achieved via simplicity, not by adding complexity. Complexity perhaps can eek out another 1 percent in energy delivery, but at more than 1 percent in cost. Shock absorbers have a limited effect in dampening wind gallop. Adding drives to strengthen a weak structure is replacing simple steel with complicated steel; the drives are only needed for the occasional wind event, not for daily movement.

Modules are getting heavier (double-glazed bi-facial PV) and larger (large format).

The top-side weight of the PV on the torque tube is becoming a significant turn-over torque. Solutions include special bearings that rock the PV off-axis, or putting multiple drives per row with spinning drive-shafts.

Simpler solutions are needed: A substantial structure of steel to handle a 5-meter chord (2 large format, bi-facial modules in 2P); Non-HDG in most environments; Steel-on-steel bearings of loose fit, without slippery plastic bushings that add cost, risk, and no damping. Steel friction is ideal, simple, reliable, cheap, and grounds the posts. The non-HDG steel journal-coupler is a journal in the bearing, couples the torque tubes, has integral E-W tilt stops (wind) and integral N-S thrust stops (sloped land), and can withstand 22,000 back and forth turns (±45°) over a 30-year lifetime.

The friction is significant and can be overcome with a leveraged drive system.

The torque tube should be round to deliver the best torsional strength per kg of tube, and be non-HDG for cost reduction. The purlins should taper to maximize strength/weight, slope the PV downward by about 6° to lower the center of gravity, and perhaps allow non-destructive PV panel turn in worst case winds. The up-down airplane wing of PV performs excellently in the wind, leaves no sediment ponds when stowed flat overnight or in the rain, yields a slight chimney cooling effect, and allows 100 percent topside PV coverage. The aesthetic can be seen in this YouTube video: https://youtu.be/m1VTbeKBgKs

Finally, a simple control system can be made from one programmable logic controller (PLC) that runs hundreds of rows, reducing the cost of one controller per row; the PLC can deliver its go-west and go-east signals over hard wire (no wireless vulnerability) or over powerline. Imagine a powerline feeding from a distribution center to run each row’s motor, and the move signal is carried on that existing powerline! Simple, cost reduction, reliable, and proven for 17 flawless years (a 1 MW, 2004 install is still operational).

The key to a productive solar installation is to work smart and keep it simple. It’s science, yes, but it’s not rocket science. If you find yourself overengineering a solution, step back and take a fresh look at the problem – a direct and sensible approach is the easiest route to a job well done.

Robert Dally is the Managing Member and inventor at Sun and Steel LLC. He has been in the PV industry for 42 years, starting at Arco Solar in 1979. Sun and Steel Solar is a tracker supplier in the final stages of development.

Sun and Steel Solar LLC /// www.sunandsteelsolar.com

1500V true-rms clamp meter

Fluke Corporation introduces the Fluke 393 FC CAT III 1500V Truerms Clamp Meter with iFlex. With its CAT III 1500V / CAT IV 600V safety rating, the 393 FC provides exceptional safety for work in dc environments up to 1500V, like solar arrays, wind power, electric railways, and datacenter battery banks for uninterruptible power supplies.

The thin jaw allows it to be used in combiner boxes, inverters, and tight spaces making it suitable for solar energy applications. The meter measures up to 1500Vdc, 1000Vac, and up to 999.9A dc or ac through the clamp jaw. The included iFlex flexible current probe extends ac current measurements up to 2500A. When measuring ac current, the iFlex probe can be twisted through extremely small spaces giving technicians access to cables that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to clamp a probe around.

Fluke Corporation /// www.fluke.com

North American Clean Energy

23

solar energy

Rail-less Solar PV System Mounting for Metal Roofs

by Rob Haddock

With increasing popularity, the metal roof is the ideal host for mounting solar photovoltaics (PV). It is the only roof type with a service life (in the range of 50-70 years) that actually exceeds the service life of a solar PV system (an average of 32.5 years). Most alternative roofing types will expire long before the life of the PV system, leading to costly disassembly of the PV array, re-roofing, and re-assembly. And at an 85 percent recycle rate, steel is one of the most recycled construction materials available.

Mounting Solar PV on Metal Roofing

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When interest in mounting solar PV on rooftops first began, the practice of using continuous aluminum rails to mount PV modules was a practical application for all roof types. Eventually, innovation opened new doors and solutions were developed specifically for metal roofing, completely bypassing the need for rails.

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Rail-less solutions leverage a roof’s existing construction. The uniqueness of metal roofing is that the seams of the standing seam metal roof, or the trapezoidal or corrugated ribs on an exposedfastened roof can be used as inherent (and cost-free) “rails” for mounting PV via tested and engineered mechanical attachments. This eliminates the need for a traditional rail system.

The material (weight) required for a direct-attach mounting system is ±3 lbs/kW vs ±19 lbs/kW for railed – a savings of 85 percent – and lower collateral loads to the structure. Expect cost savings on hard goods of up to 45 percent. Direct attachment to a metal roof is also accomplished with 65-75 percent fewer components.

Because every clamping point on a PV module attaches directly to the roof, rail-less mounting results in 25 percent better load distribution to the roof, and can preserve both its integrity and warranty.

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Simplifies Logistics

Rail-less reduces the overall costs of logistics; shipping long lengths of rail to project sites, storing them, and transporting them up to a rooftop is a costly and often logistical nightmare. Rail-less attachments are 15 percent the weight and 10 percent the volume of railed systems.

For example, rail components for a 750 kW job require several semi-trucks to transport. The same rail-less solution fits in a short-bed pickup truck. This savings in shipping costs alone - up to 70 percent - is driving mounting system decisions to rail-less. Fewer logistical hassles transporting the product to distribution, then to the site, and then staging on-site and onto the roof makes rail-less an increasingly popular choice. No large storage area is ever needed and the need for lifting equipment is reduced or eliminated.

practices, but the advantages of rail-less mounting are increasingly well known.

Because of the cost savings on materials, labor and freight, ease of installation and flexibility of module layouts, simplified and low-cost logistics and return on investment, rail-less is gaining traction— fast. As more installers and contractors experience the benefits of rail-less mounting firsthand, these innovations are a popular go-to solution for metal roofs.

Eases Installation

Rail-less solutions have transformed the installation process.

Installers can easily mount around obstacles without the awkward field-cutting of rails. Plus, impromptu changes in the module layout when needed are seamless.

With fewer components than traditional systems, rail-less solutions make it simple and easy to get all the components up on the roof and into place, which is especially beneficial when working on a steep slope. On a job of 12kW, all mounting goods can go to the site and up the ladder in a bucket or tote bag, along with all tools needed for the install (just a gun and one or two driver tips). State-of-the-art rail-less solutions also provide slots and other features for wire management to help organize this critical part of a PV system.

Labor Savings

The key to labor savings (30 to 50 percent) is twofold: the elimination of time traditionally needed to measure, locate and install rails, and the simplicity of rail-less attachment— requiring far fewer components to manage and install. Rail-less is designed so roof clamps or brackets can be quickly aligned and modules installed “on-the-fly” using successive modules to locate and install attachments with no need to measure or snap lines. Installers have reported installation of more than 20 modules per man-hour, all in—on 50kW-up jobs.

S-5! CEO and Founder Rob Haddock, is a former contractor, award-winning roof-forensics expert, author, lecturer and building envelope scientist who has worked in various aspects of metal roofing for five decades. He began ground-breaking innovation of penetration-free ancillary attachment solutions in 1991, and holds 60+ U.S. and foreign patents. Together with his son, Dustin, they co-invented a rail-less direct-attach solar solution that provides a simple, secure method to “lay & play” PV modules with tested and engineered attachment to the only roof type that outlasts the solar—the metal roof.

S-5! /// s-5.com

Third-party residential certification Pearl is a national firm providing third-party certification of high-performing, energy efficient homes. Pearl’s certification drives demand for these home improvements by capturing their value for resale and appraisal. Pearl works with an elite network of contractors that improve a homes’ performance, and real estate professionals that ensure these homes, including single-family homes, duplexes, and townhomes, are properly marketed and valued when sold. When marketed correctly, Pearl Certified homes can add 5% or more to a home’s sale price. Pearl’s certification system takes inventory of a home’s energy efficiency, health, comfort, resilience, and other “high-performing” factors. Each home receives a Pearl Score on a proprietary 1200-point scoring methodology, focusing on five categories: building shell, heating and cooling, baseload, home management, and renewable energy and energy storage. Based on a home’s verified Pearl score, a home can be certified as Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Asset. Pearl is a bridge between a host of organizations that play important roles in driving the housing industry toward a sustainable future. Pearl partners with national organizations such as SunPower, Appraisal Institute, NAR Green Designees, and the U.S. Department of Energy and ENERGY STAR. Pearl is approved by U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy to administer their ENERGY STAR program for existing homes.

Pearl /// www.pearlcertification.com

Protects the Investment

The value of metal roofing lies in its durability and sustainability. Any roofing attachment needs to ensure this durability and long life-cycle remains intact. The low profile offered by a railless system provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance with its sleek visual appeal, helps prevent animals and debris collecting under the PV modules, and safeguards the solar array’s performance and integrity of the roof. The added benefit is the proper system protects the roof’s integrity (and warranty) for the long term.

Rail-less Benefits:

• Reduced Material Cost • Reduced Freight Cost • Reduced Labor Cost • Reduced Handling Logistics • Reduced Dead Load to Roof • Better Distribution of Load • Faster on-and-off the Job • Strength to Resist Any Wind Speed • Natural Critter Guard Rail-less is moving forward in the field of metal rooftop solar mounting, positioning it to be the new solar mounting standard for the future. It takes time for any industry to adapt to newer

GROUND SCREWS? HELICAL ANCHORS? REFUSAL HOLES? Rock Drilling Attachments Get the Job Done.

wordrockdrills.com | 1.336.584.6700 North American Clean Energy

25

solar energy

Analysis tool for compiling and reporting data

Solmetric announces the release of version 5.9 of the Data Analysis Tool for compiling and reporting PV Analyzer I-V data. Version 5.9 features a new user interface with many more options and settings; the ability to compare string measurements to combiner box averages and filter table data by array location; the ability to enter limit checks as absolute or % relative to mean; improvements to report, including ability to select which data to include, pagination, and larger charts; faster run times; and bug fixes.

Solmetric /// www.solmetric.com/pva-analysis-macro.html

Fast EV charging device powered from rooftop solar arrays

Modular terminal block system

Enteligent /// www.enteligent.com

Weidmuller /// www.weidmuller.com

The SolarFirst EV Quick Charger is unique in that it allows at-home, at-work, and at-store charging powered directly by existing solar panels, and can also be powered simultaneously by the AC grid to provide peace-of-mind charge-continuity. The Enteligent SolarFirst EV charger is fast and delivers energy at a low cost.

Weidmuller’s new AITB modular terminal block system was specially developed to meet the specific requirements and safety regulations for wiring in building installations. Special features of the series ensure real added value in planning, installation, and operation on site.

MS-60S

ISO 9060:2018

Upgrade your expectations

MS-80S

ISO 9060:2018

ISO 9060:2018 class-leading and IEC 61724-1 compliant

Technology and innovation in a work boot

S-Series Pyranometers from EKO INSTRUMENTS deliver unbeatable accuracy, reliability, and value with onboard diagnostics, a 5-year warranty, and a unique 4-channel interface. www.eko-usa.com | info@eko-usa.com MS-40S

ISO 9060:2018

VDH/GSMI®

34.5 kV Vacuum Circuit Breaker and High Speed Grounding Switch for Wind Power Substations

EMA Electromechanics is the designer and manufacturer of model VDH/GSMI® combined 34.5 kV vacuum circuit breaker and high speed, mechanically interlocked grounding switch (aka “grounding breaker”), a unique and patented system specifically designed for switching and grounding of wind and solar feeder circuits.

26

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

+1 325 235-8000 16 Industrial Dr, Sweetwater, TX 79556 contact@emaeletromechanics.com www.emaelectromechanics.com

KEEN Utility’s Troy, featuring KEEN. BELLOWS Flex technology, an ergonomically engineered system designed to offer multidirectional flexion making bending, squatting, kneeling, and kneedown work up to three times easier. Part of the brand’s American Built line of boots and shoes, this boot is assembled with pride in KEEN’s Portland, OR manufacturing facility using materials from around the world. The six-inch boot offers asymmetrical carbon fiber safety toes providing ASTM-rated, metal-free toe protection with a roomy, less obtrusive fit. The Troy features proprietary comfort innovations including a lightweight LuftCell air-infused PU midsole for comfort and all-day support and a LuftCore airinjected heel for enhanced cushioning and shock absorption helping reduce impact on the body with every heel strike.

An oil- and slip-resistant non-marking multi-directional lugged rubber outsole provides increased stability and traction on uneven terrain and is EH-rated to provide a secondary source of protection if the outsole accidentally comes in contact with live electrical circuits. A KEEN.Dry waterproof, breathable membrane allows water vapor out without letting water in and an antimicrobial lining helps to keep the boots odor-free. Available in two colorways, the KEEN Utility Troy is available online and in select retailers.

KEEN Utility /// www.keenutility.com

All-in-one label kit

HellermannTyton has grouped all solar labels required for PV installations to comply with the 2020 updates to Article 690 of the National Electrical Code. The labels are being distributed as a kit called NEC 2020 Solar Label Value Pack, which is available through a nationwide distributor network. The Solar Label Value Pack was developed to make it easy for solar system contractors to apply all the required labeling without relying on guesswork. All HellermannTyton solar labels fully comply with the National Electric Code. Proper labeling ensures more than a safe installation. Passing inspection the first time saves time and controls costs.

HellermannTyton /// www.hellermann.tyton.com 3483 Heyco NA ad 3.5x10_Layout 1 8/5/21 11:32 AM Page 1

New solutions for commercial PV customers

SMA America has released an update to the Sunny Tripower CORE1. The update not only includes multiple innovative offerings, such as an intelligent IV curve diagnostic and advanced string monitoring, but also features that increase reliability and power production.

One enhancement is SMA’s intelligent IV curve diagnostic, which tests the health of the inverter’s strings during critical stages in the plant’s lifecycle, including commissioning and planned maintenance. This feature easily submits reports to the EPC, the system owner, and other stakeholders. The Sunny Tripower has an expediated diagnostic ability and cuts down on cost and complexity. New, advanced string-level monitoring ensures all strings are operating as expected with automated production monitoring. This function benchmarks granular power production data, ensuring optimal system performance. One popular feature that remains unchanged in the CORE1 is ShadeFix optimization. This technology provides power production with a reduced component count versus alternatives, which means maximum reliability and value. To support customers using the Sunny Tripower CORE1, SMA offers SMA Smart Connected which comes standard with every inverter and offers a proactive solution that saves installers time, requires only a simple activation process in Sunny Portal, and can cut service truck rolls in half. Customers can also leverage Sunny Portal, a valuable service tool that enables access to SMA Smart Connected and automatic firmware updates, simplifying field service activities.

Additionally, the Online Service Center expedites resolutions with self-solve documentation, FAQs, and information on software updates.

SMA /// www.sma-america.com

HEYCO

®

Wire Management Solutions for Solar Installers & Integrators...

Heyco® Solar Products Warranty Visit www.heyco.com for information about Heyco’s 20 Year Limited Warranty on our solar products.

Heyco® Heavy Duty Lockit P Clamps

NEW

Available in three different sizes to accommodate a variety of cables ranging from 1.5˝ to 3˝ in diameter. Unique design allows for installation of Heavy Duty Lockit P Clamps to be independent of cable installation while release feature allows for serviceability or field maintenance.

Heyco® Edge Clips Heyco Edge Clips provide high panel retention forces while requiring low insertion forces. Ideal solution for applications where holes are not available or temperatures are too extreme for adhesive solutions.

GreenSourceEPC.com

Green Source EPC is a leading provider of Engineering, NEW & IMPROVED

Helios UVX Clip The Helios UVX clip installs into a .260˝ (6,6 mm) mounting hole and holds up to 2 cables between .230-.315˝ (5,8-8,0 mm) each.

Heyco®-Tite Cordgrips for Enphase Q Cable Heyco now offers 1/2˝ NPT and 3/4˝ NPT cordgrips compatible with the Enphase Q Cable. Use the 1/2˝ NPT for just 1 Enphase Q Cable or the 3/4˝ NPT for 2 Enphase Q Cables PLUS a #8 solid Grounding cable.

Procurement and Construction services for commercial renewable energy projects in North America. Green Source EPC works closely with developers, finance companies and owners from design through installation to produce custom, highly efficient and state-of-the-art solar installations.

Heyco® HEYClip™ SunRunner® Double-compression design holds from (1) 12 gauge USE-2 to (2) 8 AWG cables up to 8,3 mm OD.

Heyco® SunBundler® Stainless Steel Wire Cable Ties Aircraft grade 302/304 stainless wire w/UV protected vinyl jacket and stainless steel crimp sleeve, 8˝ (203 mm) to 20˝ (508 mm) lengths.

For FREE samples or product literature, call toll free 1-800-526-4182, or visit heyco.com

w w w. h e y c o . c o m

Contact us for a quote

Phone: (714) 455-1281 Email: info@gs-epc.com

“Stay Connected with Heyco” Power Components Box 517 • Toms River, NJ 08754 • P: 732-286-4336 • F: 732-244-8843

North American Clean Energy

27

solar energy

Solar specific data logger

NRG Systems, Inc., will offer a new, solar-specific data logging system, further enhancing its portfolio of solar solutions.

The LOGR-S Data Logger is designed for solar resource monitoring on operational utility-scale PV plants and can be configured to meet a project’s unique requirements. LOGR-S integrates with NRG’s Solar Resource Monitoring System as well as industry-standard sensors, allowing users to plug into a facility’s SCADA network with ease. Additional features include a built-in PV input module for soiling measurements, integrated SCADA communications capabilities, storage capacity for historical real-time data, and automated delivery of historical data. The LOGR-S Data Logger is backed by NRG’s two-year warranty and expert Technical Services team, who can assist global customers via in-the-field and remote trainings, installation assistance, and more.

NRG Systems, Inc. /// nrgsystems.com

Fieldbus coupler

WAGO’s newest generation fieldbus coupler adds to an already extensive line of fieldbus independent couplers and supports Device Level Ring (DLR). The 750-366 utilizes the DLR’s protocol set up in conjunction with an EtherNet/IP network. Adding this coupler to a Device Level Ring topology network ensures that I/O communications remain online in case of a single point of failure. Combined with any of WAGO’s 500+ I/O modules, this coupler provides application flexibility. The dual DLR Ethernet ports are used as an integrated switch, eliminating the need for additional devices such as Ethernet switches. Its fast boot-up time also enables systems to get online quicker.

Onboard web-based management allows for parameterization of the device along with seamless firmware updates. The 750-366 also supports a wide variety of additional protocols including HTTP(S), DHCP, DNS, SNMP, and FTP(S).

WAGO /// www.wago.us

Digital sales app for residential customers

The new native PFALZSOLAR app offers important functions for both Android and IOS users. For example, potential customers can easily upload pictures of their house roof and the existing house electrics to the app during the sales process by linking the camera function.

This saves an on-site appointment in the first step and the potential customer receives an initial offer quickly and easily.

Other benefits of the app include realtime approval status of the project, remote access to important documents at any time, and easy chat communication with PFALZSOLAR's solar professionals.

PFALZSOLAR /// www.pfalzsolar.de

Whole-house surge protective device

InterSolar Booth 2350 Long Beach, Jan 2022

Do you use single-axis trackers?

Have you more questions than answers?

Why so complicated, flimsy, and difficult to assemble, attach the PV & operate? Can I enhance local content in the EP&C? Can the tracker price be lowered while increasing reliability and wind tolerance? What risk do I include in my LCOE predictions? Really, 30 years? How? Sun and Steel Solar has the answer: simplicity. We prototyped our superior mousetrap tracker, proved the fundamentals of cost reduction and wind interaction, and are pleased to offer our Round A investment opportunity of $2.5mm for 25%. RSVP. rdally@sunandsteelsolar.com www.sunandsteelsolar.com

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NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Mersen’s new surge protective device for residential applications, the SurgeTrap Load Center Series (STLC), adds a critical layer of surge protection for the entire home. From the family room to the office and kitchen, the entire electrical system is protected. This simple whole house solution is installed directly in the electrical panel and has flexibility to fit in a variety of different load center manufacturers and models. Designed with Mersen’s TPMOV technology to ensure safety and reliability, the Surge Trap STLC Series is a UL 1449 4th Edition Type 1 SPD, that satisfies the new 2020 NEC Article 230.67 requirement for surge protection in residential dwellings. It also features a standard 3-year manufacturer’s warranty in addition to a $25,000 connected equipment warranty.

Mersen /// ep.mersen.com

Dual-module, ingle phase microinverter series

Touch-safe fuse cover

APsystems /// usa.apsystems.com

SCHURTER Electronic Components /// www.schurter.com

A new design for APsystems, the DS3 series, is launching with multiple power offerings in several major global markets, with outputs up to 960VA. The new platform architecture employs the latest breakthroughs in power inversion circuitry, semiconductor device technology, high-speed communication, and intelligent control.

The DS3 series is designed to be paired with virtually any choice of PV module type and size, including 60- and 72-cell modules, 120 and 144 split-cell modules, as well as bi-facial modules. With multiple output ranges available, installers can capably find an optimal DS3 microinverter model to match their choice of PV module type, size and capacity to maximize the power output and increase energy harvest. The new product line is also fully compatible with APsystems’ existing QS1 and YC600 microinverters as well as ECU-R, ECU-C and ECU-B gateway devices. The DS3 series continues to build on the successful APsystems line of multi-module microinverters, offering reduced logistics costs, fast installation, improved communication and connection features, and a wide MPPT voltage range for greater energy harvest during low light conditions.

The SCHURTER ESO 10.3x38 touch-safe fuse cover is designed to insert and extract 10.3mm x 38mm fuses safely and securely. The fuse is captive in the ESO fuse cover, which is simply inserted into the fuse clips. This method of installation provides a touch-safe cover.

Additionally, the cover serves to extract the fuse when it needs to be replaced. No additional tools are required. The ESO 10.3x38 touch-safe fuse cover, together with SCHURTER’s CSO fuse clips and ASO 10.3x38 mm fuse, is suitable for use in photovoltaic applications.

Specific applications include solar inverters, string fuse boxes, battery charge controllers and numerous applications in the energy and industrial sectors. The ESO 10.3x38 and SCHURTER CSO fuse clips can be used up to 32A at 1500Vac/Vdc with industry standard 10.3x38 midget size fuses. When using the ESO with SCHURTER’s CSO fuse clips, the combination carries cURus certification. A legend can be applied to the handle of the ESO cover to identify a string in the series, or some other form of fuse identification. The ASO 10.3x3 midget fuse meets UL 2579 and IEC 60269-6 photovoltaic standards. Rated current ranges from 1-30A and rated voltage is 1000Vdc. Breaking capacity is rated 20kA at 1000Vdc.

TM

The Most Advanced PV Mounting Featuring Roof Tech’s AlphaSeal™ Technology

Installs on any Sloped Roofs Metal EPDM/TPO Asphalt

Slide-In Mounting One Step Leveling Universal Clamping 30-46mm Integrated Flexible Flashing RT-APEX Estimator Free Digital Design Tool

Pa

ten

t#

613

178

5

Scan The QR Code & Start Designing Today!

www.roof-tech.us | info@roof-tech.us | (858) 935-6064

North American Clean Energy

29

solar energy

Expanded warranty option

Panasonic announced that its 25-year warranty covering solar panel parts and labor on all components of its residential solar energy system, is expanding to give homeowners more racking options, and will now include labor on IronRidge racking systems.

Panasonic's AllGuard Warranty will alleviate the labor costs associated with servicing valid warranty claims for the solar panel and certain other hardware components.

Panasonic Corporation of North America /// na.panasonic.com

Financing solutions for solar installers

Sunlight Financial announced new no- and ultra-low interest loans for residential solar and storage systems. The company's new offerings include rates as low as 0.00% for a 12year loan, 0.49% for a 20-year loan and 1.49% for a 25-year loan. Sunlight’s fully digital, end-to-end platform delivers instant credit decisions and automated loan processing and funding, facilitating the sale of residential solar systems and other home improvements.

Through thoughtful risk management, Sunlight has delivered outstanding loan performance and industry-low credit losses to its broad and diverse set of capital providers.

Sunlight Financial /// www.sunlightfinancial.com

Edge of network computing

SECURE CRITICAL BOLTED JOINTS HEICO-LOCK® Wedge Lock Washers

HEICO-TEC® Tension Nuts

Wind, Solar, Energy Storage Tech—HEICO Fastening Systems has precise, proven and reliable solutions to ensure critical bolted joints stay secured under dynamic loads, thermal extremes, high vibration environments and tight spaces.

www.HEICO-LOCK.us • 888.822.5661 • Hickory, NC

30

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

WAGO is combining the advantages of decentralized Cloud computing with local control networks by debuting their new Edge Controller and Edge Computer.

These devices for edge of network computing provide low latency control and simplified connection with Cloud based services providing multiple interfaces for connection to field devices and monitors.

The Edge Controller is suitable for edge of network applications where deterministic PLC control can be combined with machine learning, data aggregation, Cloud services, predictive maintenance, and other analytic algorithms. It allows users to run high speed and complex applications with its quad-core processor as well as applications through Docker Containers with its Linux-based real time operating system. This controller supports e!COCKPIT runtime for industrial control and visualizations via onboard HTML5 webserver and industrial protocols such as MODBUS, Ethernet/IP adapter, EtherCAT, and BACnet. IIoT protocols such as MQTT, OPC UA, and Sparkplug are also supported. For Linux-savvy users that want an industrial grade computer to run Node RED, Grafana, or edge applications such as AWS IoT Greengrass, the Edge Computer comes with a Debian Linux operating system, a quad-core ATOM processor, 64GB flash memory, and either 4GB or 8GB RAM with memory able to be expanded via SSD HDD memory card.

Control engineers and software developers can leverage the device’s openness to operate their edge of network applications.

WAGO /// www.wago.us

Easy push-to-connect installation and superior pressure performance

Quick Fitting announces CopperHead pure copper push fittings for solar applications.

The patented design creates an instant connection in a few seconds with superior performance and sealing properties.

CopperHead offers a dual seal design, which addresses a common failure point.

The outer seal protects the inner seal from degradation throughout the lifetime of the connection, and the design generates 100% more sealing surface than single seal designs. The CopperHead installs wet or dry. This simplifies installation in solar applications, which are often wet; with CopperHead, users can connect and move on without being completely dry. CopperHead fittings are factory and independently tested to levels significantly above the industry’s stringent standards for plumbing and heating technology.

As a result, CopperHead is approved for plumbing, heating, and solar applications using Copper, PEX and CPVC pipe, and tubing. With its push-to-connect fitting, installation is easy and without any soldering, gluing, or crimping required, safety is enhanced, risks lowered, and installation made fast, all of which provide economic benefits to end users. With no open flames, no chemical exposure, and reduced risk of tool accidents or errors, pipe connection projects are safe and easy with CopperHead. Health and safety are also improved by the lead-free design, which has been tested and approved to the strict U.S. National Lead law standards.

Quick Fitting /// www.quickfitting.com

Plug and play microprocessor controlled rapid shutdown

Next generation 1500V solar fuses

Mersen’s Gen2 of the HP15M photovoltaic (PV) fuse series is designed specifically to meet the severe temperature and current cycling of a PV system. These 1500Vdc rated fuses are designed for low minimum breaking capacity capabilities of 1.35 times the fuse rated current value, which allows for safe circuit interruption under typical low fault current conditions.

In addition to the standard ferrule terminal, these fuses are also available with Crimp Cap terminals for in-line applications. The unique wire crimp terminal (CC option) permits solderless wire-to-fuse connection for overmold encapsulation of fuse and wiring.

Microprocessor controlled, the Enteligent NMax RSD delivers a high amount of electricity from the solar panel to the inverter, shade or no shade. Installers can get solar panel output for their customers without sacrificing cost, and installation is simple with plug and play SunSpec RSD Certification.

Enteligent /// www.enteligent.com

Mersen /// ep.mersen.com

Protection for power, signal, and data in one enclosure

Phoenix Contact’s BOXTRAB surge protective device (SPD) protects PV array-mounted sensors from costly damage due to lightning-related surge events. Phoenix Contact’s BOXTRAB protects the DC power and RS-485 serial data circuits with SPDs housed within the same enclosure. In addition, with different expansion options available, BOXTRAB offers a flexible protection solution for virtually any combination of power, data, and signal applications. BOXTRAB is available in a polycarbonate enclosure with a clear UV-resistant cover, allowing easy viewing of SPD status without the need to open the enclosure. Knockouts for cable glands make wiring easier.

BOXTRAB can be used as a marshalling enclosure between multiconductor sensor cables and individual sensors to speed installation times.

Phoenix Contact /// www.phoenixcontact.com North American Clean Energy

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solar energy

Above ground cable management system

GameChange BOS announced its Grab-Tite Above Ground Cable Management System. This Balance of System (BOS) product line allows solar electrical installers, developers, and asset owners to work with one company group, GameChange BOS and its parent, GameChange Solar, for trackers and fixed tilt racking solutions as well as their cable management needs. The new Grab-Tite Above Ground Cable Management System was designed with the customers who have been using GameChange Solar’s racking systems, ensuring that engineers, installers, and system operators successfully deliver their scope of work. Current and future customers will benefit from GameChange’s site-specific cable management solution as their engineering team will incorporate the requirements for the racking system and Grab-Tite in one design package. Customers of GameChange BOS save time and money by eliminating most of their field drilling requirements.

GameChange BOS /// www.gamechangesolar.com

American built women’s work boot

The Dover work boot is built for the unique fit needs of today’s tradeswoman and skilled worker. The women’s Dover is an outdoor-inspired hiker and will be the first women’s fit safety style from KEEN. This boot offers a variety of performance and safety features including the new KEEN KONNECTFIT Heel Locking System along with the KEEN Utility LUFTcell midsole that offers nearly 100,000 air bubbles per cubic centimeter, providing lightweight comfort for all day wear. This medium-duty boot also offers a KEEN. Dry breathable waterproof membrane, an EH-rated abrasion-, oil-, and slip-resistant non-marking rubber outsole, as well as non-metallic carbon-fiber toes.

Other product highlights include an ergonomicallydesigned removable PU footbed to provide underfoot support. The women’s Dover is part of KEEN Utility’s “Tradeswomen Tested” program, which leverages the insights of female skilled trades professionals from initial concept through production. This boot is also part of KEEN Utility’s American Built line and is assembled in KEEN’s Portland, Oregon manufacturing facility using responsibly sourced materials from around the world.

KEEN Utility /// www.keenutility.com

Energy intelligence platform to simplify fleet management

Tigo Energy, Inc.’s Energy Intelligence (EI) Solution is a comprehensive digital platform designed to optimize the installer experience around commissioning, monitoring, and maintaining fleets of solar installations. For solar installers, operations and maintenance represents a significant and ongoing burden due to the lack of visibility to the module-level information. Tigo EI quickly identifies issues that increase truck rolls, undermine energy output, and undercut the economic success of said installations. EI also delivers the tools to decrease operation and maintenance costs, increase system performance and revenue, and improve the user experience for both installers and customers. The platform also simplifies the commissioning process by providing greater system visibility and information to end installers and EPCs. Tigo Energy supports the revenue and strategic goals of installers through a holistic approach to energy management and by providing premium hardware and smart software solutions. With hundreds of terabytes of data on solar system performance collected to date, the value of the resulting analytics continues to increase. Installers have the opportunity to choose what works best for their systems and fleets. The platform is available on the web and as a mobile application named Tigo EI on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store.

Tigo Energy /// www.tigoenergy.com

SunBrush USA

PV Cleaning Systems

SunBrush USA Inc. 7565 Commercial Way, Suite F Henderson Nevada 89011 +1 (702) 343-2886 info@sunbrush-usa.com

SunBrush offer market leading utility-scale solar cleaning solutions. Utilized across the globe in over 50 countries, cleaning giga-watts of solar every year.

Units are now operating in CA, NV, AZ, NM, TX, MS, GA, NC, SC, MA & MN. Please contact us to arrange a demonstration.

SunBrush’s patented WashTronic float system provides an effective clean whilst ensuring a safe pass of the panels, with a contact pressure of 0.5lb/in regardless of terrain.

Interchangeable brush lengths and brush types enable versatility for site owners and contractors alike. 10ft to 25ft brushes are available to ensure a thorough, one pass, clean.

-

Certified cleaning brush 1600 - 6000 panels per HOUR Wet or Dry cleaning compatible 10ft to 25ft cleaning brushes available Integrated float system for guaranteed safe clean Integrated joystick control for simple operation Contact us for more information

Ensure YOUR PV Potential with 32

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

SUNBRUSH USA

solar spotlight: maintenance

Maintenance

Regular maintenance of solar farms and solar panels can dramatically improve energy output. It goes without saying, soiled solar panels can’t produce as much energy as clean ones and it is just as important to keep the land under the panels maintained as well. Developing a cleaning and maintenance schedule for your site will increase plant efficiency, here are some companies who can help in that endeavor.

SEE AD ON PAGE 10

SEE AD ON PAGE 21

Premier Water Cleaning Systems Service/Product: KSolara FK2+/FK3+

Key Features:

Description: The KSolara FK2 and FK3 series solar panel cleaning units are designed to clean a wide range of ground mount solar farm installations. The FK2/ FK3 units use two counter rotating brushes to float on the panels and clean better than other solutions Industries served: Ground-mount, trackers

• Fast cleaning up to 1000 panels per hour; • Low water usage; • Cleans multiple sizes of installations; • Cleans tracker systems; • Easy to operate. www.premwcs.com

Renu Robotics Service/Product: Vegetation management autonomous electric mower

Key Features: • Renubot can mow during the day or night;

Description: Renu Robotics’ Renubot is an electric autonomous vehicle designed specifically for precision vegetation management on utility-scale solar power plants and other energy facilities.

• Significantly cuts cost, time, and carbon emissions; • The Recharge Pod allows for recharging, updates, and shelter;

Industries served: Utility-scale solar, other energy facilities

• Mission Control continuously monitors, controls, and updates Renubots in the field. www.renurobot.com

ProSolarClean, LLC

Mr. LongArm, Inc.

Service/Product: F Series brush

Service/Product: ProCurve Solar Panel Cleaning Kit

Description: Sola-Tecs F brush is designed for fast, effective cleaning of utility scale ground mount installations with a cleaning speed of up to 6600 sq ft per hour and an adjustable height design.

Description: Maintaining a clean surface on solar panels is essential for optimum energy output. The ProCurve Solar system is designed to clean even hard-to-reach panels.

Industries served: Ground-mount solar

www.mrlongarm.com

www.prosolarclean.com

Superb Horticulture Service/Product: Solar Farm Mower/ Vegetation Maintenance Description: A mower designed specifically for vegetation control between and underneath solar panels.

The mowing disk is designed to make mowing around pylons efficient while also avoiding damage to electrical components.

Industries served: Vegetation Maintenance www.superbhorticulture.com

North American Clean Energy

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solar spotlight: maintenance SEE AD ON PAGE 18

SEE AD ON PAGE 33

Buffalo Turbine

RST Cleantech USA

Service/Product: Touchless snow removal Description: Buffalo Turbine has been manufacturing turbine style blowers since 1945, which are made using high-precision machined components resulting in longlasting dependable products. The newest of all the applications is touchless snow removal.

Industries served: Solar Key Features: • Touchless snow removal; • No damage or wear on panels; • Only requires 16 gallons per minute; • Allows machine to be run on most skid steers; • Immediate return on investment. www.buffaloturbine.com

SEE AD ON PAGE 32

Description: RST Cleantech offers a fully automated solar panel cleaning technology with almost no moving parts. The system is controlled by a cell-phone app, allowing the customer to clean multiple times a week and virtually eliminate soiling losses.

Industries served: Commercial, industrial, agricultural, utility, residential

Key Features: • Protects panel warranties by cleaning at night; • Optimizes solar panel production by eliminating soiling loss; • Cleans multiple times a week if needed; • Controlled by cell phone app. www.rst-cleantech.com

SEE AD ON PAGE 24

SunBrush USA Service/Product: Solar Panel Cleaning Equipment

Service/Product: Fully automated panel washing

American Polywater Corporation

Key Features: • Patented WashTronic float system;

Description: SunBrush mobil offers a versatile and efficient cleaning solution for large scale solar sites. With brush lengths from 10ft to 25ft, alongside its patented WashTronic float system, a thorough and consistent clean is guaranteed, with no risk of damage.

• Constant contact pressure of 0.5lb/in;

Industries served: Utility-scale solar

• Established distributor network.

• Interchangeable brush lengths and brush diameters for different panel arrangements; • Wide range of applicable carrier vehicles/tractors;

Service/Product: InstaGrout enclosure pad sealant

Industries served: Solar, wind, electrical utilities

Description: Polywater InstaGrout Sealant is a pourable, two-part urethane foam that seals pad-mounted equipment openings to prevent outages and service disruptions caused by animal or moisture ingress. It is safe and effective to use.

Key Features:

www.sunbrush-usa.com

• Keeps rodents, snakes, insects, and water from entering enclosures; • Ready to mix and apply, no water needed; • Flows and self-levels before expansion to seal the entire opening. www.polywater.com

International Attachments, Inc.

Bitimec Wash-Bots, Inc.

SolarCleano

Service/Product: M Series Solar Cleaner

Product: Bitimec Roboklin

Description: Designed to clean solar panels and help maintain and optimize performance of panels. The M-35 model features a 12ft wide brush that is capable of cleaning at a rate of 3700m2/h. The M-40 model has a 14ft wide brush and cleaning rate of 4200m2/h

Description: Bitimec’s Roboklin is a solar panel washing machine able to wash 7,000-14,000 panels in one shift. A rugged all-terrain undercarriage and up to a 14ft long brush, make this solar panel washing machine a high performer on utility-scale, ground-mount installations.

Service/Product: Semi and fully autonomous solar panel cleaning robots

Industries served: Utility-scale solar

Industries served: Utility-scale, ground-mount solar

www.iai-usa.com

www.wash-bots.com

Description: Solarcleano is offering various robotic solutions that facilitate the cleaning of all types of commercial solar installations, including utility-scale, roof-top, floating plants, and carports. Solarcleano robots are environmentally friendly, battery-powered easy-to-use solutions, that increase the yield of any size solar power plant.

Industries served: Utility-scale, ground-mount, floating solar, carports www.solarcleano.com

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NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

2022 WIND

BUYERS GUIDE

Image provided by:

WindESCo /// www.windesco.com

DIRECTORY ADHESIVES, SEALANTS, & SURFACE TREATMENTS

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT & SERVICES | POWER GENERATION

ALUMINUM EXTRUSION & METAL FABRICATION ANCHOR BOLTS | FASTENING SYSTEMS

ELECTRICAL INSULATION

POWER TRANSFORMERS PROJECT DEVELOPER | OPERATOR

ELECTROLYSERS

REMOTE MONITORING

BALANCE OF PLANT

ELEVATORS

RESCUE & SAFETY TRAINING

BEARINGS BLADE | TOWER MANUFACTURER & REPAIR

ENCLOSURES

RESTORATION

ENERGY STORAGE | GRID CONNECTION

SAFETY EQUIPMENT | FALL PROTECTION

BRAKE PADS

ENGINEERING

SAFETY WORK APPAREL

CABLE, WIRE & CONDUIT

FIBER OPTICS

SECTIONALIZING CABINETS

CAPACITORS

FIRE SUPPRESSION

SECURITY SYSTEMS

COMPONENT SUPPLIER

SIGNS, TAGS, & MARKERS

CONDITION MONITORING

GEARBOX MANUFACTURING, SERVICES & REPAIRS GENERATORS | MAINTENANCE & REPAIR SERVICES

CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS & SERVICES | EPC CONTRACTOR

INSURANCE SERVICES

CONSULTING SERVICES

LAMINATES

STEEL PLATE SUPPLIER TESTING | INSPECTION SERVICES

CONTRACTORS CRANES | HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT | AERIAL DEVICES

LIGHTING

TOOLS

LIGHTNING & SURGE PROTECTION

TOWER FOUNDATIONS

CYBER SECURITY SYSTEMS

LOAD MONITORING

TRANSPORTATION | LOGISTICS

DATA AQUISITION

LUBRICANTS

WIND ASSESSMENT | FORECASTING

ECONOMIC WIND DEVELOPMENT REGION EDUCATION | TRAINING | RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT

MET TOWERS

WIND TURBINE MFG (OVER 100KW)

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE (O&M)

YAW, PITCH & BLADE SENSORS

SOFTWARE SUPPLIER

North American Clean Energy

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2022 wind buyers guide Adhesives, Sealants & Surface Treatment Aluminum Extrusion & Metal Fabrication Fastenal Manufacturing Sotek

Hontek Corporation Hontek ReNew LEP rain/sand erosion protection coatings have been successfully field tested on dry onshore and wet offshore sites. Available as rollable and brushable, both have demonstrated rain erosion durability in high speed rain erosion tests. Works well on platforms, via rope access, or on OEM production floors. The coatings excel in 12% to 99% relative humidity for a wide range of weather conditions, providing less downtime waiting for the weather to comply. This product has a long pot life and a forgiving application process. User friendly application minimizes human errors, resulting in high quality repairs, high energy production, and long lasting blade life. www.hontek.com

With 35 years of experience, Sotek manufactures precision stators and rotors for demanding OEM applications in wind power generators. Sotek stamps and laser cuts electrical steel laminations using in-house equipment and capabilities.

They manufacture vent plates, end plates, stator bars, and related components to meet the tough specifications of the wind industry, and assemble components to eliminate the demands on manufacturing and purchasing resources. Sotek’s team of manufacturing and assembly technicians serve North America and beyond from their Buffalo, NY facility. Commonly stamp, notch, stack, press, weld, braze, rivet, and offer thermal shaft insertion, robotics, manual, and CNC machining, provide value added services, increase efficiency, and streamline manufacturing.

Additionally, Sotek’s supply chain partners deliver value suited to the unique demands of each project. www.sotek.com

Anchor Bolts | Fastening Systems

Mankiewicz

alkitronic, Inc.

ALEXIT products have been tested under real life conditions and have fulfilled the requirements of the wind industry. Areas subjected to abrasion, such as leading edges and tips, are protected with high-tech coating materials. Durable ALEXIT BladeRep prolongs the life cycle of blades, avoiding the need for frequent costly blade replacements and extending the time between maintenance intervals, making it a cost effective choice.

The versatile alkitronic product range provides speed, precision, efficiency, and productivity. In addition to their system consulting service, they have electrical, battery-powered, hydraulic wrenches, or manual torque multipliers in their program. alkitronic products are made in Germany.

Fastenal Manufacturing services customers in the wind energy industry by providing MRO fasteners as well as OEM parts to the original equipment and parts manufacturers, construction sites, and operating wind farms.

Fastenal Manufacturing produces high integrity fasteners that meet the requirements and specifications of the wind energy sector.

Howmet Engineered to meet the challenges of a wide range of assembly applications, BobTail offers high performance and reliability in a unique, pintail-less design. It offers high fatigue strength, quick installation speed, and high vibration resistance. BobTail is a suitable lockbolt for solar racking and wind applications (DIBt certified). www.hfsindustrial.com/us/

www.fastenal.com

HEICO Fastening Systems HEICO-LOCK Wedge Lock Washers and HEICO-TEC mechanical tensioners are used throughout the wind energy category. HEICO’s wedge lock washers ensure bolts maintain proper tension against intense loosening influences. The HEICO-TEC tensioning system is used for securing larger bolts and are safe, fast, and suitable for tight spaces.

Additionally, HEICO-TEC tensioners improve bolt elasticity, lowering the impacts of dynamic stress, and contribute to the lifespan of any wind application. www.heico-lock.us

Lightning Bolt & Supply, Inc. Lightning Bolt & Supply, Inc. is an ISO 9001:2015 fastener manufacturer and distributor. Headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, their sales team can meet the many fastener needs that arise in the wind industry within 24/7. Common fastener grades include class 8.8, 10.9, A2/A4SS, as well as many specialty coatings (Geomet, tZn, GalZn Xylan).

Custom manufacturing available. www.lightningboltandsupply.com

www.alkitronic-na.com

www.bladerep.com

MarkingPenDepot MarkingPenDepot carries industrial markers and torque indicating paste for marking and measuring fastener movement. www.markingpendepot.com

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NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

OVER 100,000 MWs CHOOSE CASTROL OPTIGEAR SYNTHETIC CT 320.

WE HELP MAKE IT HAPPEN.

For top performance, leading wind turbine OEMs turn to Castrol® as an exclusive first fill.

Castrol Optigear® CT 320 is the first carbon-neutral gear oil in the wind industry.

With a service life that’ll make your head spin — thirteen years without an oil change.

Small wonder it’s approved and supported by all major wind turbine and gearbox OEMs. Castrol Optigear CT 320. When it comes to performance, we’re there at every turn.

www.castrol.com/windenergy/us

North American Clean Energy

37

2022 wind buyers guide Blade | Tower Manufacturer & Repair

Geodetic Systems, Inc.

Williams Form Engineering Corp.

NTC Wind Energy NTC Wind Energy’s Super Duty Bolt Cap for the wind industry is made of Polypropylene Copolymer Construction, which is very strong and resists shattering or cracking.

Made in the USA with minimal supply chain disruption, this universal fitted cap has an integrated O-ring, therefore no separate O-ring installation. It is vented to prevent vacuum water draw inside the cap. At 16" long, it will fit almost any bolt projection.

It is reusable, easy to install, and both removable and re-installable by hand. www.ntcwind.com

Williams Form Engineering Corporation has been providing threaded steel bars and accessories for rock anchors, soil anchors, high capacity concrete anchors, micropiles, tie rods, tiebacks, strand anchors, hollow bar anchors, post tensioning systems, and concrete forming hardware systems in the construction industry for over 95 years. Each wind tower supported by a Williams foundation anchor bolt can be relied upon to perform flawlessly throughout the life of the turbine.

V-STARS/F is a wind tower flange measurement system from Geodetic Systems. The system is fast, accurate, and automated for 3D flange measurements. The high-resolution camera engineered by GSI, has been ruggedized for operation in challenging manufacturing environments. Special targets called FFTs are applied to the flange as the section is rotated.

Photography is taken from a comfortable standing position. No lifts or ladders are needed as the operator stays on the ground at all times. The entire measurement cycle is completed in under 15 minutes. www.geodetic.com

www.williamsform.com

Balance of Plant

Teknos Teknos is a global coatings company offering a wide range of paints and coatings for the manufacturing industry, energy sectors, building professionals, and infrastructure. Their TEKNOBLADE REPAIR 9000 is a single-layer solution to wind turbine blade leading edge protection.

This wind turbine maintenance coating is an elastomer-based high-solid paint with 100% proportion solids and no VOCs, making it a sustainable solution. The product is applied via application gun or robot, and it forms a protective elastic layer of 2-4mm. It can be used both as a preventive edge protection on new rotor blades as well as for blade repair. www.teknos.com

Janicki Industries

Exo Sherex Fastening Solutions Sherex Fastening Solutions is a manufacturer of fasteners for a variety of different industries, including renewable energy. Sherex manufactures rivet nuts, clinch nuts, rivet nut studs, a wide range of fastening inserts, and wedge-locking washer and nut products through its Disc-Lock and TEC Series products lines.

Both Disc-Lock and TEC Series wedgelocking products protect joints from loosening in high vibration and high load applications. Sherex's wedge locking solutions include washers, nuts, and bolts, and are used in a variety of applications in the renewable energy industry.

With over 100 years of experience in structural inspection and remediation of T&D infrastructure, Exo offers asset management, inspection, and field repair services for utilities and renewable companies. Their engineering expertise and time-tested capabilities provide comprehensive in-facility inspections during manufacturing of towers, NDT field inspections for corrosion and welds on in service assets, and field repairs for coatings, welds and other structural issues.

www.janicki.com

www.exoinc.com

Bearings

www.sherex.com

American Roller Bearing Company American Roller Bearing Company manufactures large bore (200mm to 2400mm) anti friction bearings, including tapers, cylindrical, spherical, and balls. They offer complete engineering services and expert repair on all types and brands. www.amroll.com

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Janicki Industries is a privately owned, full-service engineering and manufacturing company with facilities in Washington and Utah. Janicki specializes in manufacturing composite molds for wind turbine blades made of advanced composite materials.

Janicki can tackle large-scale projects, utilizing high-precision five-axis mills, curing ovens, autoclave, and out-of-autoclave curing. Janicki has experience using many composite systems, such as: syntactic putty; fiberglass, 160°F machined putty; 250°F carbon/fiberglass hybrid molds, and 350°F carbon fiber molds. This 100% in-house capability for the total tooling solution enables a one-stop, shop for customers.

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

LM Wind Power LM Wind Power is a designer and manufacturer of blades for wind turbines, with 15 factories on four continents. Their LM 73.5 blades power Block Island Wind Farm, the first offshore wind farm in the United States. LM Wind Power produces long wind turbine blades including the LM 88.4 P for an 8MW offshore turbine and the LM 107.0 P to power GE’s Haliade-X 12MW. www.lmwindpower.com

WindCom Services WindCom is a blade maintenance services provider with over 16 years of operating experience servicing the North American wind energy market. Headquartered in Houston they are located to rapidly respond to their client’s needs. Their engineering and operations staff work to provide consultation to their clients and in supporting their workforce of over 150 field technicians. With a deep library of wind blade material and repair knowledge, modern at height access equipment, and in-house safety and composites repair training, they handle large or small projects, uptower or on the ground. www.windcomservices.com

A BLADE INTEGRITY

REVOLUTION

Cutting-Edge Blade Monitoring Technology Introducing Sensoria™ – the new 24/7/365 blade monitor that helps you maximize blade performance and reliability. Sensoria™ remotely detects, reports, and visualizes blade damages, giving you Edge-to-Edge Intelligence.

• Remote Blade Integrity Monitoring • Advanced Acoustic Emission (AE) Technology • Intuitive Web-Based Data Portal • Blade, Site, and Fleet Data Views

Book a Tech Chat With A Sensoria™ Expert Today +1-833-TRY-SENSORIA

sensoriawind.com

Specifications subject to change without notice. Copyright © 2021 MISTRAS Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

North American Clean Energy

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2022 wind buyers guide Brake Pads

Cable, Wire, & Conduit Petroflex N.A., Ltd

KUMA Brakes KUMA Brakes manufactures a wide range of sintered brake pads and yaw pucks and is certified by General Electric.

Approved and designed with more than just OEM requirements in mind, their friction materials are formulated to have a high resistance to corrosion and a very stable dynamic coefficient of friction. They are certified in North America and cover 90% of all turbine sizes and models in the market. Through their full in-house production and one-stop-shop capabilities, KUMA Brakes provides a high level of reliability and a short lead time.

American Wire Group (AWG)

Concast, Inc.

American Wire Group (AWG) is a single solution for all types of electrical conductors and hardware required to construct and maintain wind and renewable generation projects—for low, medium, and high-voltage applications. Save schedule time and costs with AWG’s ability to supply an entire project’s cable requirements from stock.

AWG inventories 35-kV UL MV-90 and UL MV-105 Collection System Cables in aluminum conductor in all standard sizes, including 1/0, 4/0, 500, 750, 1000, and 1250 (available in both CN or CTS).

All of AWG’s Collection System Cables carry a 20-year factory warranty, ensuring protection for the longevity of projects. AWG also inventories the following: fiber optic; copperclad steel grounding; bare copper; transmission cables; OPGW; static wire; low-voltage cables; control cables; and associated hardware.

Concast’s Trench Systems, Pull Boxes, and Handholes are utilized for below-ground substation control, communications and power cables, waste water recovery systems, and industrial piping distribution. Concast's Box Pads, Flat Pads, MGS, and Vaults are an underground solution for routing cables to padmount, padmersible, and submersible apparatus such as transformers, switchgear, inverters, and sectionalizing equipment.

www.buyawg.com

www.kumabrakes.com

Cameron Wire & Cable, Inc.

Tribco, Inc. Tribco Inc. makes long lasting wind turbine brake pads lined with Braketex. Braketex is a 100% KEVLAR fibered textile composite friction lining. In addition to longer wear life, Braketex is nonabrasive and will not score or wear down brake rotors. Braketex also oxidizes as it wears so it does not create dust, thereby eliminating dust problems.

Consequently, Braketex helps wind turbine operators reduce maintenance downtime and expense while increasing reliability and uptime.

Cameron Wire & Cable provides LV, MV, and HV (Aluminum and Copper) wind tower, nacelle, and site cables. Cameron offers cost-effective pricing and high performance cables for all applications, and will customize the cable package, offering cut-to-length or bulk cables, accessories, labels, and lugs supplied in kits. They also offer inventory management and will warehouse planned goods at no charge, shipping the same day to satisfy tight job deadlines.

www.petroflexna.com

HellermannTyton The Inline Ratchet P-Clamp borrows from the proprietary, adjustable clamp design of the original RPC with metal stamping. This version of the wire, cable, and tube bundling solution features an integrated, high tensile strength 9mm fir tree fastener. For applications where a pre-drilled hole exists, the Inline RPC can be installed one-handed. The fir tree design requires low insertion effort while delivering high extraction resistance. Once a bundle is inserted into the clamp, installers can close the ratcheting mechanism until snug. Just four parts cover bundles from 0.5" to 2" in diameter, reducing inventory versus one-size P-clamps and associated mounting hardware. www.hellermann.tyton.com

www.cameronwire.com

www.tribco.com

Tension & Torque Kit Minimalist Compact Lightweight The simple solution for bolt checks www.ith.com

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www.concastinc.com

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

PNA CableGuard is a solution to the protection and upgrading of fiber optic and power cabling needs. Long, continuous run lengths (up to 14,000ft on 1"IPS for control cabling) minimize splicing and offer construction and rodent protection. Upgrading PV and power cabling on existing runs is simplified by having the conduit already in place. They install custom lengths and configurations to meet any needs on a particular job. Common configurations installed for solar are multiple 300-750MCM cables with a ground in longer lengths. Job costs are reduced by having the cable factory preinstalled, and it ensures protection before, during, and after the site installation.

LAPP USA, Inc. LAPP designs wind turbine tray cables, flexible control cables, industrial connectors, strain relief cable glands, and custom cable assemblies to withstand harsh environmental factors including humidity, vibration, extreme temperatures, oil exposure, and electromagnetic interference. Industrial Ethernet and data communication systems provide connectivity demanded by modern wind systems. Their cables are subjected to stringent tests and are compliant with several UL, CSA and LAPP wind industry standards. LAPP brands, including ÖLFLEX, EPIC, SKINTOP, and ETHERLINE are used globally. They also provide custom cabling solutions to meet any connection challenge. www.lappusa.lappgroup.com

Capacitors

Cornell Dubilier Electronics Type ALH AC harmonic filter capacitors and type BLH DC-Link capacitors use advanced construction technology to meet the challenges of harsh environments. These series offer long life with designs that pass the rigors of automotive-grade electrical and mechanical testing. Applications Include: DC Link for solar, EV, and other inverters that are subjected to harsh environmental conditions, backup, UPS, portable power systems, motor drives, traction, and other transportation systems. www.cde.com

WHERE COLOSSAL, LOW-SPEED BLADES MEET EFFICIENT, HIGHVELOCITY CARGO HANDLING Twenty years ago, a 16-meter wind turbine blade was considered a long blade. The Port of Vancouver USA recently handled 77-meter-long blades—the longest ever imported into North America—nearly 5x longer than blades from two decades ago. Wind turbine size has increased in parallel with demand for wind components throughout North America. Any shipper’s list of port selection criteria has to include the laydown capacity to safely and efficiently handle such oversized cargo.

With its combination of favorable West Coast location, available laydown space, exceptional equipment and infrastructure and experienced labor force, the Port of Vancouver USA has a track record of success for handling wind energy components into the US and Canada.

Location and capacity Just over one hundred miles up the Columbia River from the Pacific Ocean, the Port of Vancouver USA enables shippers to bypass the congestion of other coastal ports. In addition, the port lies at the nexus of two interstate highways and a continent-spanning rail network, providing direct access from Asia to the US Midwest and Central Canada.

In contrast to most other West Coast ports, the Port of Vancouver USA also has vast amounts of acreage available for marshaling and short-term storage of large wind components. The port’s Terminal 5 facility features more than 80 acres of laydown space immediately adjacent to the deep-draft shipping channel.

Experience and flexibility The Port of Vancouver USA has more than 18 years of experience handling the transit of wind components bound for Eastern Washington, Oregon and Canada. In-depth knowledge of handling procedures, fixture types and other manufacturer-specific requirements allows the port to rapidly, efficiently and safely accommodate the full array of component types, sizes and designs.

Velocity and certainty The Port of Vancouver USA offers logistics professionals the hard-to-find balance of fast and efficient cargo handling along with the peace of mind that components will be handled safely. The operators of the port’s two heavy-lift Liebherr cranes are experts in engineered and tandem lifts, plus representatives from heavy-haul trucking companies are on-site to manage cargo movement.

Considering all the advantages the Port of Vancouver USA offers the wind energy industry, it comes as no surprise that the port will handle more wind energy shipments than any other US West Coast port in 2020.

Find out more at portvanusa.com

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41

2022 wind buyers guide Component Supplier

Bal Seal Engineering Bal Seal Engineering, Inc. designs and produces sealing, connecting, conducting, and EMI shielding solutions that improve the performance and reliability of equipment used in wind, solar power, and other alternative energy production. Their solutions enable engineers to prolong service life, reduce maintenance, protect precision components, design more compact, efficient electrical connectors, and ensure consistent current/signal transmission. Their consultative engineering services streamline the design process, improving speed to market.

Their products include the Bal Seal spring-energized seal, the Bal Spring canted coil spring, and the Bal Contact electrical contact.

Ingeteam, Inc. Ingeteam offers solutions for wind turbines of up to 15MW, including power converters, Indar generators, turbine controllers, CMS, SCADAs, and O&M services.

The company provides low and medium voltage power converters, optimized for DFIG and FC topologies. The power converters are specifically designed to increase reliability, boost efficiency, reduce maintenance costs, and fulfill strict grid codes. Air cooled, air/water cooled, and full water-cooled solutions for harsh environments. Based on IGBT power semiconductors and are equipped with a web application service tool that allows monitoring and remote control. www.ingeteam.com

www.balseal.com

Continental Fan Manufacturing, Inc. Continental Fan provides fans and blowers for nacelle ventilation, GCU (generator control unit) cooling, and tower ventilation. Whether axial fans for high air volumes and low pressures, centrifugal blowers for higher-pressure applications, or TMK motorized impellers for ventilating electrical cabinets, Continental Fan has solutions for many applications. www.continentalfan.com

Littelfuse Littelfuse sensing, monitoring, and circuit protection products help keep turbines turning.

Their circuit protection products such as arc-flash relays, high-speed/semiconductor fuses, and surge protective devices keep wind turbines operating and improve safety by protecting them from arc-fault, overcurrent, and transient overvoltage damage. In addition, their sensing products enhance system efficiencies by monitoring temperature and identifying faults. By minimizing downtime, Littelfuse products reduce operating costs and maximize output. www.littelfuse.com

JUMO Process Control, Inc.

Mersen

Screw-In RTD temperature probe with plug connector according to DIN EN 175301. The plug connection between the protective fitting and the connecting line is locked to ensure contact. It has protection type IP65 when plugged in. A Pt100 temperature sensor according to DIN EN 60751:2009 / IEC 60751:2008, class B in a two-wire circuit is used as a standard measuring insert. Versions with Pt500 or Pt1000 are also available. The connection can be made in either a two-wire or four-wire circuit.

Mersen has made advances in the domain of generator slip-ring and carbon brush technology resulting in improved performance and reduced operating costs. The SR13-15 is an upgrade to one of the most common wind turbine generators in North America. Its robust and enhanced design accommodates high operating loads and boosts up the initial limitations of the turbine. It runs cool, improves brush life, and increases turbine availability in high winds.

www.jumousa.com

www.mersen.com

KRACHT CORP. KRACHT CORP. is a subsidiary of KRACHT GmbH in Germany. KRACHT, is a medium-sized, family-run business with 370 employees. KRACHT is a manufacturer of transfer pumps (e.g. noise optimized for air containing oils), hydraulic motors, high pressure gear pumps, valves, pump units, gear type flow meters, and electronics. KRACHT CORP. is located in Maumee, OH. www.krachtcorp.com

Lighthouse Global Energy is an OEM spare parts supplier specializing in hard-to-find OEM parts. Providing parts across multiple turbine platforms in the North American market, they supply solutions in hydraulic systems, gearbox accessories, yaw and pitch drives, consumables, and electrical components. With over 28 years of combined wind industry experience, Lighthouse Global Energy provides their customers with competitive pricing and quick delivery so their customers' turbines have less downtime.

Bearing fluting from electrical current is a major cause of costly pitch motor failures.

To protect these motors, Morgan offers grounding solutions which are fast and easy to install, even up-tower, and without the removing or disassembly of brakes.

By shunting electrical current around the bearings, they maximize protection of this valuable equipment. Morgan designs are lightweight, compact, and can retrofit existing motors. Morgan pitch motor grounding solutions come equipped with a constant force spring resulting in consistent brush pressure and a silver/graphite brush for low contact drop insuring this is the path of least resistance for current flow.

www.lgnrg.com

www.morganelectricalmaterials.com

Timing means everything.

Get back in business fast.

For forty years, AREPA has evaluated and restored damaged technical equipment of all kinds. The work we do reduces business interruption and saves money. It also promotes a sustainable future, as every piece of restored equipment is one less item in a landfill. At AREPA we view protecting the environment as a responsibility, and invite you to join with us as we look to the next forty years.

Learn more about our sustainability

42

Morgan Advanced Materials

Lighthouse Global Energy

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

SAFETY QUALITY PERFORMANCE

SERVICES

COMPREHENSIVE BLADE REPAIRS PROACTIVE BLADE INSPECTIONS FIRE RESTORATION

CLEANING PAINTING ENGINEERING DRONE SERVICES

FAILURE ANALYSIS NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING

ADVANCED ULTRASONIC TESTING

Visit us at Booth #807 at the CLEANPOWER 2021 Conference & Exhibition Salt Lake City, UT

Phone: 713-722-7177 info@alturawind.com

www.alturawind.com www.irisndt.com North American Clean Energy

43

2022 wind buyers guide Condition Monitoring

Niagara Power Transformer For nearly 100 years Niagara has been designing and manufacturing transformers in Buffalo, NY. They have shipped over 75,000 transformers to 90 different countries in their 95+ year history.

Their products comply with IEEE and government standards practiced throughout the world. Voltage capacities up to 50MVA base rating, 100MVA fan rating, 138kV, and 650kV BIL.

Southern States LLC The Southern States CapSwitcher high voltage capacitor switching device has been specifically developed to provide restrike free switching of capacitor banks. This reliable, long-life, special purpose SF6 capacitor switch utilizes closing resistors for mitigating voltage transients and current inrush. www.southernstatesllc.com

www.niagarapowertransformer.com

United Equipment Accessories, Inc.

Richardson Electronics

Whether you need a system for wind blade production or repairs, contact us today to learn how Mankiewicz can provide your complete coatings solutions.

The Richardson Electronics’ ULTRA3000 Pitch Energy Module is an ultracapacitor-based plug and play replacement for batteries within GE wind turbine pitch systems and is compatible with all GE 20 and 30 Nm pitch systems. Ultracapacitor-based energy storage solutions have enhanced reliability in electric pitch control systems. Ultracapacitors have the ability to deliver quick bursts of power in a short time frame, a function for emergency pitching in a wind turbine generator (WTG).

With over 1 million charge-discharge cycles, their Ultracapacitor Pitch Energy Modules can provide 15 plus years of reliable operation without maintenance. www.rell.com

SAB North America

North America: +1 (843) 654 7755 Europe: +49 (0) 40 / 75 10 30

www.mankiewicz.com

SAB industrial flexible, continuous flex, and torsion cables are designed to withstand a variety of harsh environmental factors, including abrasion, humidity, vibration, extreme temperatures, oil exposure, and electromagnetic interference. SAB’s TR 600 is a WTTC rated, Oil Res I & II rated cable for use in the drip loop in the tower and nacelle of wind turbines. CC 600 is a flexible UL/CSA rated oil resistant control cable which can be used between the Yaw drives, cabinet, gear box, and generator in the nacelle. Their liquid tight, impact resistant cord grips can be used to secure and shield the cable connections. SAB can design a custom/hybrid cable to meet their customers’ exact requirements. www.sabcable.com

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United Equipment Accessories manufactures low-maintenance, high-quality slip rings for OEM and aftermarket clients. These slip rings feature a new brush technology designed to provide long life in harsh environments. UEA’s engineers work with customers to custom-build slip rings that meet their wind turbines’ specifications.

UEA can take current slip ring specs to design an interchangeable slip ring for wind turbines.

Single brushes can be replaced at any time, removing the need to replace entire units or sets of brushes. UEA products maintain functionality in a wide range of electrical/electronic circuits, environmental conditions, and rotational speeds. www.uea-inc.com

Dynamic Ratings Dynamic Ratings provides condition based monitoring products and services to the renewables industry. They help utilities have better awareness of their high voltage electrical equipment through HV and LV transformer monitoring, partial discharge monitoring, circuit breaker monitoring, and more. www.dynamicratings.com

Fluid Life Fluid life has over 40 years of experience in equipment reliability and lubricant analysis. Their services include oil and grease analysis, SEM wear debris analysis, sensor based oil condition monitoring, data monitoring and interpretation, and a full suite of reliability projects and solutions.

They can help improve predictive maintenance programs and reduce unplanned downtime. www.fluidlife.com

WAGO Corporation WAGO’s three new IIot-enabled Generation 2 PFC200 controllers include a standard version for factory applications and two XTR versions for work in harsh environments. Each of these PLCs come with two standard RJ45 Ethernet ports and two 100 Mbit/s SFP slots for fiber optic modules. These configurable ports can be used as a switch or with individual IP addresses and support MODBUS TCP/UDP, EtherNet/IP, OPCUA protocols with additional licenses supporting EtherCAT and Sparkplug.

The fiber optic ports are beneficial where high electromagnetic interference is a concern or where long-distance networking is needed. www.wago.us

LUDECAwind LUDECAwind systems are intended both for installation and for continuous maintenance work in the field. Their EASY-LASER systems are specially configured with functionality and hardware suited for wind turbines. No matter the manufacturer, coupling, or turbine type, EASY-LASER XT-series makes generator-togearbox alignment inside any nacelle easy. Their EASY-LASER E-series E910/E915 is suitable for measuring flatness and parallelism on tower flanges regardless of diameter, as well as for solving flange deformation and blades problems. www.ludecawind.com

Strong like a bull!

The LR 1800-1.0 Suitable for every requirement – its large selection of boom configurations enables the powerful LR 1800-1.0 to deliver the perfect solution for every job. Whether it is in the industrial, infrastructure or wind sector. On top, it provides economic transport – worldwide. www.liebherr.com

Mobile and crawler cranes

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2022 wind buyers guide Construction Products & Services | EPC Contractor MotorDoc, LLC The ECMS-1 electrical signature analysis continuous monitoring system mounts within the control and monitors voltage, current, power quality, harmonics, electrical, and mechanical condition from the transformer to generator and gearbox to main shaft gears and bearings.

Connects within users SCADA or other options, wired or wireless. Includes the detection of wye ring conditions months in advance and provides kW impact of defects. Conditions normally found early enough for uptower mitigation. www.empathcms.com

Poseidon Systems Poseidon Systems provides online condition monitoring to over 8500 turbines in North America.

Using a single sensor to monitor gearbox wear debris in real time, Poseidon can offer early bearing and gear fault detection to provide operators with the foresight to mitigate catastrophic failures and remedy smaller issues with up-tower repairs.

Poseidon’s DM4500 Debris Monitor offers sensing technology with the ability to detect metallic debris at an industry leading 40μm Fe and 150μm Fe to identify faults before they lead to failures, reducing the need for visual inspections and the technicians’ exposure to rotating machinery while mitigating wind turbine downtime. www.poseidonsys.com

Blattner Company

American Polywater Corporation Safeguard enclosures and equipment from damage with Polywater InstaGrout Sealant, a two-part urethane foam that seals out pad-mounted equipment openings to prevent outages and service disruptions.

Safe and effective to use. InstaGrout will not collapse during change-outs and adheres to various pad-mounted materials.

For more than a century, the Blattner Family of Companies has delivered collaborative construction solutions throughout the United States. Today, as a diversified electrical general contractor, Blattner delivers construction solutions within the renewable energy industry. Their collaborative culture and safe working environment enables their teams to complete projects of all scopes and sizes. They have a commitment to consistency, quality, and integrity. www.blattnercompany.com

www.polywater.com

Cortland Company

ONYX InSight ONYX Insight has launched its ecoPITCH solution, a new sensor system for monitoring pitch bearings. Robust, sensor hardware, coupled with advanced data analytics enables wind farm operators to detect the early warning signs of impending pitch-bearing failure. The ecoPITCH system uses multiple data streams and advanced signal processing techniques to maximize insights and minimize consequential costs. ecoPITCH will help users make smart decisions by giving them access to new information about their pitch-bearing health. www.onyxinsight.com

Sensoria Sensoria is a blade monitoring solution for wind blade integrity management.

Sensoria takes the guesswork out of blade integrity with a remote, 24/7/365 blade monitor, easily-accessible integrity data portal, and inspection and maintenance support services. Sensoria benefits teams throughout the organization, with real-time damage alerts, damage trending and analysis, and more informed inventory and spare parts management, to provide users with Edge-to-Edge Intelligence throughout the wind blade value chain. www.sensoriawind.com

Black & Veatch Black & Veatch is an employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting, and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, they have helped address the resilience and reliability of infrastructure assets. With over 40 years of wind project development and implementation experience, Black & Veatch’s regulatory, technology, and execution expertise enables them to help develop, install, store, and connect renewable energy to the grid.

Synthetic lifting solutions surpass traditional steel wire sling solutions through strength, weight, handling, and storage efficiencies. As an originator of fiber braiding and rope sling technology, Cortland Company has more than 25 years of experience engineering certified synthetic lifting sling solutions. They offer high tenacity Cortland Selantic round slings and high tenacity Cortland Plasma®braided rope slings. All Cortland synthetic fiber lifting slings are compliant with DNV, EN, or ASME listing standards and certified with appropriate product and lifting capacities. www.cortlandcompany.com

www.bv.com

Laminated Wood Systems, Inc. Laminated Wood Systems’ nationwide manufacturing network allows for structures to be produced and delivered in six to eight weeks after drawing approval.

E-LAM structure designs typically include foundation design and all attachment hardware. E-LAM structures are supplied as complete kits that include installation drawings, foundations, and all hardware.

Where Engineering Meets Passion

LED Technology Dimming Capability GPS Synchronization Solar Powered Temporary Lighting ADLS/Aircraft Detection Lighting System Infrared NVIS/Night Vision Imaging Systems Compatibility www.itl-llc.com

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www.lwsinc.com

CONNECT WITH ITL

Electrical Consultants, Inc. Port Industries. Inc. Hydramaxx trenchers and plows are designed for one pass installation of electrical cable, conduit, ground wire, and caution tape. Whether plowing in cable, or requiring an open ditch, Port Industries has the equipment, guide arms, and lay boxes to meet any collection systems specific requirements.

Port Industries works closely with their renewable energy customers. They design and build the guides and lay boxes based on each collection system’s unique requirements regarding cable spacing and backfill/compaction coverage. They use internal designs and components to ensure cable installation will be achieved without cable damage. The Hydramaxx Chain Trencher is a solution for wind farm cable installation.

ECI provides comprehensive power interconnection services through 765kV to wind power developers across the United States. In operation since 1985, ECI offers extensive electrical design services to power wind projects, including substations and switchyards, transmission and distribution lines, and energy storage systems. Their in-house resources also provide ancillary services to make interconnection and storage projects the most efficient they can be, from right-of-way and land services, to environmental and regulatory permitting, communication and SCADA designs. www.eciusa.com

www.portindustries.com

Samson For more than 140 years, Samson has been working with industry professionals to develop synthetic rope for energy operations. Samson has engineered products specific to the challenging conditions and demanding environments in energy applications. www.samsonrope.com

Consulting Services

Electric Power Engineers, Inc. Electric Power Engineers (EPE) has partnered with power and energy clients across the globe for over 50 years. Offering comprehensive services and proprietary solutions spanning utility engineering, grid and resource integration, reliability and compliance, and software and grid analytics, EPE’s client-centric approach delivers expertise throughout the project life cycle. Committed to designing and developing the grid of the future, EPE’s experienced team of consultants are passionate about helping clients address complex engineering and grid modeling challenges, bridge gaps, and gain visibility into the evolving complexities of the grid. www.epeconsulting.com

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2022 wind buyers guide Contractors

Cranes | Hydraulic Equipment | Aerial Devices

TerraPro Solutions EPI Group EPI offer support and supervision throughout the project life-cycle, from initial feasibility studies and scoping through to decommissioning. They provide consultants and have the technical expertise in-house to offer reassurance and project management for the on and offshore wind sectors (fixed and floating). They have in-house specialists in environmental, geospatial, geoscience, QHSE services, geotechnical, UXO mitigation, and operations.

TerraPro Solutions provides services including fatal flaw analysis; site selection and feasibility GIS review; site acquisition lease and purchase negotiations with landowners; title due diligence and curative review; survey review; leasing, site control, and transaction closing support. www.terraprosolutions.com

www.epigroup.com

Vertex Resource Group, Ltd.

Sentrex Wind Services, Inc.

Vertex clients work with engineers, geologists, hydrogeologists, agrologists, scientists, project managers, and other technical specialists who are committed to helping them meet their project objectives. Vertex’s Environmental Consulting team takes the time to build an understanding of client needs and of the specific environments in which they operate, in order to help clients achieve their short and long-term financial, social, and environmental goals.

Sentrex Wind Services provides project consulting and field services for SoDAR and and LiDAR operations, met tower installations and maintenance, solar installations, and environmental monitoring instrumentation.

Sentrex owns a 203m high IEC compliant meteorological test tower that is purpose-built for verification of LiDAR and SoDAR units. They provide rentals of AQ510 SoDAR units and manufacture power supplies for remote sites, with complete monitoring and control of their remote power supply operations through their custom built controls and interface. www.sentrexwind.com

www.vertex.ca

Bishop Lifting Products, Inc. Bishop Lifting Products designs and fabricates below-the-hook lifting devices for wind energy components including universal nacelle lifting beams, J-hooks for lifting tower sections, counter balanced lifting beams, blade lifters and cradles, twin-path extra CoverMax slings, swivel hoist rings, and Crosby rigging hardware for wire rope and chain. www.lifting.com

Westlake Consultants, Inc. Westlake's civil engineering, surveying, and land use consulting expertise is a result of 20+ years working in wind energy. They’ve provided services for over 2 dozen wind projects throughout the U.S. Services include feasibility review, land surveying, land use approval, permitting assistance, roadway and grading design, and construction phase services. Their experienced wind team is adept at finding solutions to complex challenges associated with wind development projects.

DIRECT REPLACEMENT UPGRADES FOR THE AFTERMARKET

Cleanpower Booth:

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Approved and Trusted Solutions Over 30 Years in the Wind Industry Supply Partner for Multiple OEM’s Over 150,000 BGB Slip Ring Solutions Installed Globally BGB Pitch Control Slip Ring for GE

Phone: 804 451 5211 sales@bgbtechnology.com BGB Technology Inc. 1060 Port Walthall Dr, Colonial Heights, VA 23834 USA

WWW.BGBINNOVATION.COM

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For over three decades, the Powering America team has been out front in the energy revolution. They have been instrumental in developing the “Smart Grid”, making the use of new and alternative energy sources possible. They offer both solar and wind power training. Their team can help design highly efficient, even “Zero Net”, construction projects or perform energy audits and retrofits for existing buildings. Their workforce helps ensure that the right electrical systems are installed, so that customers can lower their energy costs and quickly recover their investments. www.poweringamerica.org

www.westlakeconsultants.com

> > > >

Powering America (NECA and IBEW)

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Bronto Skylift, Inc. Rosendin Electric Rosendin is a large electrical contractor, constructing underground and overhead collection systems, fiber optic SCADA systems, as well as substations and overhead transmission lines connecting generating power plants to utility grids. Over the last decade Rosendin has installed more than 31GW of clean, renewable energy, including more than 150 wind energy projects throughout the U.S. and Canada, ranging in size from 1MW to more than 900MW. Rosendin has experience, a commitment to safety, quality, and a record of on-time performance for electrical construction services. www.rosendin.com

Bronto Skylift's line of truck-mounted aerial platforms offer stability and increase the safety and efficiency of construction and maintenance of the wind turbines and blades. High working cage load up to 1500lbs allows capacity for staff and tools, while integrated electrical, hydraulic, and water lines in the cage enable tools and washers to be used. Technicians can reach the turbine blades fast, at a low cost, while carrying everything needed for the repair. Bronto aerials can be driven directly to a turbine and are fully operational in minutes. The advanced, easy to use control system offers reliable outreach, smooth movements, and additional safety features. www.brontoskylift.com/us

Leavitt Cranes Leavitt Cranes carries Krøll luffing tower cranes that are designed for the wind turbine industry.

The Krøll wind turbine cranes achieves the max HUH without the use of tie-ins to the structure. It can reach greater lifting heights and accommodate the massive weights of the nacelles that spin atop the towers to generate wind power. A Krøll wind turbine crane will also be able to work on smaller hardstands and have design features that allow it to work where crawler or mobile cranes cannot. It can lift up to 330,000lbs and can be transported to any build site around the globe for national or municipal energy projects. www.leavittcranes.com

Liebherr-Werk Ehingen GmbH Liebherr provides mobile and crawler cranes with lifting capacities up to 3000t and special wind power crane configurations for both mobile and crawler cranes. Established in 1949, Liebherr’s mobile and crawler crane division supplies roughly 2000 cranes every year to customers all over the world. www.liebherr.com

LIFTKET Hoffmann GmbH Electric chain hoists from LIFTKET move any load from 275lbs to 55,115lbs (125kg to 25,000kg) and up to 656ft (200m) high, safely, and anywhere. www.liftket.de

Snorkel

Xtreme Manufacturing

The Snorkel (Mega Boom) 2100SJ reaches a working height of 216ft. The Mega Boom boasts an horizontal outreach up to 100ft, and an unrestricted platform capacity of 660lbs. For enhanced access and flexibility at height, a 30ft jib boom provides exceptional up-and-over capabilities. Designed with a simple chassis and powered by a Deutz turbocharged 2.9L 74hp diesel engine, the lift remains a heavy duty performing machine at 80,000lbs.

The XR1285-B by Xtreme Manufacturing is a tall fixed boom telehandler, which reaches an height of 85ft with maximum lift capacity of 12,000lbs. The XR1285-B is equipped with a primary and a secondary boom. The multi-functional XR1570-C offers a maximum lift of 70ft with forward reach of 53ft and maximum lift capacity of 15,000lbs. A XR1570 offers the horizontal movement of a crane mixed with the lift capacity of a forklift.

www.snorkellifts.com

www.xmfg.com

Grid emulation experts Ahead of the grid and before your deadlines, we enable you to commission renewable energy projects.

Mitigate construction and contractual risk Commissioning services for wind and solar projects Cost saving fuel efficiency programs Simulating grid conditions Readiness testing Fluctuation testing in real-time

Shuttlelift

Capitalize on tax incentives

DB, SB, and SL Shuttlelift gantry cranes are available with lifting capacities up to 1500t. All cranes and spreaders are custom engineered for each project.

Custom engineered systems

www.shuttlelift.com

Visit aggreko.com to get in touch Aggreko NAM Grid emulation experts full page ad_AW.indd 1

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15:53

2022 wind buyers guide Cyber Security Systems

Data Acquisition

Economic Wind Development Region

Iron Spear Information Security, Ltd. Iron Spear is committed to providing solutions to meet the needs of their clients from security compliance to program development and operation.

Their areas of expertise include Governance, Risk & Compliance, Identity & Access Management, Procurement & 3rd Party, Physical & Personnel Security, Configuration & Change Management, Threat & Vulnerability Management, Logging & Monitoring, and Incident Response. They focus on translating technical issues into real business risk and communicating these to leadership in a manner that is logical and relates to the organization. www.ironspear.ca

Education | Training | Research Development

Abaris Training Resources, Inc. Abaris offers two 5-day windblade repair courses for technicians, supervisors, and inspectors. The R-5 is an intermediate level and the R-15 is an advanced level course as described on their website. These courses meet GWO standards for certification.

DEWESoft DEWESoft builds their equipment to last and guarantees their hardware will be free from defects and functional. Their warranty covers that the instruments function as promised for a period of 7 years from the day of the delivery.

www.abaris.com

www.dewesoft.com

Black & McDonald

Peaxy, Inc. Peaxy Wind Market Analysis offers advanced wind farm performance tracking based on a near-real-time digital footprint of 1500+ wind farms in the U.S. A comprehensive downloadable dataset ranks wind farms in the U.S. based on potential revenue generation, historical weather patterns, and other factors, for easy comparison. A web application answers questions about wind farm performance vs. competition or region, revenue predictions, expansion opportunities, and more. Access is available as a monthly or annual subscription.

Black & McDonald Inc. is an integrated, multitrade service provider that safely delivers high quality construction, facilities management, and technical solutions. They are a family owned and operated company with over 5000 employees working out of more than 30 offices across North America. With nearly 100 years of diverse market experience, they are a forward thinking organization with a strong track record of delivering operational excellence and customer-focused solutions that stand the test of time. www.blackandmcdonald.com

Iowa Lakes Community College The Wind Energy and Turbine Technology program at Iowa Lakes has earned the American Wind Energy Association's Seal of Approval for Wind Turbine Service Technician Programs. Students gain hands-on experience in their 50,000sq/ft Sustainable Energy Resources and Technology Center. They deliver rigorous coursework that produces the front-line technicians the industry needs. Students receive training in construction, maintenance, and wind turbine operations while learning the fundamentals of electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical theory and advanced training in power generation, programmable logic, and more. www.iowalakes.edu

www.peaxy.net

ELECTRIC MATERIALS COMPANY Supplier to OEMs, aftermarket, and wind farm owners.

◊ Reverse-engineering capabilities ◊ Slip Ring Assemblies (brass and steel rings) ◊ Copper busbar ◊ Copper earthing clamps/cable clamps ◊ Copper and copper-alloy extrusions, castings, and forgings

In-house engineering, quality, and metallurgical support.

◊ AC rotors, DC commutators, and DC busbar systems ◊ CNC machining and plating to customers’ specifications. ◊ ISO 9001:2015 certified

800-356-2211

www.elecmat.com 50

sales@elecmat.com

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Kansas Department of Commerce Kansas is ranked No. 2 in clean power share of electricity generation and is among the top five states for operating wind farms, with over 7000MW currently in operation.

Kansas wind energy is cost effective due to high capacity factors and attractive to corporate off-takers. Centrally located in the heart of the wind corridor, Kansas offers access to the key regions for wind farm development and an advantageous operating environment for developers, component manufacturers, logistics, and other service providers. The Kansas Department of Commerce is the primary point of contact to assist companies in learning about the state’s wind industry and finding the ideal site for their operations. www.kansascommerce.gov

Safety Technology USA, LLC STL USA (Safety Technology USA) specializes in delivering GWO accredited training courses from locations in Texas and Iowa. Current courses include GWO Basic Safety Training with GWO Basic Technical Training and GWO Advanced Rescue training available from January 1st, 2022. www.safetytechnologyusa.com

Electrical Equipment & Services | Power Generation

EDE Electric Motor Testing The all-in-one MotorAnalyzer2 (MA2) offers comprehensive testing of generators and motors for up tower maintenance activities. The MA2 is suitable for on-site, predictive maintenance, machine health analysis, troubleshooting, and fault detection. Due to its size, weight, and battery operation, the MA2 is a solution for wind towers and many other applications requiring challenging access. It offers the ability to perform surge, high potential, resistance, impedance, inductance, and capacitance testing in a compact automated tester. Available software enhances the ability to create reports and store maintenance activities and results in a database structure. www.edeinst.com

Allied Industrial Marketing, Inc. Allied Industrial Marketing supplies Mangoldt and FRAKO products for electrical power quality including FRAKO capacitors, contactors, and Frako controllers for power factor improvement, tuned filters, and other power quality filter systems. FRAKO power capacitors are designed for a continuous current-carrying capacity of at least 1.5 times and up to 2.7 times the rated current.

They also offer Mangoldt reactors for renewable applications. line/load reactors, input harmonic filters, sine wave filters, L-C-L filters, standard de-tuning reactors, compensation reactors, air-core reactors, smoothing reactors, audio frequency blocking devices, tuning inductors, active filter reactors, dv/dt – limiting chokes, sinusoidal filter reactors, common mode chokes, and specialized products. www.alliedindustrialmarketing.com

Don’t be let down by a lift.

Installation and preventative maintenance by IUEC elevator mechanics will keep your elevators moving SAFELY and more EFFICIENTLY. We have more than 450 elevator companies ready to serve your elevator lift needs.

Contact us today.

Carisa Barrett cbarrett@eiwpf.org 253-561-4902 BGB BGB’s designed Siemens 2.3MW pitch slip ring, with zero maintenance and 100M revolutions, and durable GE 1X/2X pitch slip ring, with some units incorporating fiber optics for reliable communication and data transfer, help reduce the frequency of uptower climbs. In addition to offering repairs and original equipment, BGB also supplies numerous affordable aftermarket solutions. www.bgbinnovation.com

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2022 wind buyers guide Electrical Insulation

G&W Electric G&W Electric gas wind switches are available in a variety of multi-way configurations for either utility grid or turbine tower applications. Fault protection for transformers can be provided using vacuum interrupters. An integral ground position on the switch operator facilitates easy grounding of the system with rotation of the operating handle. Ratings through 38kV and 900A load breaks and fully tested to applicable IEEE and IEC standards. Additional features include a dead-front, compact vertical design which fits through a typical entrance tower opening for installation or padmount switch installed outside the wind tower, a visible break verification and manual, remote, or SCADA control. www.gwelectric.com

Sentinel Control Products The Sentinel CS-1 Control Switch Safety Covers protects manual and electrically operated control switches from accidental operation, ensuring that employees can safely protect, lock, and tag a Circuit Breaker control system. The CS-1 is made from high-impact clear polycarbonate, allowing view of the control switch position indicators. The CS-1 is easily added to existing rotary control switches, requires only a few minutes with no drilling required, no need to remove the switch from the panel, and no disturbing the wiring. The CS-1’s locking tab accepts multi-lock hasps or single padlocks. Their Control Switch Safety cover is compatible with Electroswitch, General Electric, Shallco and GE/ITI switches. The CS-1 is a “UL” recognized component and can be installed by “UL 508A” panel shops. www.sentinelcontrolproducts.com

Helwig Carbon Products, Inc. Helwig Carbon Products provides wind kit upgrades for Hitachi generators that feature improved brush holders, long life brushes, and easy maintenance features.

The kit includes robust brush holders with adjustable, longer brush boxes. Constant force springs and quick disconnects provide ease of servicing. They also offer grounding solutions and wind pitch motor shaft grounding to protect motor bearings. Made in USA and fast delivery.

Elevators

Virginia-Georgia Transformer Corporation Virginia-Georgia Transformer Corp designs and builds power transformers that are reliable and resilient enough to achieve a design life of 60 years and are used in transforming 25% of the power transmitted on the national grid.

Pittsburgh Electrical Insulation Pittsburgh Electrical Insulation is a manufacturer, converter, and distributor of electrical insulation materials focused on the OEM and service industries associated with motor, generator and transformer production and repair. Celebrating 75 years of continuous operation, PEI remains a cost efficient, customer focused company dedicated to the supply of electrical insulation materials, IEEE and UL components, systems, and supplies for new power generation technology or for an unplanned outage on existing equipment.

They maintain an inventory of high performance materials, both rigid and flexible, and are able to convert those products to customer requirements with short lead times. PEI manufactures their brand-name products in the USA, while distributing and converting for manufacturers such as St. Gobain, 3M, and Kaneka, augmented by a global sourcing practice that gives their customers options for any application. www.peipittsburgh.com

Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund Highly trained elevator mechanics from the International Union of Elevator Constructors not only keep elevators running, they keep them running efficiently, and above all, safely. They have over 28,000 trained professionals with over 8000 on-the-job hours and over 2500 classroom hours, with as many as 450+ companies ready to serve. Whether it’s installation, repair, maintenance, or inspections, EIWPF can help, and provide compliance and safety inspections across the US as well. Their staff sits on the ASME A17.8 committee that write the codes for these elevators. www.eiwpf.org

Enclosures

Electrolysers

www.vatransformer.com

www.helwigcarbon.com

Nel Hydrogen SAFELY HANDLING HEAVY SLIP RINGS at the top of a wind turbine can be a difficult task for even highly skilled technicians. Morgan Slip Ring Safety WRAP™ is an engineered solution to protect both people and expensive bronze rings. "Where was this 12 years ago!" This is the most common question we get when showing our patent pending design to those who know the process. Morgan solved the problem, protecting costly slip rings from O&M to generator. Safety should NEVER be compromised.

Email: George.Finley@morganplc.com | Mobile: 307-660-1232

www.morganelectricalmaterials.com

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Nel Hydrogen manufacturers Alkaline and Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) water electrolysers, producing from 0.27 Nm3 to 5,000 Nm3 of H2 per hour. Units can be grouped together into electrolyser plants for even larger production rates. Electrolysers are used to store excess electricity from renewable resources in the H2 bond. The H2 can then be sold to industry (converting curtailed power to cash), or burned in a turbine or run through a fuel cell to put the stored energy onto the grid during periods of low generation or peak demand. Due to their fast response times the PEM electrolysers are also used by renewable energy plants to balance the power the plant puts onto the grid. www.nelhydrogen.com

Fibox Enclosures Fibox specializes in rust-free, UV resistant polycarbonate enclosures for the power generation industry. Ranging in size from 2" x 2" to 32" x 24", Fibox's UL listed NEMA 4X and 6P enclosing solutions protect products from hostile environments and resist impacts and UV damage, making them suitable for energy farms. Fibox can customize their products to meet exact project requirements. www.fiboxusa.com

Breeze, Inc. Delivering wind energy to where it is needed without GHGs, inverter losses, or water used to generate the electricity. Compressed Air Pipeline Solutions (CAPS) stores, transports and distributes wind energy as compressed air in pipelines that are connected to the grid via an existing power plant. The compressed air can be stored in the pipeline to be provided during peak times or to eliminate energy delivery intermittency. The pipeline transports the compressed air to a substation or off-taker thereby acting as transmission lines. www.breezesqueeze.com

Trachte Trachte provides engineering and manufacturing of control houses and E-houses for the substation and renewable markets. Utility providers, OEMs, and EPC firms choose to partner with Trachte for their project execution, problem-solving abilities, product performance, and quality. Trachte pre-assembled, modular steel buildings and integrated packages provide protection, energy efficiency, quality, and convenience for highly technical customers and applications.

Wind Turbine Foundation Systems

www.trachteusa.com

Energy Storage | Grid Connection

Aggreko Aggreko’s fully integrated, plug-and-play battery storage solutions ensure maximum system effectiveness and efficiency. They have been optimized across every component to deliver system performance, minimize operating costs, and shrink a carbon footprint. Aggreko offers solutions to power a microgrid, add reliability to a hybrid system, and to optimize business cases through smart energy management. The Y.Cube is a readyto-install energy storage system. www.aggreko.com

Williams Form Engineering Corp.

8165 Graphic Dr. Belmont, MI 49306 Phone: (616) 866-0815 Fax: (616-866-1890 North Clean Energy Web:American www.williamsform.com 53

2022 wind buyers guide Engineering

Crown Battery Crown Renewable Batteries are an innovative array of responsible battery energy storage products, including their popular 2CRP1200 model which has capacity up to 55.9kWh (48VDC) for best available performance and ROI, is flexible and easy to handle, configure, deployable for new or existing systems and resilient in extreme operating temperatures, and earthfriendly being 99% recyclable. Crown can supply grid-connected with back-up power, off-grid, or custom storage applications. www.crownbattery.com

EnerSys

LEOCH Battery Corporation

The NSB BLUE+ Battery applies carbon technology for high cycle life and Partial State of Charge (PSOC) performance. Thin plate technology delivers long life and high power output. In addition, the NSB BLUE+ Battery is a UL1989-recognized product and is flame retardant to meet UL94VO. It is built in the United States, has a two-year shelf life, and offers fast, efficient recharge. The NorthStar BLUE+ Battery features special plastic components for operation in a wide temperature range. Its product range is 40-210 amp hours.

Leoch's Pure Lead + Carbon Technology has been specifically engineered to support partial-stateof-charge applications where the batteries are cycled regularly. These high power, energy dense batteries offer super-fast charging from 0% to 90% in 1hr and a long deep cycle life of 3000 cycles at 50% DoD. The ABS-Polycarbonate jars provide rugged durability and a wide operating temperature of -40°F to 131°F (-40°C to 55°C).

Tested to IEC standards. www.leoch.us

www.enersys.com

Lithium Werks FUERGY FUERGY is a technology company providing solutions for energy optimization. For this purpose, it has developed its own modular battery system and software platform powered by artificial intelligence, which meets the special needs of energy management. From smart energy storage to dispatch systems and automated energy trading, FUERGY offers complex, cost-effective, tailor-made solutions enabling to accelerate the transition to energy decentralization with a high share of renewables.

Lithium Werks manufactures lithium-ion cells and custom battery systems that can be arranged with cells at 3.3Vdc up to systems of 1000Vdc, from kWh to MWh. Lithium Werks’ LFP Nanophosphate (LiFePO4) chemistry delivers high power, safety, long life, and is suitable for frequency regulation, peak power shaving, and critical high-rate UPS line stabilization. They also make custom battery solutions for long duration solar and wind energy storage.

Altura, a division of IRISNDT To help maintain their customers fleet, Altura collects data with a range of different inspection methods. Their engineers can then analyze the data and advise on repair strategy, minimizing loss of production, and prolonging the life of the blades and wind turbine assets.

Engineering services include blade and tower failure root cause analysis, materials lab testing and analysis, blade condition categorization, disposition and reporting, and repair procedure development. Altura is a division of IRISNDT, and their technical reliability expertise spans over 65 years in inspection, non-destructive testing, rope access, drones and robotics, and IT and software development services. www.alturawind.com

www.lithiumwerks.com

www.fuergy.com

Dearborn Companies SIBA Fuses SIBA Fuses works with medium and high voltage fuses with ANSI/IEEE, E-rated, and standard European for protection of transformers, including submersibles, MCC fuses for motor control centers, medium and high voltage switchgear, compact substations, overhead fuses, mainline fusing, and high voltage capacitor filter and harmonic banks. SIBA’s SSK Fuses for switch disconnect, include a special thermal sensor specifically invented by SIBA for this application, and are offered in both dry type and under oil, with unique SIBA-patented technology. All of their HHD fuses can be used in standard switchgear to special wind and solar applications up to 40.5kV and have a high breaking capacity. www.siballc.net

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Dearborn provides customized, construction engineering solutions to owner-operator, EPC, and specialty contractor clients.

Industries served by Dearborn include renewable energy construction, fossil and nuclear power facilities, oil & gas, industrial process, infrastructure, and mission critical facilities. Leveraging 7-decades of experience, Dearborn specializes in heavy lift / heavy transport consulting, focusing on ground condition surveys and ground stabilization design, engineered lift planning, rigging and marine engineering, and route surveys. Engineering safe and practical solutions, while helping clients maximize their efficiency, is their mission. www.dearborncos.com

Fiber Optics POWER Engineers, Inc. POWER Engineers, Inc. provides owner’s engineering, environmental, and engineering design services for medium voltage collection systems, BESS, site civil, communication networks, SCADA, and associated substations and transmission interconnect lines. They also perform up-front interconnection support and complete electrical system studies for developmental projects, as well as construction management, inspection services, and testing and commissioning for wind farm constructors and owner/operators. www.powereng.com

EMA Electromechanics, Inc. EMA is the designer and manufacturer of the Grounding Breaker. A unique equipment, designed to switch and ground wind and solar collection circuits. It provides safety, TOV mitigation, and cost savings on CAPEX and OPEX. It increases grid reliability, helping to differentiate internal and external faults to the power plants, ensuring engineers have the ability to set generators to trip if the fault is inside the plant or ride through (PRC-024) if the fault is outside. EMA offers PDCs, 38kV vacuum grounding breakers, and conventional circuit breakers for indoor switchgear and outdoor application

Taney Engineering

Fiber Instrument Sales, Inc.

Taney Engineering provides site development services including zoning and entitlements feasibility studies, grading plans, street plans and profiles, hydrology studies, aerial mapping, ground support services, A.L.T.A. surveys, boundary and topographical surveys, and construction staking. Their drainage (hydrology/hydraulic) services include hydrologic modeling, channel and storm drain design, storm drain hydraulic modeling, flood control, masterplanning, sedimentation and erosion modeling, stormwater detention/retention basin design, FEMA flood plain delineation, and letters of map revisions, conditional letters of map revisions, flood plain and open channel hydraulic modeling, as well as hydraulic design of bridges and culverts.

Fiber Instrument Sales offers factory preloaded stock interconnects populated with the choice of SC or LC adapter plates, pigtails, and splice trays. Offered in a variety of enclosure types including, swing-out rack mounts (1 and 2 RU configurations), slide-out rack mounts (1, 2, and 4 RU configurations), economy wall mounts, and deluxe wall mounts. Their pre-loaded interconnects are Plug-n-Play field installable, which means reduced field installation time and quick turnaround. Small or large quantity orders are accepted. No minimum order quantities.

Technical drawings are available. Save time and money with FIS enclosures. Made in the USA.

www.taneycorp.com

www.emaelectromechanics.com

Westwood Professional Services Modulift UK, Ltd. Located in the UK and with a global distribution network, Modulift are a manufacturer of high quality modular spreader beams and accessories.

Modulift's standard products are DNV Type approved up to 2000t capacity and are designed and manufactured in the UK. Modulift can offer a full engineering support package including design review, detailed rig drawings, and FEA analysis.

www.fiberinstrumentsales.com

Westwood is a multi-disciplined engineering, surveying, and permitting firm with experience gained from supporting more than 150GW of wind projects across the U.S. since 1997. Their services include environmental studies, permitting, civil engineering, electrical engineering, energy storage, geotechnical engineering, T&D line engineering, substation engineering, land surveying, aerial mapping, and construction support. They have 17 offices across the country and are licensed in nearly every state. www.westwoodps.com

www.modulift.com

Mott MacDonald Mott MacDonald has participated in over 65 offshore wind projects over the last 15 years.

They have worked on around 37GW of wind power production worldwide; roughly 10% of the world’s capacity. Mott MacDonald’s clients include owners, EPC contractors, power delivery utility companies, industrial facility owners, and independent power producers.

As a multidisciplinary engineering and development firm, they have specific and recent experience providing design services for HV substations, transmission lines, and collector systems for key offshore clients. www.mottmac.com

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2022 wind buyers guide Fire Suppression

Bonfiglioli USA

Stat-X Fire Suppression Stat-X aerosol fire suppression is a versatile and cost-effective solution for renewable energy fire protection.

Each sealed, stainless steel generator contains a solid, stable, and specially formulated fire suppression compound. When a fire occurs, the Stat-X generator activates, producing and releasing an advanced aerosol fire suppression agent. Agent fills the protected enclosed space and chemically interrupts the combustion process. Fire is suppressed, and the micron-sized agent particles remain suspended to help prevent possible re-flash.

Bonfiglioli creates, designs, and manufactures advanced solutions for every range of yaw & pitch drive and motor application. They are committed to deliver specialized product, at the same time proactively working to support LOCE reductions. Bonfiglioli ensures a local-for-local presence close to its customers and guarantees real-time service assistance thanks to the expansive network of branch offices and distributors. By adopting the IOT concept in its product Bonfiglioli can offer a condition monitoring system to increase product efficiencies at the same time optimizing maintenance programs. www.bonfiglioli.com

www.statx.com/industries

Gearbox Manufacturing, Services & Repairs

Pitch drives and motors from ABM are designed for reliability and longevity as well as trouble-free operation with minimal maintenance. They are characterized by maximum availability, low-vibration running, high overload capacity, and good efficiency.

Additionally, they are suitable for low-temperature use.

IPS's single-source wind turbine service capabilities include in-shop repair, up-tower services, and distribution of parts and generators. In-shop repair services include generators up to 3+MW, pitch and yaw motors, cooling fans and pumps, electronic boards, slip rings, and heat exchangers.

Up-tower repair services include wye ring testing and replacement, bearing change outs, turbine main shafts, field machining, and predictive and preventive maintenance.

Their distribution offering includes new or replacement generators, motors (pitch, yaw, cooling pump, and metric motors), couplings, battery packs, encoders, and slip rings. www.ips.us

Parker Hannifin ABM Drives, Inc.

Integrated Power Services

Every wind turbine must possess a robust speed control safety system to prevent high rotational speeds during high wind conditions. The turbine braking system is the essential safety system found in a modern wind turbine. Avoid a catastrophic diaphragm accumulator failure with Parker’s turbine braking solution. www.parker.com/energy

www.abm-antriebe.de/en

Generators | Maintenance & Repair Services

EINPART Einpart is Your One Stop Shop and supplier of onshore and offshore wind farm construction and O&M products, including Vestas, Gamesa, GE, Suzlon, Nordex, Mitsubishi, Micon, and other turbine OEM’s.

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Major components, new and refurb

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Spare and replacement parts

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Consumables

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Pitch and yaw gear

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Hand tools

Zephyr Wind Services

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Nitrogen fill systems

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Torque tools

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Testing and calibration equipment

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Hydraulic pumps, tensioners, and

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Certified lifting bags

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Climbing and PPE gear

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FAA lights

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Crimping tools

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Lifting and rigging equipment

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Stud bolt setters

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Heaters and heating blankets

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Bolts and bolt cleaners

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Grease pumps

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Oil filtration systems

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Motors

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Generator Alignment Kits

Zephyr Wind Services is fully focused on wind generators, offering a full range of diagnostic repairs including winding analysis, vibration analysis, thermal imaging, and laser alignment. Their coil manufacturing experience covers all wind turbine generator needs. Zephyr keeps a wide variety of wind turbine replacement parts in stock at all times, including generator components, bearings, encoders, slip rings, brushes, and brush holders.

Zephyr offers comprehensive generator management and stocks critical spare inventory and a climate-controlled storage program that keeps overhead low without compromising generator availability.

Lubricants

wrenches (purchase or rental) Electric torque wrenches

Einpart has an extensive network of suppliers including key partnerships in Europe and throughout the world that allow us to source hard to find wind turbine parts and products. Our suppliers include Petzl, Tractel, Skylotec, Stahlwille, Gedore, Teng Tools, alkitronic, Texas Controls, Enerpac, Quantec Signals, Danhydra, Norwolf Tools, Powermaster, Lund & Sorenson, Hoyer Motors, Dokka Fasteners, Elpress, Cotes, and many more.

Please contact us today to request a quote. einpart@einpart.com

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Electric Materials Company Electric Materials works with OEM, service centers, and wind farm owners. Customized solutions, engineering, reverse-engineering and metallurgical support offered to supply generator slip ring assemblies (brass and steel rings) and components, generator AC rotors and components, earthing cable clamps, copper extrusions, copper busbars, and cast or forged circuit breaker components (machined and plated). EM is a producer of custom copper alloys required to meet industry specification requirements. www.elecmat.com

www.zwinds.com

Insurance Services

Marathon Insurance Group LLC Marathon Insurance Group LLC is an independent insurance agency with the experience to help clients understand and manage the unique risks associated with the renewable energy industry. They can guide their customers to secure quality and competitively priced coverage to comply with often confusing and rigorous contract requirements in the industry. They have partnered with national insurance carriers working in the renewable energy industry. www.marathoninsgroup.com

Lighting

International Tower Lighting, LLC (ITL) DeTect, Inc. DeTect developed the HARRIER Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS) for automatic lighting activation of aviation obstructions such as wind farm turbines, high voltage transmission lines, and communication towers. The HARRIER ADLS provides continuous 360° radar surveillance of the airspace, automatically issuing signals to activate obstruction lighting when aircraft are detected at a defined outer perimeter. The FAA Performance Assessment Report on HARRIER ADLS states that the system met the performance requirements identified in Chapter 14 of AC 70/7460-1L and is published on the FAA Website. HARRIER is also fully compatible with all SCADA systems and turbines and is a widely deployed system with installations the US, Canada, and Europe.

ITL manufactures obstruction lighting, temporary lighting, mounting brackets, and provides live technical support for installations and repairs. Their Ethernet Gateway provides a robust multi-turbine dimming solution. Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS or radar) support via Ethernet Gateway or local input. Infrared (IR) emitters provide Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS) compatibility per FAA EB-98. Integral GPS for seamless flash synchronization. Precision optics and the latest LED technology provide a low power, low light pollution wind turbine lighting solution. www.itl-llc.com

www.detect-inc.com

Laminates

Flash Technology

Reef Industries For more than 60 years, Reef Industries has been manufacturing and fabricating reinforced film laminates and composites.

Griffolyn, the original division of Reef Industries, has been manufacturing quality, internally reinforced polyethylene laminates designed for a wide range of applications. Griffolyn's patented, high-strength reinforcement provides superior puncture, tear and abrasion resistance. Use Griffolyn for corrosion protection, equipment storage/shipping covers, landfill covers, vapor and moisture barriers, dust and environmental partitions, contaminated soil covers, athletic field covers, greenhouses, boat tarps, crop protection, or many other possibilities. From outstanding weathering characteristics to custom features, such as fire retardancy, anti-static properties, corrosion inhibition, or heat shrinkability, Griffolyn products offer high performance.

Griffolyn plastics can be customized to any size and shape, ensuring a customer’s exact requirements are met. Griffolyn is available in white, black, and clear. Custom colors are also available upon request.

Flash Technology’s FTS 350i LED wind turbine light is an economical option for wind farm developers and maintenance crews. Designed to withstand the harsh environments encountered on wind farms, the FTS 350i is small, light and easy to install. It meets L-864 specifications per FAA AC 150/534543J (infrared) and comes with a 2-year replacement warranty.

TWR Lighting, Inc. TWR Lighting is a manufacturer of obstruction lighting, visibility sensor, and radar detection systems for wind turbines and MET towers that present a hazard to aviation. With thousands of systems installed around the globe, TWR is a resource for FAA and ICAO, DGAC compliant systems. www.twrlighting.com

www.flashtechnology.com/wind

Got TechLock?

Contact us to find out more…

Call 281-227-5130 or send an email to us at info@windcomservices.com or visit WindComServices.com/request-for-proposal

www.reefindustries.com

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2022 wind buyers guide Lightning & Surge Protection Hydrotex

Raycap, Inc. Raycap provides products that help wind power systems perform with reliability, efficiency, and safety. Lightning protection products include the company’s patented surge protection solutions, featuring the maintenance-free Strikesorb electrical protection technology, which offers protection for critical electronic systems inside wind turbines. Strikesorb has a 10-year product warranty and is fully compliant to the UL 1449 5th edition and IEC 61643-11 standards. www.raycap.com

Valley Forge & Bolt Manufacturing Co. The SPC4 Load Indicating System allows users to install a bolted assembly with confidence. The user is able to remotely monitor clamp load of any SPC4 bolted joint, whether static or dynamic.

The SPC4 joint allows the end-user to re-tighten only the bolts or studs that have lost their clamp load. This results in a tremendous saving of installation time, maintenance time, safety related injuries, money, and replacement parts. Remote monitoring of bolt load is also available. For a minimal investment, the SPC4 offers maximum joint integrity with optimum performance.

Hydrotex HyDiamond 6Kp Hydraulic Fluid provides a durable, clean hydraulic fluid for maximum system protection.

HyDiamond Fluid 6Kp features an ashless, phosphorus additive package with anti-wear protection to ensure reliability. New oil ISO 4406 cleanliness of 16/14/11 with a high viscosity index for use over a wide range of temperatures. Excellent anti-wear protection to ensure reliability with superior oxidation resistance for long lubricant life. Available in several ISO Viscosity Grades filtered to 4 microns at 99.9% efficiency to ensure a clean start. www.hydrotexlube.com

Met Towers

www.vfbolts.com

Load Monitoring

Lubricants

Eilon Engineering Weighing Systems, Ltd. Eilon Engineering dynamometers and crane scales are being used in the construction, testing, and maintenance of wind turbines, mainly for overload prevention, proof load tests, installation, and guide wires tension control. Their wireless technology makes the Ron Crane Scales the suitable choice for wind turbine uses. They feature long battery life, compact dimensions, and high safety features like fatigue rated load cells, 90° between shackle holes, and are made of high quality aerospace steel. Eilon Engineering solutions have the ability to show real time load map of simultaneous measurements. www.eilonengineering.com

AMSOIL Industrial AMSOIL synthetic lubricants use sophisticated additives to provide cost-effective choices for prolonging equipment life, reducing maintenance, and increasing performance. AMSOIL PTN 320 is approved with all gearbox manufacturers, including Winergy/Flender, NGC, Gearbox Express, Moventas, and ZF, and their lubricants are used as a global factory run-in for Winergy, NGC, and ZF.

CONSERTEK USA CONSERTEK USA provides complete EPC products and services in the renewable energy sector for all meteorological analysis projects, including engineering, procurement, construction, instrumentation, and commissioning of MET Towers. In addition, CONSERTEK USA provides inspection and maintenance services on any MET Towers as per TIA-222 standards. CONSERTEK USA supplies support booms and accessories, instrumentation cabinets, and ancillary services for wind farms. The cabinets are designed, assembled, and installed by CONSERTEK USA’s technicians. The logger program is in-lab pre-tested. The supports booms are compliant with the latest edition of IEC 61400 www.consertek.com

www.amsoilwind.com

Composite Tooling for Windmill Blades

Large Scale • High Quality • Price Competitive On-time Delivery

Patterns, Molds, Plugs Precision 5-axis machining Composite Fabrication Engineering Services

Castrol Castrol Optigear Synthetic CT is a premium synthetic polyalphaolefin (PAO) gear oil designed to perform in challenging applications. Its high viscosity index coupled with advanced gear oil additives make Castrol Optigear Synthetic CT a suitable lubricant for high capacity wind turbine gear boxes both onshore and offshore in all environments. Castrol Optigear Synthetic CT has advanced ‘ashless’ technology that runs cooler, increases efficiency, resists water absorption, and provides consistent wear protection for at least ten years of oil life. Castrol Optigear Synthetic CT meets or exceeds the turbine OEM requirements for Vestas, GE, SiemensGamesa, MHI, and Senvion among others. www.castrol.com/windenergy

www.janicki.com 360.856.5143

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Tower Systems, Inc. Tower Systems, Inc. (TSI) has been providing products and services to capture meteorological data for nearly five decades. TSI manufactures the TS Elevator System that will raise or lower meteorological instrumentation on a permanent tower without the need for a climber. TSI does turnkey installation of all types of meteorological towers and has installed hundreds of towers throughout the United States and the world.

Services include tower foundation installation, tower installation, tower lighting system supply, installation and repair, met boom supply and installation, met instrumentation supply and installation, tower inspections, modifications, and repairs. www.towersystems.com

Operations & Maintenance (O&M)

Bachmann electronic GmbH Condition monitoring, SCADA, grid measurement, and data portals are crucial to bring down the cost of energy by 30%.

Bachmann’s smart automation not only increases turbine efficiency, but helps structure and connect the ever-increasing masses of data. This saves valuable time. The controller no longer just processes individual standardized signals for the operational management of the turbine but is becoming more of an intelligent control center.

Bachmann’s solutions can turn 100 monitoring variables into 20 with ISO 10816-21. www.bachmann.info

Diamond WTG Engineering & Services, Inc. Diamond WTG is a multi-brand wind turbine service provider offering O&M services, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance (including site management), oil changes, balance of plant, fault diagnostics and troubleshooting, performance reporting, blade repair, leading-edge protection (LEP), lightning damage repair, leading/trailing edge repair, shear web repair, VG’s, fiberglass or carbon fiber blade repair, and major component exchanges (gearboxes, generators, transformers, blades, main shaft, main bearing, and hydraulic stations). They also offer inspections/audits, technical services, and warehousing. www.diamondwtg.com

Fischer Block, Inc.

Kassbohrer All Terrain Vehicles, Inc.

wave iQ advanced Condition Monitoring System, applies AI and machine learning algorithms to the electrical signals produced by wind turbine generators, providing new insights into the health of system components, including those that do not show up on vibration profiles. Improves profitability by reducing O&M costs, avoiding costly failures, increasing uptime, and extending the life of the wind asset. This new early warning system is being used by a growing number of wind farm operators to drive proactive maintenance activity, based on asset condition rather than set schedules. SMART Block sensors are installed (one per turbine) in just a few minutes is all that is needed to get started.

PowerBully Scout is a lightweight utility track carrier which provides a 5-person ROPS cab with cargo deck. Transport work crews and equipment to hard-to-reach job sites while protecting them from the elements. Fully hydrostatic and powered by a Cummins turbocharged aftercooled diesel engine that develops 99hp. Optional 6-way front mount snow blade for use in opening snow covered roads at the windfarm. The Scout is quick on its feet with a top speed of 14mph. It can be trailered behind a conventional pickup truck. Durable steel tracks enable year round use in dirt, mud, or snow. Simple to operate and economical to run. Made in the USA. www.powerbully.com

www.fischerblock.com/ai4.php

HYTORC From the foundation bolts to the blades, HYTORC has developed solutions for nearly every bolting application in the wind turbine industry.

For custom projects, their experienced engineering team is available to custom design the most efficient solution, with simple operation and economical pricing in mind. HYTORC’s mission is to ensure customers’ jobs as safe and efficient as possible. All of their products are covered by a worldwide, one-year, no-questions-asked warranty, which includes free parts and labor. With authorized repair facilities located globally, fast and professional service is always available. www.hytorc.com

Ludlum Wind Ludlum IGBT assemblies are built to last. Assemblies utilize IGBTs with high ratings and enhanced internal construction, new buses, new insulators, new stand-offs, new mounting brackets, new fasteners, and an upgraded new AEBM driver board with surface mount parts. Parts are kept in stock so customers can quickly get the parts they need. All assemblies are shipped with custom steel shipping plates and custom reusable packaging so the parts always arrive safely. Ludlum IGBT assemblies are manufactured and assembled in the USA. www.ludlumwind.com

FIS Cheetah & Armordillo Splice-On Connectors Starting At

$5.95ea

Why Should You Buy FIS SOC’s?

Duromar, Inc. Since 1968, Duromar Inc. has been a Massachusetts-based global supplier of industrial coatings, paints, and linings. Duromar provides wind energy coatings including tower and platform coatings, blade repairs, icephobic coatings, and leading edge protection. www.duromar.com

∙ They make your job easier - By reducing cable management and the use of splice trays.

Splice-On Connector

∙ No need to purchase new equipment - Compatible with most industry

2 & 3mm Splice-On Connector

leading splice machines such as FIS, AFL, Sumitomo, OFS Fitel and more.

∙ They save you time and money - Connector assembly in under 3 minutes.

Sales Representatives Are Waiting For Your Call!

1-800-5000-FIS(347)

www.fiberinstrumentsales.com

FOR OUR FULL LINE OF PRODUCT OFFERINGS

Fiber Optic Solutionists North American Clean Energy

TM

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2022 wind buyers guide

Power Climber Wind

Malloy Malloy has a large inventory of wind specific bearings with an emphasis on upgrades to solve problems in the field. Including blade bearings to solve cage failure and ring cracking, gearbox bearings to solve WEC and debris failures, main shaft bearings to solve premature wear and ring cracking issues, and generator bearings to solve electrical discharge and temperature issues. www.malloywind.com

Power Climber Wind designs, manufactures, distributes, and services powered access and safety solutions for the wind energy industry. They help wind turbine OEMs, owners, and service providers around the globe manage operation and maintenance costs by providing reliable access equipment and expertise that improve employee safety, productivity, and retention. With more than 70 years of experience performing productively at elevation, they offer a range of solutions including IBEX climb assists, turbine service lifts, tower access platforms, blade access solutions, safety equipment, and training. www.powerclimberwind.com

Presto Geosystems Presto Geosystems’ 3D GEOWEB soil confinement system strengthens local fill, even sand, reducing cross section for building roads and pads for foundation construction, turbine component delivery and maintenance access. Over soft subgrades, one layer does the job compared to three layers typically required of geogrids. Confined infill remains stable under heavy loading. With 50% less cross section, use of onsite fill, and virtually no maintenance requirements, the system is a fast-built, low-cost road solution for stable access into the most challenging sites.

Spark Power Spark Power provides end-to-end solutions for wind energy, solar power, battery storage, and electric vehicle service equipment. From design to build, commissioning, operations, monitoring, and maintenance, Spark's Renewable division is both ISO9001 and ISO45001, and dedicated to delivering safe and quality services to their customers. www.sparkpowercorp.com

Power Transformers

www.prestogeo.com

Olympus America, Inc. The IPLEX G Lite industrial videoscope packs powerful imaging capabilities into a small, rugged body. Lightweight and able to go almost anywhere, users working in challenging applications have a remote visual inspection tool with the image quality and ease of use to get the job done. www.olympus-ims.com

Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc.

Precision Brand Products, Inc. With the assistance of a certified collegiate Wind Energy & Turbine Technology program, Precision Brand Products has created the lightweight Up-Tower Shim Assortment to safely and efficiently transport slotted generator alignment shims up to the nacelle. Its high-visibility orange bag has a double closing system to eliminate spillage, and is equipped with a heavy-duty ring to hang it open for easy access. It contains four popular thicknesses of stainless steel slotted shims with unique, color-coded tabs for quick identification making it easy to inventory your shims on the ground before climbing. The kit includes eight (8) .5mm, 1mm, and 1.25mm, and four (4) 2mm shims for a total of 28. www.precisionbrand.com

Sky Climber Renewables Sky Climber Renewables is an independent service provider (ISP) and is a qualified technical resource for utility scale wind power projects. They serve OEMs and wind farm owners, offering a comprehensive menu of services that promise safety, reliability, and flexibility.

Their services include inspection, composite repair, performance upgrades, scheduled service, electrical maintenance, mechanical maintenance, hydraulic system maintenance, torque and tension, suspended access, rope access, new construction support, and more.

Pennsylvania Transformer Technology, Inc. (PTTI) is a minority-owned power transformer manufacturer that produces a total range of transformer sizes from 5MVA through 600MVA. Since 1929, PTTI has been designing and building a variety of core-form transformer configurations including 34.5kV generator step-up, 345kV and large OLTC autotransformers, zig-zag, grounding, shunt reactor, mobile, and threephase voltage regulating transformers. www.patransformer.com

Project Developer | Operator

www.skyclimberwind.com

Leosphere, a Vaisala Company The WindCube Nacelle lidar enables operators to efficiently and accurately assess and verify performance to ensure maximum power output. It is widely accepted for contractual and operational power performance testing (PPT) and has been proven to dramatically reduce operational cost while increasing efficiency.

Suitable for any turbine type and rotor diameter, WindCube Nacelle’s measurement range of up to 700m provides a complete picture of the onshore and offshore wind profile with accuracy and reliability. www.leosphere.com

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Remote Monitoring

Rescue and Safety Training

Restoration Nouvelle Hauteur, Inc.

Leosphere, a Vaisala Company The IEC-Compliant WindCube suite of lidars provides accurate, dependable wind data for every phase of a wind project, onshore and offshore, in both simple and complex terrain: Wind Resource Assessment Power Performance Testing Yaw Alignment Continuous wind measurement. With WindCube, users can improve bankability and project success, increase efficiency and operational continuity, and streamline crucial tasks, with affordable accuracy. www.leosphere.com

Ohio Carbon Industries, Inc. The Carbex i-BRUSH system utilizes integrated sensors in the carbon brush, linking to an external control unit, which enables authorized users to check brush condition anytime, anywhere. Operating conditions are uploaded to the cloud and can be displayed on any smart device or PC. With knowledge of remaining brush life, the future maintenance can easily be planned to secure uptime. www.ohiocarbon.com

Yokogawa Yokogawa’s Renewable Energy Data and Intelligence (REDI) Solution is a comprehensive “sensor-to-enterprise” solution. Engineered specifically for renewable power assets, REDI enables efficient and reliable operation of energy systems while integrating and managing distributed energy resources (DERs) in today’s dynamic grid environment. Real-time monitoring and control mitigates the impact of unplanned events and allows proactive management of grid resources. Accurate forecasting allows users to navigate peak load and volatile pricing periods. A complex and mixed asset environment requires a complete “sensor-toenterprise” capability providing a single window view to maximize portfolio value while reducing costs and mitigating risks. www.yokogawa.com

CICB Crane Inspection & Certification Bureau (CICB) has offered training and consultation to the lifting and rigging industry since 1969. CICB’s programs extend to the onshore and offshore wind industry, with multiple courses covering lifting operations in the construction, maintenance, and decommissioning of wind farms. Their flagship program, Wind Service Advanced Rigging with Lift Planning, is specifically designed for those seeking advanced training in planning and rigging safe loads on wind farms. CICB sits on ACP's Wind Workforce Standards Committee and is involved in the development of lifting and rigging standards in the industry. www.cicb.com/wind

Nouvelle Hauteur is an organization of professional instructors who specialize in providing fall protection, rescue, rope access (SPRAT), confined spaces, and tower rigging training in both English and French. As a certified Global Wind Organization (GWO) training provider offering their suite of Basic Safety Training courses, they are committed to protecting renewable energy workers from both the seen and unforeseen risks related to working at heights and confined spaces. Their courses are offered at their training center in Montréal, as well as on-site.

AmePower AmePower is a Florida based engineering company offering solutions to reliably repair, overhaul, or modernize any wind turbine converter by adding current technology without compromising any of the OEM’s FIT/ FORM/FUNCTION specifications.

www.nouvellehauteur.com/en

www.amepower.com/wind-power

TEAM-1 Academy, Inc. TEAM-1 Academy, Inc. specializes in training for Working at Heights/Fall Protection, Confined Space, HazMat/Spill Response, many forms of Rescue, and much more. They provide Professional Safety and Rescue Training, Equipment Sales + Service + Inspections, and Consulting Services for the renewable energy sector, utilities, energy sector, Fortune 500 companies, industry, construction, health care, fire services, police, EMS, military, MOE, government, and numerous others. www.team1academy.com

NO LIMITS. NO COMPROMISE. Specialty Consultants Supporting the Crane & Rigging Industry • Ground Condition Surveys & Stabilization Engineering • Lift Planning, Rigging & Shoring Engineering • 3D Laser Scanning & UAV (”Drone”) Data Collection • Haul Route Surveys • 24x7x365 Response • National Service Provider

708.430.7600

www.DearbornCos.com

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2022 wind buyers guide

Sterling Rope

AREPA

Dakota Riggers

AREPA is a company providing damage assessment and equipment restoration, as well as total reconditioning of wind turbines following incidents such as fire, soot damage and corrosion, oil and coolant contamination from leaks and spills, flooding, and seawater contamination, as well as other forms of contamination, corrosion development, or damage. They have undertaken projects in more than 60 countries worldwide, and their representatives are on 24-hour standby to reduce time lost and ensure business continuity.

From tool lanyards and tie-off points to holsters and pouches, Dakota Riggers stocks a full selection of 3M tool tethering products. With the recent publication of the ANSI/SEA 121-2018 Dropped Objects Standard, fall protection for tools is quickly becoming a necessity in the wind industry in order to protect those working below.

Survitec GME Supply GME Supply provides fall protection, tools, tool tethering solutions, anchorage, rigging, PPE, and gear for at-height workers. Their Gear Experts offer timely service and expertise. They have locations around the United States available for same day shipping, local and curbside delivery, and in store pickup. Specializing in fall protection climber kits, vertical systems, customized tool kits, and complete tool tethering solutions. www.gme.com

www.3slift.com/climbauto

Survitec, HeliPPE, and Hansen Protection have joined forces to protect their clients with advanced safety and survival technology.

From air to sea, their solutions help protect offshore workers during offshore transfer or on the turbine throughout the lifecycle of the wind farm. Comprehensive solutions include immersion suits, lifejackets, height safety, firefighting equipment and systems, liferafts, and emergency descent devices. Rental and purchase options available. www.survitecgroup.com

3S Lift The 3S Lift Climb Auto System is a single technician laddermounted lift that eliminates the physical and mental strain of climbing. It features safety control switches on both handles and a remote mode for the easy transport of tools. The collapsible footboards make for rapid evacuation in the event of an emergency.

The Climb Auto System offers independent Fall Arresters for the operator and the system itself, providing utmost safety. The Climb Auto System can be easily retrofitted to almost any wind turbine, often in 8 hours or less. Because it is mounted to the existing ladder, the installation typically requires no changes to the wind turbine structures. It is CE, UL, ANSI, OSHA certified, and has been installed in over 50,000 towers worldwide. The Climb Auto System is a safe and cost-effective way to ascend a tower and lets technicians keep their minds on the job and not on the climb.

www.sterlingrope.com

www.dakotariggers.com

www.arepa.com

Safety Equipment | Fall Protection

The WorkPro embodies an 11.0mm static rope core/sheath made from nylon/polyester which makes for balanced elongation in the core and sheath so they share the load evenly. This makes the WorkPro strong while retaining a small, but important, amount of elongation. Certified to NFPA 1983: Technical and CE EN 1891: Type A.

Safety Work Apparel

SKYLOTEC The new SKYLOTEC CLAW Vertical Fall Arrest Cable Sleeve is designed to fit a wide variety of wire ropes and travel along the vertical system while providing fall arrest when needed. Engineered to fit 3/8 and 5/16-inch wire rope, this high quality, lightweight stainless-steel device travels smoothly up and down the vertical system without hanging up.

The redundant safety features reduce the risk of improper installation and unsafe situations. The CLAW is independently tested to meets ANSI A14.3-08, CSA Z259.2.5-17 and OSHA requirements. www.skylotec.com

KEEN Utility The new Kansas City from KEEN Utility pushes the boundaries of what a work sneaker can do.

Highly versatile, light on weight, and loaded with performance features, the Kansas City seamlessly transitions between indoor and outdoor work.

The Kansas City utilizes KEEN.BELLOWS Flex technology, an ergonomically engineered system designed to offer multidirectional flexion making bending, squatting, kneeling, and knee-down work easy. Other product highlights include a KEEN.ReGEN performance cushioning midsole that returns 50% more energy than standard EVA foam, as well as an oil- and slip-resistant, non-marking outsole tread design for optimal traction. Additional safety features of this medium-duty boot include asymmetrical carbon fiber toes that are 15% lighter than steel, KONNECTFIT heel-capture system to lock the heel down for sure-footed stability, and a completely non-metallic construction combined with EH rated protection underfoot from live electrical circuits. The new Kansas City is available in low, mid-height, and mid-height waterproof styles for men. www.keenutility.com

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Sectionalizing cabinets

Signs, Tags, & Markers

Nordic Fiberglass Inc. The ND-683054-MG-PA71-X-X is Nordic’s “Workhorse” for three phase 3 and 4 pt. 35kV 600Amp deadbreak sectionalizing cabinets for Wind Farm Collection Systems. This cabinet is made of Rust free fiberglass construction and stainless-steel hardware. Nordic can supply and install up three, 3 or 4 pt. 35kV 600A junctions from various manufacturers with U-straps if requested by the customer. PA71 mounting plate has six movable above parking stands to park stand-offs or feed throughs.

Nordic recommends the optional CSB-6830 cable support bracket system for holding cables in place and cable clamps. 18" or 36" high extensions available for cables requiring a greater cable bending radii. www.nordicfiberglass.com

Security Systems

www.thriveworkwear.com

TrueWerk The T2 WerkPant is a soft-shell work pant made from a double woven nylon/polyester blend with 4-way stretch and a DWR coating. These pants boast an incredibly durable outer surface with a soft next to skin feel inside. Combined with functional pocketing and double-stitched seams, these pants are built for work. Product highlights include four-way stretch fabric moves with the wearer without added bulk, Durable Water Repellant (DWR) repels stains, rain, snow, and wind while working in any type of weather, gusseted crotch improves mobility and durability, double-stitch seams increase durability, multiple pockets including zippered and top-opening cell phone pocket and hip and thigh stash pockets, and riveted pocket corners reinforce stress points. Truewerk’s T2 WerkPants are available online in five different color options.

Tech Products, Inc. provides signs, tags, and markers for wind farms.

The Everlast brand has been used by on shore and off shore for safety signage. Its unique design makes it impervious to salt spray, UV abuse, and extreme temperature changes. Three-D cable markers are suitable for marking electrical cable and underground conduit. Their line marker brand lets all land owners know where cable is buried and protects it from being disturbed. www.techproducts.com

Thrive Workwear Thrive Workwear's protective work apparel has been providing solutions to the wind industry for nearly 10 years.

Their line-up of clothing includes Flame Resistant work pants, FR work shirts, FR base layers, and FR outerwear designed specifically for wind technicians and construction workers. Their work pants feature full-time knee protection built-in with patented SQUISH pad technology.

Tech Products, Inc.

Software Supplier

BladeEdge

Midwest Security Products Midwest Security Products offers electronic locks and mechanical key systems for energy applications such as gates, sectionalizing cabinets, towers, turbine access, and O&M buildings. Medeco XT and ABLOY CLIQ systems provide access control for remote applications.

Digital records give accurate data to support CIP compliance. Key cabinets, security lockers, and asset security cabinets protect and track important keys and equipment such as radios, tablets, tools, and more. National service network with over 3000 field technicians and an internal support team. Complete system support and end user training as well as a wide variety of custom products.

BladeEdge offers a customized approach to blade inspection data and analytics through EDDIE, an artificial intelligence (AI) engine designed to process, identify, and manage inspection data automatically. Regardless of which method chosen for capturing data, or who is used for inspections, BladeEdge can leverage EDDIE to deliver a solution. EDDIE’s valuable insights inform strategic initiatives and revenue-generating activities. BladeEdge helps users minimize efficiency loss, stop drowning in data, and maximize time. www.bladeedge.net

www.mwspi.com

Large Inventory Fast Shipping Low Minimums Custom Parts MTO Technical Support PEI Slot Liners & Wedges (DMD, NKN)

3M Wind Products

Shell Lubricants & Greases

Saint-Gobain Tapes

Marmon Electrical Wire & Cable

Elantas Wire Enamels, Resins, & Varnishes

www.truewerk.com

Pittsburgh, PA 412.462.6300

sales@peipittsburgh.com

Proud Member & Supporter of:

Specialists in Electrical Insulation Since 1947

www.peipittsburgh.com / 1.800.462.4734

Brownsville, TX 956.554.3690

espanol@peipittsburgh.com

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BluWave-ai

WindESCo

BluWave-ai offers an AI-enabled software-as-a-service (SaaS) for rapid deployment with a low upfront cost and immediate operating savings while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The platform consumes data from grid IoT devices (sensors, meters) and delivers real-time dispatch commands. It is predictive, performing analytics on incoming data, discovering patterns, and improving as it operates and adapting to changing situations. BluWave-ai leverages industry standards to ensure interoperability with SCADA and IoT devices, weather inputs, planned schedules, event signals, market pricing, and performance objectives.

WindESCo combines wind domain expertise and AI. The company’s technology monitors and analyzes high-resolution wind turbine data through patented algorithms. The algorithms help customers find and fix anomalies in wind turbines and then drive Annual Energy Production (AEP) and revenue gains. Their next generation product enhances wind plant optimization through a system approach, enabling closed-loop automation for plant-wide production gains of 3-5%.

www.bluwave-ai.com

Indji Systems The Indji Watch solution partners with and delivers data from trusted and reliable sources to provide users with accurate real-time weather alerts, and hourly-updating forecasts. Their Plan of Day/Week dashboard will help quickly identify rapidly changing weather at-a-glance, allowing users to be proactive in mitigating potential impacts to the operation and employee safety. From a system-wide overview right down to an individual asset, Indji Watch will ensure that their clients have a reliable picture of what the weather will be doing in the near future, the possible impact it may have to the assets, and analytic capabilities to what happened in the past. www.indjiwatch.com

Meteodyn Esri The ArcGIS Platform offers unique capabilities for applying location-based analytics to business practices. Combine multiple data sources to build advanced maps, visualizations, and analyses to identify patterns, make predictions, and answer business questions. Collaborate and share projects within the organization, online, and through mobile apps. A single authoritative source for accurate and up to date information accessible anywhere, anytime, and on any device.

METEODYN UNIVERSE is a modular, flexible, and collaborative wind power software suite. From A to Z, it answers to many stages of a wind farm project and up to its exploitation. It is composed of 5 interconnected software to design, analyze, optimize a wind farm project, or improve the performance of an existing one. Users can either install one or several of the software that constitute it: GCS, a quick mesoscale data provider; WDA, an intuitive software to analyze and complete wind data; WT, an accurate and quick wind resource assessment software; WFO, an exhaustive wind farm optimization software; and WPA, a wind farm performance analysis software for diagnostics. www.meteodyn.com

www.windesco.com

Steel Plate Supplier

Leeco Steel Leeco Steel stocks and sells steel plate, maintaining a large inventory of carbon, high strength low alloy and alloy steel plate coming from worldwide mills. Founded in 1882, Leeco has 11 strategically located distribution centers in North America that are stocked with high quantities of carbon and heat-treated steel plate, and also supplies large-quantity commodity products to companies around the world via its trading division.

Leeco introduced Leeco Pro as a value-added service in 2021, which gives customers the ability to place and manage orders online, 24/7. www.leecosteel.com

Testing | Inspection Services

www.esri.com

Light when you need it Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems

Find out more:

contact@detect-inc.com

Night when you don’t Radar-Activated Obstruction Lighting

www.detect-inc.com

SkySpecs Horizon powered by SkySpecs is digital asset management for wind energy optimization. Their suite of software was built to unlock better decision-making capabilities, higher levels of automation, and more transparency at every level of the organization. Horizon will streamline full-scale repair projects, manage financial portfolios, provide AI predictive maintenance, and mission-critical KPIs that support and inform critical decisions within one collaborative platform. Users can manage and make sense of their data in SkySpecs’ central repository of reporting software and collaboration tools. www.skyspecs.com

SparkCognition The Ensemble platform is an AI-powered asset management platform for clean energy from SparkCognition. It leverages renewable energy industry expertise, coded into their software, to detect sub-optimal energy production and alert staff to the situation before costs mount, resulting in increased ROI. The Ensemble platform’s predictive AI helps to optimize logistics, improve planning, perform condition-based maintenance, prevent failures, quickly identify underperforming assets, and ensure the implementation of corrective action.

The Ensemble platform can be seamlessly integrated in as little as 4-6 weeks, using existing hardware, sensors, and data streams. www.sparkcognition.com

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MISTRAS Group, Inc. MISTRAS Group is a OneSource provider of wind energy asset protection solutions. Their integrated approach to blade management includes inspection, maintenance, and remote monitoring to maximize uptime and performance for blades, towers, and transformers. They offer a variety of access and drone capabilities, enabling safe at-height asset protection for onshore and offshore equipment.

MISTRAS’ portfolio of solutions includes non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection, complex laminate and coating repairs, light mechanical service, general repair support, fleet-wide condition monitoring, lab materials testing, and root cause analysis. www.mistrasgroup.com

Q-Lab Corporation Q-Lab designs and manufactures standard test substrates as well as weathering, light stability, and corrosion testers. In addition, contract test services which include accelerated laboratory testing are available at Q-Lab Florida, Q-Lab Arizona, Q-Lab Deutschland, and Q-Lab China.

Outdoor exposure testing for weathering, lightfastness, and corrosion are available at Q-Lab Florida and Q-Lab Arizona. www.q-lab.com

Tools

AcraDyne AcraDyne’s Gen IV Critical Bolting Platform is an advanced bolting system. HT Series tools from AcraDyne are electric, high-torque bolting tools that provide accuracy, speed, and safety.

The iEC controller/tool system measures traceable, dynamic torque directly at the square drive. The built-in transducer ensures accurate torque values. The Gen IV platform provides an additional level of operator safety and ergonomics when combined with AcraDyne’s Dual-Lever or Angle HT Nutrunners. AcraDyne’s HT tools deliver high speeds in torque ranges 50 to 17,000Nm. The ergonomic, robust design includes five handle configurations. These tools are designed and made in the USA.

Enerpac Enerpac provides specialized tools and technology for the construction, transportation, installation, and maintenance of wind turbines. www.enerpac.com

Fluke Corporation The Fluke 393 FC CAT III 1500V True-rms Clamp Meter with iFlex is a 1500V CAT III, IP54 rated, thin jaw clamp meter. With its CAT III 1500V / CAT IV 600V safety rating, the 393 FC provides safety for work in dc environments up to 1500V, like solar arrays, wind power, electric railways, and datacenter battery banks for uninterruptible power supplies. The thin jaw allows it to be used in combiner boxes, inverters, and tight spaces making it suitable for solar energy applications. It measures up to 1500Vdc, 1000Vac and up to 999.9A dc or ac through the clamp jaw. The included iFlex flexible current probe extends ac current measurements up to 2500A. www.fluke.com

Greenlee | HD Electric Greenlee / HD Electric provides the industry with a complete range of quality and dependable products to test, measure, and control electric power. They offer an extensive line of products that improve the safety and quality of utility work practices. www.greenlee.com

www.aimco-global.com

ITH Bolting Technology

Einpart Einpart supports construction and O&M phases, providing OEM replacement parts and consumables for scheduled maintenance for Vestas, GE, Siemens Gamesa, Suzlon, and other turbine manufacturers. Their global supplier network allows competitive pricing for a variety of products including hoisting bags, climbing gear and PPE, hand tools and service kits, FAA lights, hydraulic tensioners, wrenches, and pumps, electric torque wrenches, turning gear and other specialty tools, rigging, oils and greases, filters, and many other specialty items. www.einpart.com

ITH is a company focused on tension and torque bolting solutions for all stages of the wind turbine life cycle from factory, transport, construction, and O&M. The O&M line of tooling features their lightweight and compact Micro-MAX pump in battery-powered or corded 110V remote versions.

This pump is compatible with their tensioners and torque wrenches (DRS/ DKS) to provide a simple and flexible solution for service crews. Additional battery-powered pump options are available for dual-line hydraulic torque wrenches type CX/D-Flex. ITH offers a full range of tension and torque tooling to meet the varying needs of customers. www.ith.com

McCann Equipment, Ltd. McCann Equipment Ltd. is a multi-branch Canadian industrial tool distributor, specializing in the sale, service, and rental of torque and tensioning products.

Their services include the repair, calibration, and certification of torque tools (manual, electric, pneumatic, hydraulic), transducers, and testers. Additionally, they certify air pressure gauges and hydraulic gauges as well as tension calibration testers (Skidmore). Each of the company’s branch offices is ISO 17025 accredited. The scope and accreditation for each is available on their website. www.torquetools.com

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Norwolf Tool Works, Inc. Norwolf offers a full range of manual and hydraulic hand tools for any and all bolting applications. The Norwolf Missing Link torque multiplier fits into tightly confined areas and is used in the wind industry for generator feet and yaw pucks. www.norwolf.com

Stahlwille Tools, LLC STAHLWILLE MANOSKOP 730 QUICK series is a time proof torque wrench with long term accuracy and no need to reset to zero due to the wear resistant NO-Coil spring mechanism.

Just by simply pressing and sliding with their fingers, the user can quickly and effortlessly set the desired torque value. With modular design of head piece, swapping from ratchet drive to crowfoot or box end is as easy as release and plug-in. Thanks to the patented design, there's no need to disassemble the unit for bringing it back in tolerance during calibration, as the adjustment points are easily accessible on the housing. www.stahlwille-americas.com

Tower Foundations

Almita Piling, Inc. Almita provides the design, manufacture, and install of helical piles.

Their team of project management professionals, geo-technical engineers, and structural engineers allows Almita to analyze their client's foundation challenges and recommend effective solutions.

C.H. Robinson Project Logistics C.H. Robinson Project Logistics has experience in developing and executing successful logistics plans for the transportation and management of heavy-lift and over-dimensional wind turbine equipment - from pick-up to final site. After a proactive analysis of all requirements, they help their clients develop solutions and contingency plans to help ensure shipping schedules are consistently met. They offer several services, including: detailed route planning; part/full charters; aircraft chartering and emergency rush air freight; accurate documentation; timely status reports; and consulting services for complex letters of credit and bid documents. Their experienced team of professionals is available onsite at global locations to manage the successful completion of technically demanding projects.

CN CN offers rail and transload services for dimensional loads and heavy equipment, supporting industries such as the wind industry, oil and gas, power generation, construction, and mining. Their network runs across North America from West to East, South from the Gulf coast into northern regions of Canada, and with direct access to strategic ports in the Great Lakes. They extend their reach by working with connecting carriers, partner shortlines, ports, and other parties to develop efficient routes, providing solutions for loading, offloading and marshalling their customers’ freight. www.cn.ca

Grip Tight Anchor Bolt Covers are specifically designed for protecting wind turbine anchor bolts, nuts, and washers from corrosion. Made from high quality polypropylene, UV package included, three sizes available, easy to install, removable, reusable. Made in the USA. U.S. Patent #8,002,508

Anderson Trucking Services (ATS) ATS, a worldwide transportation and project management provider, executes the many logistical elements of multifaceted and often multimodal energy projects. ATS also specializes in the physical transport of the oversized and over-dimensional loads that come with them. Having safely moved more than 215,000 wind components since 2003, ATS currently provides transportation solutions for approximately one-third of North America’s wind projects annually. With 65 years of experience in the transportation industry, ATS is a third generation family-owned company headquartered in St. Cloud, Minnesota. www.atsinc.com

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www.goldhofer.com

Logisticus Projects Group

Wind Secure, inc.

Transportation | Logistics

Goldhofer offers a range of vehicles for transporting wind turbines and power plant components: extendible flatbed or semitrailers, lowbed semitrailers, heavyduty combinations with tower adapters or vessel decks, trailing combinations for transporting blades, blade transport devices, and blade tip lifting devices as well as modules with and without hydrostatic drive for heavy components. Goldhofer offers suitable and economical vehicle configuration for both onshore and offshore wind farms. Goldhofer provides vehicle technology, all-round service and expertise, and professional project engineering for every situation.

www.chrobinson.com

www.almita.com

www.windsecure.com

Goldhofer Aktiengesellschaft

Logisticus Group specializes in energy logistics, project management, storage, civil engineering, and technology. Logisticus Group’s processes, technology solutions, personnel, and business model deliver a predictable, controlled, efficient, and expedited project. Their customized services are designed to de-risk their clients’ projects, while providing a white glove level of service. www.logisticusgroup.com

Port Milwaukee Breakbulk and project cargo handling port offering with multimodal logistics including shipping, rail, and truck. Positioned on the western shores of Lake Michigan and strategically located in the industrial center of the US. Access to international markets via the St. Lawrence Seaway system and the Gulf of Mexico via the Mississippi River inland system. Quality cargo management services and efficient terminal handling resources provided by highly-trained, safety oriented staff with a focus on superior customer support. www.portmilwaukee.com

Doleco USA, Inc. Doleco USA provides a full range of products in the areas of lifting equipment, slings, ropes, and load securing technologies. They produce a wide range of steel, textile, or composite products. On request, they will design and produce custommade lifting solutions. www.doleco-usa.com

Port of Lake Charles

Emmert International provides engineered transportation and rigging services specializing in wind components, both on and off highway.

More than 1500 wind turbines blades have been handled with careful, capable efficiency by the Port of Lake Charles in Louisiana. The nation's No. 11 deepwater port, centrally located on the U.S. Gulf Coast, with ship channel access, the Port of Lake Charles is an emerging U.S. hub for handling blades of all sizes. Because of growing demand from domestic buyers and global shippers, the port has expanded its service to handle tower sections and associated components as well. The Port's on-site rail system and adjacent interstate access offer prompt handling and transport to mid-America and beyond.

www.emmertintl.com

www.portlc.com

Emmert International

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Wind Assessment | Forecasting

Yaw, Pitch & Blade Sensors

Phoenix Contact Global Weather Corporation

Port of Vancouver USA To support transportation of wind energy components, the port has two Liebherr mobile harbor cranes that can lift 140-MT each and 210-MT in tandem, a multi-purpose crane with 51-MT capacity, and crane operators certified in tandem and engineered lifts. Stevedoring equipment includes trailers and reach-stackers to efficiently move cargo.

They have over 100 acres of laydown space and their completed rail expansion project triples capacity and increases velocity on the mainline by 40%. www.portvanusa.com

Global Weather Corporation (GWC) is a Colorado-based weather data innovator, formed to commercialize technology from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR).

GWC’s WindWX service is built on a foundation of high-accuracy NCAR technology to enable reliable monitoring and prediction of wind energy, including power production. Typical users are utilities, energy traders, farm operators, farm maintenance crews, and transmission operators. Data are provided every 15 minutes to 168 hours in machine-readable and user-display formats, and can integrate farm/turbine data when available. www.globalweathercorp.com

Thrustmaster of Texas, Inc. Thrustmaster is a 36 year old designer and manufacturer of marine propulsion systems and dynamic positioning systems for vessels of all types and applications.

Thrustmaster operates out of its 300,000 sq/ft climate controlled thruster and waterjet manufacturing facility at its world headquarters in Houston. Thrustmaster designs and manufactures marine propulsion systems for offshore wind turbine installation vessels, maintenance vessels, feeder barges, crew transfer vessels, fast supply vessels, cable lay, dredge, rock dumping, survey, and dive support vessels. www.thrustmaster.net

Transportation Partners and Logistics Currently serving a variety of OEMs, project developers, and supply companies, TP&L provides logistics and transportation management for a variety of industries across the entire supply chain.

Since 2012, TP&L’s one-stop-shop for logistics and management solutions has assisted more than 75 wind farms, multiple oil/gas drilling projects, and agriculture throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. TP&L’s team of in-house engineers are top-load certified and ready to take the lead when it comes to any logistical needs. From port to pad they deliver economically, safely, and on time. www.tpandl.com

Goldwind Americas Goldwind’s GW165/5.2 - 5.6MW Permanent Magnet Direct Drive wind turbine featuring Goldwind’s EFARM LiDAR Assisted turbine control includes front-mounted LiDAR wind measurement technology which captures the dynamic wind flow of the turbine in a real-time control system for use in advanced control algorithms that optimize the turbine performance, load, and other characteristics.

This significantly reduces the unit's load, while improving its generation capacity. www.goldwindamericas.com

The Blade Intelligence load monitoring system (RM-S) can provide data on adverse factors affecting wind turbine operation. The robust and cost-efficient sensor technology simplifies and shortens the commissioning of the measuring unit. Four strain gauge sensors mounted on the roots of each wind turbine rotor blade provide information on tensile and torsional loads. With these, a long-term record of the wear, relevant wind load on the blade, as well as important system adjustments can be monitored in real time. This makes it possible to optimize system efficiency and minimize bearing and material load. Control data is made available via the shared compact evaluation unit, which improves the operation and recording of the load conditions. www.phoenixcontact.com

Wind Turbine Manufacturer (Over 100kW)

BarberWind Turbines, LLC The BWT800kW is a mid-sized wind turbine designed especially for remote or isolated grid applications where the customer is dependent on a diesel system. The built-in lifting system eliminates the need for a giant crane for installation and allows the turbine to be lowered in advance of severe weather or a hurricane. This turbine utilizes 1216 airfoil blades that are 5ft long each. Nineteen blades are strung along each of 64 steel cable spokes.

The small blades make it possible to ship the entire turbine in standard shipping containers. When in the upright position the turbine is 330ft tall and will power a farm, factory, or neighborhood of about 300 homes.

Maximum Integrity.

Optimum Performance.

Wireless Monitoring.

The SPC4® System The next level in safety, economy, and accurate bolt loading.

www.barberwind.com

Talk to a technical specialist: sales@vfbolts.com | U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-832-6587 | vfbolts.com North American Clean Energy

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CLEANPOWER 2021

show in print

December 7th-8th, 2021 The WINDPOWER Conference and Exhibition will continue as the heart of CLEANPOWER, Salt Palace Convention Center with the addition of exhibition space and conference programming for utility-scale solar, storage, and other clean energy technologies. By incorporating these technologies into a Salt Lake City, UT single exhibition hub, CLEANPOWER will create efficiencies for exhibitors and attendees www.cleanpower.org with pan-renewable business models. Pure play businesses will benefit from increased show traffic and opportunities to build beneficial partnerships across the cleantech industry.

Registrants for the in-person exhibition will also receive access to on-demand content and session recordings from the June Virtual Summit as well as matchmaking.

Features just some of the companies and technologies attendees will see at this year’s show.

Wind energy solutions

Bachmann retrofits help increase lifespan, production and efficiency through new technologies, while meeting legal requirements through grid monitoring, voltage control, and safety. Bachmann ensures spare parts supply and updates to the latest technology and grid compliance.

Bachmann electronic www.bachmann.info Booth 2400

Global manufacturer of electrical components

Morgan manufactures replacement brushes for all humidity and environmental conditions, engineered slip rings, replacement springs, and holder systems to maximize uptime while reducing a wind farms’ annual cost of operation. Global company with strong engineering technology available upon request. Morgan Advanced Materials’ (aka -National Electrical Carbon Products) abrasives, machining tools, and stones are also available.

Morgan Advanced Materials www.morganelectricalmaterials.com Booth 1013

Power electronics solutions provider AmePower is a DBE, SBE, WBE, WOSB, MBE, and ISO9001 certified company, specialized on power electronics solutions. They offer contract manufacturing services for power electronics assemblies; repair, overhaul, or retrofit services for wind turbine converters/inverters; obsolete IGBT to IGBT and GTO to IGBT conversion. They provide components including IGBT, gate drivers, busbars, and more. Local technical support, custom manufacturing, phase module overhaul, power module repair, gate driver upgrade.

AmePower

www.amepower.com/wind-power Booth 1019

SMART CHECK 2017

ACCURATE AND INCREDIBLY VERSATILE. SmartCheck

Compact, accurate, versatile – the new SmartCheck torque wrench tester gets right to the point.

Experience the »Made in Germany« difference.

End-to-end renewable energy solutions

Spark Power provides end-to-end renewable energy solutions to help businesses shrink their carbon footprint and optimize the facility’s energy use. From solar power services to wind energy, battery energy storage systems, and electric vehicle infrastructure, their team has the expertise to safely deliver projects on budget and schedule. Their renewable offerings include: inspections, service, and maintenance for wind assets to deliver long-term performance and peace of mind; 24/7 data collection and analysis of assets to get power, performance, and profitability; enhancing the power system and taking the facility off the grid during periods of peak demand, ultimately improving resiliency and creating savings; turnkey installation, project management, monitoring, and maintenance services for EV infrastructure projects; emergency support services, when and where they are needed.

Spark Power Tel.:(+1) 262-583-4060 | info@stahlwille-americas.com

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www.sparkpowercorp.com Booth 2109

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Paints and coatings

Teknos is a global coatings company offering a wide range of paints and coatings for the manufacturing industry, energy sectors, building professionals, and infrastructure. TEKNOBLADE REPAIR 9000 is a single-layer solution to wind turbine blade leading edge protection.

This wind turbine maintenance coating is an elastomer-based high-solid paint with 100% proportion solids and no VOCs, making it a sustainable solution. The product is applied via application gun or robot and it forms a protective elastic layer of 2-4mm. It can be used both as a preventive edge protection on new rotor blades as well as for blade repair.

Teknos

www.teknos.com Booth 515

Rigging and lifting training programs

CICB provides rigging and lifting training, inspections, and evaluations. Their crane and rigging experts can review and supervise every detail of the complex picks involved in the construction, maintenance, and decommissioning of renewable energy farms. Choose from 83 customizable programs developed over 52 years (including their Wind Service Advanced Rigging with Lift Planning), delivered at their training centers in Houston, TX or Orlando, FL, or onsite.

CICB

www.cicb.com/wind Booth 1008

WindCube lidars ®

Proven. Accurate. Reliable.

This is lidar without limits: Accurate, dependable wind data for every phase of a wind project, onshore and offshore.

Lidar is changing the wind energy industry, and the WindCube suite of lidars is leading the way. Companies around the world use WindCube lidars in all phases and types of wind farm projects.

They are leading with lidar.

• Improve bankability and project success • Increase efficiency and operational continuity • Streamline WRA, PPT and other crucial tasks

windcubelidar.com

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Wind energy lifting solutions

Bishop Lifting Products provides engineering, design, and fabrication of spreader bars, drop links, and twin-path extra covermax slings for technical, off center of gravity applications. They also perform load testing and recertification of blade, hub, tower, and nacelle lifting fixtures. They offer rigging and construction rental services as well as a huge inventory of quick-2-ship modular spreader bars, slings, and shackles for many applications. Their rental fleet includes air winches, air chain hoists, personnel lifting baskets, material baskets, skid mounted compressors, generators, spider climbers, and light towers.

Bishop Lifting Products, Inc. www.lifting.com Booth 300

Tension and torque bolting solutions

ITH is a company focused on tension and torque bolting solutions for all stages of the wind turbine life cycle from factory, transport, construction, and O&M. The O&M line of tooling features their lightweight and compact Micro-MAX pump in battery-powered or corded 110V remote versions. This pump is compatible with their tensioners and torque wrenches (DRS/DKS) to provide a simple and flexible solution for service crews. Additional battery-powered pump options are available for dual-line hydraulic torque wrenches type CX/DFlex. ITH offers a full range of tension and torque tooling to meet the varying needs of customers.

ITH Bolting Technology www.ith.com Booth 1813

High capacity wind farm development

Kansas is among the top states for operating wind farms, recently crossing the 7000MW threshold, and ranking 2nd in wind as a percent of total electricity generation, at over 43%. Kansas is also a Top 10 state for sunny days, offering significant solar potential as well. Their central location provides convenient access to the North American wind corridor and solar development region, offering an advantageous operating environment for developers, equipment manufacturers, logistics operations, and related service providers. The Kansas Department of Commerce is the primary point of contact to assist companies in learning about the state’s renewable energy sector and finding the ideal site for their operations.

Kansas Department of Commerce www.kansascommerce.gov Booth 2212

Blade maintenance services

WindCom has provided premium blade maintenance service to the U.S. wind market and beyond since 2006 providing safe, engineered composites repairs for all turbine and blade types. During the COVID years, WindCom grew their workforce, enabling advancements in process efficiencies leading to reliable return to service (RTS). They have a focused service offering such as quality structural repairs, confined space internal repairs, lightning protection evaluation and repair, VG and other aerodynamic upgrade installations, erosion repair and protection, and engineering consultation for any blade concern. With their TechLock contract terms, WindCom limits weather standby risk with advance commitments to their client schedules, providing confidence that projects will start on time and as planned.

WindCom Services

www.windcomservices.com Booth 927

Join us at Modular, flexible, collaborative wind power software suite

December 7 - 8 | Salt Lake City, UT

Visit us at booth #1119

WelcomE

METEODYN UNIVERSE is a modular, flexible, and collaborative wind power software suite. From A to Z, it answers many stages of a wind farm project, up to its exploitation. It is composed of 5 interconnected software to design, analyze, and optimize a wind farm project, or improve the performance of an existing one.

Meteodyn GCS is a quick mesoscale data provider; Meteodyn WDA is an intuitive software to analyze and complete wind data; Meteodyn WT, an accurate and quick wind resource assessment software; Meteodyn WFO is an exhaustive wind farm optimization software for business case; and Meteodyn WPA is the wind farm performance analysis software for diagnostics.

Users can install one, several, or each of them. Regardless of the software used within Meteodyn Universe, the data can be stored and imported into another software of the suite and be used by several users on different computers.

Meteodyn

www.meteodyn.com Booth 2113

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Specialized retrofit solutions

3S Lift offers specialized retrofit solutions that can add considerable value to wind farms, improving both, health and safety, and economic performance. The 3S Climb Auto System and the Climb Assist allow technicians to ascend towers quickly and with little or no effort. This way, they can reach the top rested and start their work right away. In addition, climbing aid solutions protect the health of the technicians against the strain put on the body by climbing. On wind farms with climbing aids, there are considerably fewer soft tissue injuries which would otherwise lead to sick days, reduced motivation, and would stress the operational efficiency of the project. 3S Lift solutions can easily be retrofitted to existing towers and require little annual maintenance.

3S Lift

www.3slift.com/retrofit Booth 2619

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Liquid and dry type power transformers

Custom construction engineering solutions

Virginia-Georgia Transformer Corporation

Dearborn Companies

Founded in 1971, Virginia-Georgia Transformer Corporation (VTC/GTC) designs and builds both liquid and dry type power transformers from their four manufacturing plants located in VA, GA, ID, and Mexico. The company offers a wide product range (up to 1400MVA, 500kV), short lead times, and customer service to multiple markets, including wind, solar, oil and gas, data centers, and more. A full array of services, spare parts, and life extension programs for transformer assets is also available for a one-stop/one-source experience.

www.vatransformer.com Booth 400

Custom construction engineering solutions for owner‐operator, EPC, and specialty contractor clients in renewable energy construction, fossil and nuclear power, oil & gas, industrial process, infrastructure, and mission critical facilities. Specialists in heavy lift / heavy transport consulting, focusing on ground condition surveys and ground stabilization design, engineered lift planning, rigging and marine engineering, and route survey analysis. A legacy of 7‐ decades, engineering safe and practical solutions, while helping clients maximize their efficiency and investments. www.dearborncos.com Booth 2502

Predictive maintenance solutions

ONYX Insight’s hardware solution, ecoPITCH, predicts where and when costly pitch bearing failures occur in wind turbines. Based on its condition monitoring system, ecoCMS, ONYX Insight’s ecoPITCH uses robust, innovative sensor hardware, permanently installed in the hub, to detect early warning signs of impending pitch bearing failure, through advanced analytics. The system uses multiple data streams and advanced signal processing techniques, enabling operators to understand when faults are going to occur in this critical part of the turbine which is notoriously difficult to monitor.

ONYX Insight

www.onyxinsight.com Booth 207

Rotor and line assemblies

Ludlum Wind provides new upgraded ESS and non-ESS rotor and line IGBT assemblies for the GE 1.5 series turbines.

They have been providing parts to the wind industry since 2010, featuring short delivery times (typically 3 days) with products maintained in stock.

Ludlum has over 400 employees and is a vertically integrated manufacturer that began in 1962. Upgraded components and Ludlum’s custom AEBM board are integrated to provide improved operation at high temperatures and a longer operating life. Reusable packaging with custom cut high-density foam and custom reusable steel shipping plates protect the fiberglass standoffs and the bus connections during shipment to the customer ensuring products arrive safely every time. Ludlum’s highly integrated manufacturing allows them to have control over product quality, delivery time, costs, and allows them the capability to offer long-term support.

Ludlum Wind

www.ludlumwind.com Booth 1838

Synthetic lubricant solutions A COMPLETE PORTFOLIO OF

COMPREHENSIVE ENGINEERING, PROCUREMENT, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT & TESTING SERVICES FOR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT For More Information: info@eciusa.com

www.eciusa.com

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AMSOIL manufactures synthetic lubricants for all types of wind turbine, industrial gear, on-road and heavy-duty off-road applications, and sophisticated additives and filtration systems.

AMSOIL products are cost-effective choices for prolonging equipment life, reducing maintenance, and increasing performance.

AMSOIL, Inc.

www.amsoilwind.com Booth 2527

Spare Parts Supplier

International Tower Lighting, LLC, is a designer and manufacturer of obstruction lighting systems, tower light monitoring systems, and components. The company has a full line of medium intensity LED and xenon strobe obstruction lighting systems as well as replacement parts for the majority of US-made xenon strobe systems.

Lighthouse Global Energy, LLC is a supplier of wind industry OEM parts and services. They provide wind turbine spare parts, manufacturing solutions, and component repair. Lighthouse offers improved supply chains, manufacturing, design, and engineering support for the wind industry. They focus on timely deliveries, quality parts, and service to reduce customer downtime and improve efficiency. Lighthouse Global Energy’s wind industry supply chain allows them to source parts from their global partners and quickly get them into the hands of their customers. From scheduled maintenance to unplanned repairs, their clients benefit from their stocked on-demand OEM parts.

International Tower Lighting, LLC

Lighthouse Global Energy, LLC

Obstruction lighting systems

www.itl-llc.com Booth 1814

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

www.lgnrg.com Booth 732

Strategic logistics partner

Logisticus Group helps minimize risk for renewable projects. They focus on details from route feasibility to storage, engineering or delivery, and their data-driven processes ensure a smooth, efficient execution of any project scope.

Logisticus Group

www.logisticusgroup.com Booth 736

Aircraft detection lighting system

DeTect developed the HARRIER Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS) for automatic obstruction lighting activation for aviation obstructions such as wind farm turbines, high voltage transmission lines, and communication towers.

The HARRIER ADLS provides reliable, continuous 360° radar surveillance of the airspace around wind farms, power lines, and other installations that require aircraft obstruction lighting from the ground level to above aircraft flight altitudes, automatically issuing signals to activate lighting when aircraft are detected at a defined outer perimeter. ADSB integration minimizes lighting activation from high altitude commercial aircraft. The HARRIER ADLS is also multi-function capable and can provide site security for aircraft, ultra lights, and drones as well as bird detection for environmental monitoring and risk mitigation. HARRIER is also fully compatible with all SCADA systems and turbines.

DeTect

www.detect-inc.com Booth 713

SK YL OTEC.COM

SKYLOTEC

CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING WORKER SAFETY SIRIUS

CLAW Smooth running CLAW Vertical Cable Sleeve for 3/8 & 5/16 inch diameter wire ropes.

SIRIUS is our first self-locking descender specially designed for all kinds of rope-based access and rescue.

A-050 • Extremely durable alloy body with stainless steel internal mechanics

• Rope can be inserted while carabiner is connected • Intuitive direct line feed pathway protects the rope from twisting

• Additional becket for mechanical pulley systems • Meets ANSI/ASSP Z359.4

IGNITE PROTON WIND

NEW AND IMPROVED

CL-001 • Guided type fall arrester with triple safety design • Built-in replaceable shock absorber protects independently of the rest of the system • Smooth sliding brake shoe ensures fatigue-free working • Durable stainless steel construction extends service life • Meets ANSI/ASSP Z359.16 • Meets CSA Z259.2.5-17

SKYSAFE PRO FLEX

LORY PRO

6 FT & 12 FT FREEFALL CERTIFIED

Situational awareness solutions

Since 2004, Indji Systems has been delivering situational awareness solutions focusing on identifying weather hazards that disrupt their client’s operations. From a system-wide overview right down to an individual asset, the Indji Watch solution will ensure their customers’ have the best possible picture of what the weather will be doing in the near future, the possible impact it may have to their assets, and analytic capabilities to tell them what happened in the past.

Indji Systems

www.indjiwatch.com Booth 2510

L-0623-1,8

L-0695

ERGOGRIP

L-0558-1,8 G-1132-WS

L-0562-1,8

L-0368

SKYLOTEC offers you a highly innovative and functional range of fall protection, rope access and rescue equipment. The IGNITE PROTON WIND harness features a light-weight design built for durability and comfort. The SKYSAFE PRO FLEX lanyards eliminate the need for two different lanyards. The LORYPRO and ERGOGRIP positioning lanyards allow you to work hands free with complete adjustability. These product are ideal for work at height in the wind energy, telecommunications, and electrical utilities industries. For more information please email us at ordersna@skylotec.de. skylotec.com SKYLOTEC North America LP Denver, CO USA Tel: 303-544-2120

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Electrical insulation materials

Pittsburgh Electrical Insulation is a manufacturer, converter, and distributor of electrical insulation materials focused on the OEM and service industries associated with motor, generator, and transformer production and repair, and is celebrating 75 years of continuous operation in the industry. Last year, PEI expanded operations with the acquisition of Fibertek’s Electrical Products Division. This expanded PEI’s existing lines of banding tapes, banding films, edging tapes, armor tapes, and b-stage surge rope. PEI is a North American manufacturer that produces an environmentally friendly, UL Certified, Standard, and High Temperature (Class F & Class H), solvent-free DMD laminate line. All PEI brand-name products are manufactured in the USA.

Accurate and reliable wind profile

Wire and cable solutions

The WindCube suite of lidars provides accurate, dependable wind data for every phase of an onshore or offshore wind project including wind resource assessment, power performance testing, yaw alignment, and continuous wind measurement in both simple and complex terrain. With IEC-compliant WindCube, users can improve bankability and project success, increase efficiency and operational continuity, and streamline crucial tasks with affordable accuracy. Leosphere, a Vaisala company, has introduced many new WindCube innovations and enhancements over the past two years.

American Wire Group (AWG) offers a one-stop shopping for their customers.

AWG specializes in providing wire and cable solutions for use in wind, solar, and other renewable energy applications. The renewable energy sector relies on the wind and solar wire and cable products including communication cables, control cables, grounding conductor cables, medium voltage cables, photovoltaic cables, power cables, transmission cables, hardware and accessories, and pre-installed HDPE duct cables. They support projects through their full lifecycle, from initial conception and development through global sourcing, production, delivery, and ongoing maintenance and service.

Leosphere, a Vaisala company

American Wire Group (AWG)

windcubelidar.com Booth 2201

Fall arrest cable sleeve

The new SKYLOTEC CLAW Vertical Fall Arrest Cable Sleeve is designed to fit a wide variety of wire ropes and travel along the vertical system while providing fall arrest when needed. Engineered to fit 3/8 and 5/16-inch wire rope, this high quality, lightweight stainless-steel device travels smoothly up and down the vertical system without hanging up.

The redundant safety features reduce the risk of improper installation and unsafe situations. The CLAW is independently tested to meet ANSI ANSI/ASSP Z-359.16, ANSI/ASSP A14.3, OSHA, and CSA Z259.2.5-17 requirements.

SKYLOTEC

www.skylotec.com Booth 1336

www.buyawg.com Booth 1713

Pittsburgh Electrical Insulation www.peipittsburgh.com Booth 1911

Enhanced reliability in electric pitch control systems

The Richardson Electronics’ ULTRA3000 Pitch Energy Module (PEM) is a reliable ultracapacitor-based plug and play replacement for batteries within wind turbine pitch systems. Ultracapacitors have the ability to deliver quick bursts of power in a short time frame, helpful for emergency pitching in a wind turbine generator (WTG).

Richardson Electronics www.rell.com Booth 1243

Manufacturing for a Cleaner World 501 Oak Street, Sweetwater, Texas 79556 (800) 622-0828 service@ludlumwind.com https://ludlumwind.com/

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Control and E-houses

Trachte provides engineering and manufacturing of control houses and E-houses for the substation and renewable markets.

Trachte pre-assembled, modular steel buildings and integrated packages provide EMP protection, energy efficiency, quality, and convenience for highly technical customers and applications.

Trachte

www.trachteusa.com Booth 2145

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Security systems integrator

Midwest Security Products is a security systems integrator specializing in electronic locks and high security key systems. They offer solutions for energy applications such as gates, PMT’s, sectionalizing cabinets, towers, turbine access, and O&M buildings. Their Medeco XT and ABLOY CLIQ systems provide access control for remote applications.

Digital access records give accurate data to support CIP compliance. They also offer key cabinets, security lockers, and asset security cabinets to protect and track important keys and equipment such as radios, tablets, tools, and more. Their national service network has over 3000 field technicians and an internal customer support team. They provide complete system support and end user training as well as a wide variety of custom products.

Midwest Security Products www.mwspi.com Booth 1239

Compact torque tester

SmartCheck is a small sized, versatile, and easy-to-use torque tester that will find a home in any workshop and service vehicle. Due to its compact dimensions, the ability to mount it horizontally or vertically, and the rotatable display, it can be used virtually anywhere. Display and keypad are splash-proof and it can be operated through power supply or battery. SmartCheck quickly provides information on whether or not a torque wrench is still within the prescribed tolerances or whether it requires adjustment. The integrated visual and audible overload protection mechanism, and impact resistant plastic housing ensure the durability customers expect of STAHLWILLE.

Stahlwille Tools, LLC

Early warning system

wave iQ advanced Condition Monitoring System, applies AI and machine learning algorithms to the electrical signals produced by wind turbine generators, providing new insights into the health of system components, including those that do not show up on vibration profiles.

Improve profitability by reducing O&M costs, avoiding costly failures, increasing uptime, and extending the life of the asset.

This new early warning system is being used by a growing number of wind farm operators to drive proactive maintenance activity, based on asset condition rather than set schedules. SMART Block sensors are installed (one per turbine) in just a few minutes is all that is needed to get started.

Fischer Block, Inc.

www.fischerblock.com/ai5.php Booth 2633

Grid emulation solutions

Renewable energy grounding breaker

EMA is the designer and manufacturer of the Grounding Breaker. A unique equipment, designed to switch and ground wind or solar collection circuits.

It provides safety, TOV mitigation, cost savings on CAPEX and OPEX. It increases grid reliability helping to differentiate internal and external faults to the power plants, ensuring engineers the ability to set generators to trip if the fault is inside the plant or ride through (PRC-024) if the fault is outside. EMA also offers Power Distribution Centers (PDC), 38kV vacuum grounding breakers, switchgear, and conventional circuit breakers for indoor and outdoor applications.

EMA Electromechanics Inc.

Aggreko helps their customers commission renewable energy projects ahead of the grid, before deadlines.

Aggreko also provides support for the testing, commissioning, planning, construction, and maintenance phases of wind farm, solar, and hydro projects. Aggreko is a supplier of temporary power, electrical distribution, dehumidification, and temperature control solutions for many industries, including renewables. Brands they offer include, Aggreko, A-Contact, Younicos energy storage systems, Dryco dryers and dehumidifiers, and ICS heaters.

Aggreko

www.aggreko.com Booth 1442

www.emaelectromechanics.com Booth 1127

www.stahlwille-americas.com Booth 2339

800.231.6074 • REEFINDUSTRIES.COM

TRANSPORTATION,

MAINTENANCE STORAGE & CONSTRUCTION

GRIFFOLYN® DIVISION OF REEF INDUSTRIES, INC.

STOCK ROLLS READILY AVAILABLE VOLATILE CORROSION INHIBITOR CUSTOMIZATION AVAILABLE CONTINUOUS PROTECTION PUNCTURE RESISTANCE WATER RESISTANT HEAT SHRINKABLE UV STABILIZED

APPLICATIONS TURBINE COVERS | GENERATOR COVERS TRANSFORMER BAGS | ON-SITE STORAGE BLADE COVERS | OUTDOOR TRANSPORTATION WIND FARM CONSTRUCTION | TRANSPORT CONTAINER COVERS

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Custom designed metal graphite brush grades Helwig Carbon offers aftermarket upgrades to increase performance and reduce maintenance of wind generator brushes and holders. Their metal graphite brush grades are custom designed for specific environments to maximize brush life for power and grounding rings. Technicians appreciate time-saving improvements like the Helwig Quick Disconnect terminals, adjustable brush boxes, replaceable spring assemblies, and easy installation. Helwig Carbon also provides Bearing Protection Kits and lightning protection solutions. Their engineering team will supply the best engineered solution for any wind needs.

Helwig Carbon

Electrical equipment and services

Electrical Consultants Inc. (ECI) was incorporated in 1985. For over 35 years, their in-house portfolio of services, including overhead and underground transmission engineering, substation and switchyard design, industrial power systems design, land survey and construction staking, right-of-way services, environmental planning, project management, construction management, and procurement services have provided a key resource for hundreds of utilities.

ECI brings extensive experience in power delivery services through 500 kV to their clients.

Electrical Consultants, Inc. (ECI) www.eciusa.com Booth 912

www.helwigcarbon.com Booth 1907

Wind turbine foundation anchor bolts

Williams Form Engineering Corporation has been providing threaded steel bars and accessories for rock anchors, soil anchors, high capacity concrete anchors, micropiles, tie rods, tiebacks, strand anchors, hollow bar anchors, post tensioning systems, and concrete forming hardware systems in the construction industry for over 95 years.

Williams Form Engineering Corporation www.williamsform.com Booth 2035

Asset protection solutions

MISTRAS Group is a OneSource provider of asset protection solutions for the renewable and wind energy industries. They specialize in inspection, maintenance, and mechanical services, with rope and drone access capabilities to efficiently inspect and maintain at-height turbines components.

MISTRAS ensures turbine integrity by offering a full suite of nondestructive testing (NDT), maintenance, and monitoring solutions for wind turbines, hydroelectric assets, and more.

MISTRAS Group

power.mistrasgroup.com Booth 2140

High quality safety helmets

KASK, based in Italy, specializes in developing, designing, and manufacturing of high quality safety helmets. KASK’s mission is to maintain a constant evolution of products and to keep a balance between technological excellence, functionality, safety, and attractive design in their products. Constantly reaching new markets, the KASK brand maintains high safety standards to ensure top quality helmets that offer secure protection for the user. Distributed in more than 60 countries, KASK safety helmets are used by professionals in many work sectors such as the arboreal, industrial, emergency, and rescue markets.

KASK

www.kask.com Booth 527

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Elevator safety and training

Highly trained elevator mechanics from the International Union of Elevator Constructors not only keep elevators running, they keep them running efficiently, and above all else, safely. They have over 32,000 trained professionals within 450+ elevator companies that provide over 8000 on the job hours and 2500 classroom hours. Whether it’s installation, repair, maintenance, compliance, or safety inspection they are ready to serve elevator lifts needs. Their staff sits on the ASME A17.8 code committee that writes the codes for these elevators and they fund a safety program that helps to protect their workforce in the field.

Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund www.eiwpf.org Booth 939

Transportation and logistics

Transportation Partners and Logistics (TP&L), along with RENEW, TAKKION, Global Specialized Services (GSS), and Airway Services partner to operate safe, smart, on time, in budget, with less stress, and fewer challenges to overcome. TP&L operates a large network of distribution centers serving renewable energy with rail and truck access. TP&L's team of inhouse engineers are top load certified and their services can be introduced anywhere along the supply chain.

Transportation Partners and Logistics

Sintered friction material

Blade repair and inspection

KUMA Brakes is a company based in Canada which designs and manufactures sintered brake pads and yaw pucks, both certified by General Electric. Made by powder metallurgy, the sintered metallic friction materials are formulated to perform in high temperature applications and to provide high levels of reliability to ensure adequate heat dissipation.

To help maintain their customers’ fleet, Altura collects data with a range of different inspection methods. Their engineers can then analyze the data and advise on repair strategy, minimizing loss of production, and prolonging the life of the blades. Their team of experienced and safety-oriented blade repair technicians can perform the repairs via rope access or 360° blade platform.

KUMA Brakes

Altura, a division of IRISNDT

www.kumabrakes.com Booth 537

www.alturawind.com Booth 807

www.tpandl.com Booth 1119

Wind blade monitor

Sensoria is a remote, 24/7/365 blade monitor that helps wind turbine operators maximize blade uptime and performance. Sensoria utilizes advanced acoustic emission (AE) technology to remotely detect defects, visualizes blade integrity through the Sensoria Insights data portal, and offers optional inspection and maintenance support services. With applications and benefits for teams across an organization, Sensoria helps to drive operational excellence through blade management.

Sensoria

sensoriawind.com Booth 2142

Wind turbine obstruction light

Compliant to FAA and international lighting standards, Flash Technology obstruction lights mark more than 17,000 wind turbines and MET towers around the world. The new FTS 350i is an economical FAA L-864 / ICAO Type B red LED lighting system specifically designed for wind turbine operators that do not require the additional features of the Vanguard FTS 370i-2 lighting system. The FTS 350i is a fully integrated, stand-alone obstruction light that does not need an additional controller mounted inside the nacelle.

The weather-resistant plastic construction provides greater than 50% weight reduction over the FTS 370i-2.

Flash Technology

RICHARDSON ELECTRONICS’ ULTRA3000® Energy Storage and Power Delivery for Wind Turbine Pitch Systems Over 2 million accumulated hours of operation in wind turbine pitch systems 1000+ modules in the field

www.flashtechnology.com/wind Booth 2038

325-338-2682 | ultra3000@rell.com | rellpower.com/ultra3000 North American Clean Energy

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energy storage

A Cleaner Detox

Extracting precious metals from recycled catalytic converters

by Greg Pendura

Platinum and Palladium are some of the rarest precious metals on earth, and have some of the highest utility; both can be found as jewellery and investment assets, as well as being used in electronics and dental work. However, approximately 80 percent of the world’s palladium and 50 percent of its platinum are used in catalytic converters.

Catalytic converters turn harmful pollutants from vehicle exhaust (carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide) into less harmful ones that are easier to live with (water vapor and carbon monoxide). Palladium and Platinum are two of the key catalysts for this detoxifying process.

But There’s a Problem

While platinum and palladium play a key role in ensuring the air we breathe is cleaner, of the 27 million catalytic converters available as scrap metal annually, only about 30 percent of the platinum and palladium are actually recycled - the rest go to landfills. This is in spite of the fact that both of these highly sought-after metals can be extracted from spent catalytic converters and reused for new ones or recycled for the other uses (as mentioned above).

Perversely, the only process for recovering these precious metals from catalytic converters – smelting – is harmful to the environment. Smelting releases into the air heavy metals like lead and mercury, along with chemical by-products like sulfur dioxide and various nitrogen oxides.

Known for causing lung cancer and lung scarring called pneumoconiosis from breathing in tiny metal dust particles, smelting isn’t just hazardous to your health, but the process itself can be dangerous.

Trapped carbon from diesel catalytic converters can potentially ignite, causing an explosion and/or damage to the furnace itself. Many smelters are refusing to accept diesel catalytic converters, restricting the amount they will process or implementing penalties for processing them at all.

Meanwhile, demand for platinum and palladium in the auto sector rose 13 percent in 2021, to 13 million ounces – the second-highest total ever recorded – thanks in part to tightening air quality regulations in China that require 70 percent of vehicles to have catalytic converters.

Luckily, there’s a more environmentally friendly way to extract palladium and platinum and take advantage of the catalytic converter market, which was estimated to be worth $42.4 billion in 2018, and projected to reach $73.1 billion by 2025.

Alternative to the Smelters

The technology exists to not only completely bypass the harmful emissions that come from smelting, but recover over 90 percent of the precious metals with little to no waste.

Here are the basic steps that make it happen: 1. The round piece that is coated with platinum and palladium is extracted from the heart of the catalytic converter. This very valuable piece is known as “The Honeycomb.”

2. The balance of the catalytic converter is recycled as scrap metal, while the honeycomb coated in platinum and palladium is ground into a fine powder.

3. This powder is put into a chemical solution that - through the creation of chemical bonds - will separate the platinum and palladium from the other ground materials that make up the powder.

4. Using a process called precipitation, the platinum and palladium are recovered as a concentrate from the chemical solution. In chemistry, precipitation is the process of transforming a dissolved substance into an insoluble solid from a super saturated solution. This can be done through

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electrowinning, where electricity is used to break the chemical bond between the precious metals and the solution, creating a concentrate.

5. The process is a closed system; any items that leave the system are environmentally inert.

6. Finally, the concentrate is sold to a refinery where the platinum and palladium have any remaining impurities removed, after which they are likely to end up back in new catalytic converters.

In addition to rendering the entire smelting process unnecessary - and bypassing the harmful toxins smelting emits - this chemical process uses far less energy than smelting and traditional mining. Smelting typically takes place at temperatures between 1350 to 1600+ degrees Celsius, and uses between 600 and 1100 kwh of electricity per ton of concentrate extracted. Though the amount of energy this new technology uses is still being researched, it’s safe to say it’s far less than smelting and mining.

Potential Future

If this technology can be scaled to an industrial scope, it presents the opportunity to both replace smelting with an environmental alternative and allow for increased recycling of catalytic converters presently being sent to landfills. Today, a portion of catalytic

converters end up in landfills as there is limited capacity at existing smelters; regulations make construction of additional smelting capacity difficult.

If the amount of palladium and platinum recovered from recycling can be increased, it may very well avoid the creation of new mines, which take up even more energy and are even more of an environmental footprint than the smelters.

Time will tell whether this technology for extracting platinum and palladium will eventually become the primary extraction method of precious metals from catalytic converters, but saving more noxious fumes from going into the air is a win no matter how many smelters actually remain when the dust settles.

Greg Pendura is the President and CEO of Mineworx Technology Ltd. (TSXV:MWX, OTCQB:MWXRF), the company driving this technology. Mineworx has also developed a partnership with Davis Recycling to pursue the commercialization of the project. The partnership is planning to build its first commercial scale extraction facility in Tennessee, USA.

Mineworx Technology Ltd. /// www.mineworx.net

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energy storage

Four Trends in Energy Storage Systems Hardware Manufacturing

by Scott Baxter

ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS (ESS) ARE ONE Trend 2: Shipping Containers are in short supply

of the hottest sectors in renewable energy today. Established manufacturers with growing popularity in the renewable industry, along with upcoming unknown innovators, are racing to create the latest ESS hardware and software technologies. These new systems will account for spikes in energy demand as well as long-duration power generation for the times when wind and solar are not actively producing. Lately, many articles have been written about the latest energy storage flywheels, Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), and battery systems, but – for better or for worse there are certain renewable energy manufacturing trends that OEMs and customers alike are noticing. From material pricing to supply chain, these developments are happening in real-time.

Trend 1: Material Prices are on the rise

Manufacturing, construction, and just about all other commodity prices are increasing. Iron and steel, for instance, have had a Producer Pricing Index (PPI) increase of 73.2 percent from June 2020 to June 2021. Non-ferrous metals, like aluminum, have had significant increases of roughly 36 percent in the same time period. Original Equipment Manufacturers that produce equipment with a high metal content are feeling these prices in their equipment builds. Many industrial quality machines have a metal content of 15-30 percent of their overall costs. Common renewable energy equipment products are comprised of frames, skins, brackets, adapters, and enclosures made from ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

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Sea containers, also known as shipping containers or intermodal containers, have recently been a top choice for Energy Storage and Power Generation systems.

Historically, they have been easy to find, readily available, and inexpensive.

Manufacturers can configure their systems within these standardized size containers dimensions, thereby avoiding the high cost of custom metal enclosures. A standard shipping container versus a custom metal enclosure of the same dimension can save the manufacture as much as seventy percent. However, due to short supply and high demand, OEMs may have to seek different enclosure methods in the short term.

Trend 3: Innovators are struggling to commercialize

While product teams and technology innovators are developing new technologies at light speed, these ambitious entrepreneurs are also finding themselves having to bootstrap funding for the next product lifecycle stage. The ultimate goal is production volumes of dozens, hundreds, or more. Unfortunately, most innovators don’t have the time or resources to truly commercialize a sellable ESS; they recognize that trying to build their own manufacturing systems is not feasible. If they aren’t careful, it will be too late to start looking for commercialization options. Furthermore, they don’t know how or where to look. Incubators and accelerators are great places to seek help, but when it comes down to real commercialization, these innovators must find a manufacturing partner that can navigate from the prototype stage through the production stage. Years ago, there was an abundance of manufacturing resources in the United States. Today, partners that can understand Bills of Materials, create Manufacturing documentation, industrialize the hardware, and execute the manufacturing are few and far between.

Trend 4: Supply Chains are under pressure

Across all industries, supply chains are experiencing previously unseen pressure.

COTS items are experiencing lead times threefold from normal. The electronics industry is scrambling to produce basic items. Even stocked items are experiencing longer lead times simply due to a lack of employees to put the product into boxes.

Steel production in 2020 was down 18 percent from 2019. All of these issues and more are affecting Energy Storage System manufacturing because of the nature of the systems. In the short term, most experts say there is no solution but to wait out the shortages until suppliers can reorient. ESS manufacturers are racing to keep up with the high demands of 2021; with strained supply chains, it may not be so easy to make it to 2022.

Energy Storage System technology is evolving every day. This budding technology will face growing pains like its predecessors, but it is clear that sunny days are to come. Today’s trends highlight the difficulties manufacturers are facing behind the scenes. The good news is that demand is rising in this sector, and those who learn to face these challenges and overcome them will be poised for a very dynamic future.

Flexible, smart inverter

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Tigo Energy /// www.tigoenergy.com/product/ei-inverter

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Scott Baxter is Marketing & Business Development Manager and has spent over 12 years as the lead content writer at PEKO Precision Products, Inc. His passion for manufacturing shines through his work and business relationships. He truly enjoys giving tours of the PEKO facility to professionals within renewable energy and other sectors, as well as finding solutions for customers to help their businesses grow. At home, he loves making sure his three kids play outside, and at work he loves giving advice that helps machinery and equipment project stakeholders bring their products to market.

Our distinctive red cases are well-recognized around the world and represent our longstanding commitment to deliver products with exceptional quality, reliability and support. Rolls Flooded models include Advanced NAM carbon additive for quicker, more efficient charging; improving performance and cycle life in traditional off-grid applications. Just one more reason to choose Rolls batteries.

PEKO Precision Products, Inc. /// www.pekoprecision.com

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energy storage

The Zinc Advantage

How fires and supply chain concerns are driving attention towards zinc battery chemistries

by Ann Marie Augustus

The tendency of lithium-ion batteries to fuel hot-burning, hard-to-extinguish fires made headlines over the summer, after a giant grid-scale battery caught fire in Australia. The blaze1 took 150 firefighters four days to put out, and postponed for months the testing of a 450 megawatt-hour (MWh) array.

Fire-prone lithium-ion batteries also set back the EV market this summer, which featured product recalls2 and recommendations that owners park their vehicles outdoors because of the fire risk. Firefighters say3 when an EV catches fire in an accident, it can take 40 times as much water to put out as a typical car fire.

In the residential solar-plus-storage market, fire and toxic smoke hazards have prompted further recalls stemming from the potential for thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries.

New York City, where I live, remains cautious about allowing indoor battery energy storage, and with good reason. Since 2019, even installing lithium-ion batteries outdoors has required a special permit.

Julian Bazel, the Fire Department of New York’s fire code counsel, said the department was initially concerned about fires sparked by batteries in phones and skateboards. He was quoted4 as saying, “It’s one thing to deal with it when it’s a consumer product, but when it’s put near buildings, it’s a bigger problem.”

To address the persistent fire hazards posed by lithium-ion and continue to install energy storage throughout the five boroughs, we need products that are safe for use indoors. In these ultra-dense urban environments, fire safety is crucial.

“If you look past lithium ion, probably zinc is the next metal that’s the most popular for energy storage,” according to5 Mike Gravely of the California Energy Commission, “and it does appear to be able to provide performance equal to or better than lithium if given a chance.”

The industry’s Zinc Battery Initiative6 points out that Allesandro Volta relied on zinc to build the world’s first battery two centuries ago. Thomas Edison patented a nickel zinc battery in 1901. And of course, zinc remains the primary electrode in today’s consumer AA, AAA, C, D, and 9-volt batteries.

Zinc batteries offer a wider operating temperature range, longer calendar life, and a lower cost per kilowatt-hour than today’s leading batteries, including lithium, according to the industry initiative. They offer flexible designs with the broadest operating temperatures, highest power discharge in seconds to one hour, and long-duration storage. They’re non-toxic, recyclable, and made from abundant and inexpensive materials, so are more environmentally friendly and sustainable. And they are non-flammable, so they’re recommended where physical safety is essential. “One size doesn’t fit all,” says the industry initiative seeking broader adoption of this alternative to lithium.

A variety of zinc-based batteries are now reaching the residential, commercial, and utility-scale energy storage markets — including a rechargeable version7 of the familiar zinc manganese-dioxide chemistry in household alkaline batteries. Recently, a nationally recognized testing lab certified to UL standards8 that such a battery is not subject to thermal runaway.

This raises the prospect that zinc battery customers can forego the elaborate fire suppression and active liquid cooling systems needed for lithium-ion batteries.

They can also save money over lithium-ion, which, due to its expense and thermal runaway risk, may turn out to be mismatched for many residential, commercial and grid-scale power backup, solar+storage, and microgrid applications.

Zinc-based batteries avoid the need for conflict minerals such as cobalt, an element of lithium-ion batteries often supplied by child miners in the Congo — not to mention lithium itself, heavily sourced from Australia and Chile, with much of it refined in China under processes that are energy and water intensive.

The lone large-scale U.S. lithium mine produces just 5,000 tons a year9. The company proposing a second — in Nevada, like the first — has said it will require

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www.cnbc.com/2021/08/05/tesla-megapack-fire-highlights-early-stage-issues-withbig-batteries.html 2 www.nhtsa.gov/press-releases/recall-all-chevy-bolt-vehicles-fire-risk 3 www.businessinsider.com/tesla-crash-fire-lithium-battery-austin-more-water-thanregular-2021-8#:~:text=%22Normally%20a%20car%20fire%20you,that%20was%20 the%20case%20here.%22 4 www.amny.com/news/lithium-battery-buildings-1-36172686/ 5 www.forbes.com/sites/jeffmcmahon/2020/10/06/california-shifts-attention-fromlithium-ion-to-zinc-energy-storage/?sh=7d156d4a1875 6 www.zincbatteryinitiative.com/ 7 pv-magazine-usa.com/2021/06/30/urban-electric-powers-long-term-storagesolution-takes-battery-storage-back-to-the-basics/ 1

https://solarbuildermag.com/batteries/urban-electric-powers-rechargeable-alkalinebattery-passes-thermal-runaway-test/ 9 www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/business/lithium-mining-race.html 10 int.nyt.com/data/documenttools/thacker-pass-feis-chapters1-6-508/ f5d9956ac05f6601/full.pdf#page=153 11 www.nytimes.com/2020/07/29/world/americas/lead-poisoning-children.html#: ~:text=poisoning%2Dchildren.html-,One%20in%20Three%20Children%20Have%20 Unacceptably%20High%20Lead%20Levels%2C%20Study,Pure%20Earth%2C%20 an%20advocacy%20group.

12 www.nytimes.com/2021/05/06/business/lithium-mining-race.html#:~:text=Most%20 of%20the%20raw%20lithium,said%20in%20a%20recent%20interview.

8

3,224 gallons of water per minute, and that the lithium will be extracted by mixing clay dug from the mountainside with as much as 5,800 tons a day of sulfuric acid. It aims to increase U.S. production by 66,000 tons a year; permit documents say10 it will also create 354 million cubic yards of mining waste containing acid discharge and possibly radioactive uranium.

The advantages for developing countries of finding alternatives go beyond the supply chain. Once manufactured, lithium-ion batteries are typically expensive and may be hard to get. Many communities still rely on lead-acid batteries for dispersed lighting and charging, adding to their pollution and recycling challenges. One in three children in the world is exposed to lead poisoning, according to UNICEF11, posing a major environmental justice issue. And even lead-acid batteries can suffer thermal runaway.

In the rush to spread the advantages of energy storage across the U.S. economy — including the opportunity to capture and use more clean energy — we should ask ourselves whether lithium-ion’s higher expense and its other impacts12 are worth it, and which battery chemistry is really best for a given job.

Ann Marie Augustus is Vice President of Operations for Urban Electric Power, inventor of a rechargeable zinc manganesedioxide alkaline battery for residential, commercial, and grid-scale energy storage.

Urban Electric Power

/// urbanelectricpower.com

North American Clean Energy

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energy storage

Scaling Vehicle Electrification Through Distributed Energy Resources

by Vic Shao

LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS AND PROJECT

partners gathered to celebrate the deployment of the first Type C electric school bus in New York City in early June 2021. The buses are being deployed by Logan Bus Company, the largest school bus operator in New York City’s Department of Education. As it will incorporate the first electric Type C bus on New York City streets, the project is noteworthy because it features an innovative Chargingas-a-Service (CaaS) support model, repowered internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to all electric, distributed energy resources, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) integration.

Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles make up 23 percent of harmful emissions on U.S. roadways. Estimates show that commercial fleets in the U.S. will grow to include eight million electric vehicles (EVs) by 2030.

However, in a 2018 survey by Greenbiz and UPS, fleet operators cited high costs and complex infrastructure as main deterrents to expanding their electric truck and bus pilots to full deployment.

CaaS answers the challenges fleets face, while remaining technology agnostic and guaranteeing vehicle uptime in exchange for a price-per-mile-driven billing structure.

The provider of CaaS serves as the electric utility account holder for its fleet customers, providing comprehensive end-to-end services to fleet operators. These services include managing infrastructure upgrades and utility interconnections, establishing an optimal charging strategy based on drive cycle and duty cycle, providing debt financing or securing grant funding for reducing capital expenditures, and implementing resiliency plans where needed.

To ensure that electricity costs remain in check—electricity costs can fluctuate by as much as 400 percent per day—the CaaS provider assumes the full financial responsibility of utility bills and provides the fleet with pre-negotiated flat usage rates. CaaS providers also perform onsite operations and maintenance services, and invest in technology upgrades as a fleet’s needs evolve.

As a result of the growing number of EVs, estimates indicate that power consumption will increase up to 230 terawatt-hoursper-year, or approximately 6 percent of current U.S. power generation—creating a market opportunity of approximately $15 billion for EV fleet charging.

As assets like EVs and their chargers grow in popularity, demand-side energy management programs will become an even bigger priority for grid operators and utilities. Through a partnership between providers of CaaS and demand-side energy management, transmission and distribution grids have the flexibility to integrate EV chargers as distributed energy resources (DERs), helping to keep the grid balanced during peak hours. Combined with managed charging strategies, onsite distributed energy resources provide an opportunity for fleets to be more energy resilient and reduce costs while strengthening their local grids.

Repowering providers can bolster e-mobility charging solutions with V2G capabilities.

By repowering existing ICE trucks and buses with electric powertrains and adding charge management services and a V2G bi-directional EV charging system, fleets can prepare for the next wave of opportunities currently pursued by utilities and end-user customers.

It’s predicted1 that the global V2G technology market is expected to grow at a compound rate of 48 percent between 2020 and 2027. The concept enables bi-directional and controllable electrical energy flow among vehicles and the local electrical grid for the benefit of both parties. Beyond serving as a virtual power plant that utilities and owners can utilize in times of need—such as power outages or times of high prices due to increased demand—bidirectional charging can help fleets and grids balance their electricity demand and act as storage for renewable energy generation.

The economics of V2G will be on display in the Logan Bus project in New York City. By integrating these solutions into a CaaS model, the project is set up to capture the cost reductions beyond what electrification via repowering can bring.

Further reducing upfront costs, repowering has helped Logan Bus make the transition to electric by converting five of their existing Type C diesel buses to all electric. Repowering existing vehicles by replacing the old diesel drivetrain with a new electric propulsion system can bring all the benefits of electric power, including reduced operating costs and zero emissions, for a fraction of the price. It's a faster, cheaper and easier way to get electric buses on the road.

With transportation electrification on the rise, innovative solutions that provide resiliency for both vehicle operators and grid operators are critical for mainstream electric fleet adoption. The Logan Bus project’s unique elements offer a scalable solution for electric fleets because of the cost savings advantage of charge management services, repowering existing vehicles, and grid services.

Vic Shao is Founder and CEO of AMPLY Power, which provides Charging-as-a-Service and charge management software for EV fleets.

AMPLY Power /// amplypower.com 1

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www.precedenceresearch.com/automotive-v2x-market

DC fast charger

The Rhombus D3 Remote Dispenser incorporates the switching capability directly into the dispenser, and up to five D3 remote dispensers can be serially connected to a single PCS. This approach significantly reduces installation costs by reducing the number of DC power cable trenches and power lines by up to 80%. The D3 remote charger also has a footprint of ~2/3 square feet, and can optionally be wall-mounted.

Compact universal converter

Alencon’s latest DC:DC converter offering, the CUBE (compact universal boost/buck converter) offers a non-isolated buck boost topology. The CUBE is unique in that it leverages Alencon’s unique high frequency switching technology to achieve a high power density. The CUBE is scheduled for production release in 2022.

ACE, the Alencon Communications Environment, allows for remote monitoring and control and SCADA integration of Alencon’s products including the SPOT, BOSS, CUBE and GARD.

Alencon /// www.alenconsystems.com

Rhombus Energy /// www.rhombusenergy.com

Compact carbon steel enclosure

Small footprint storage

Panasonic has redesigned the EverVolt home battery storage cabinet that gives the system a smaller footprint. The new cabinet enables homeowners to stack more batteries and store more energy in a smaller space. The improved cabinet will be 29" x 47" x 18", 22 square inches smaller than the previous EverVolt battery storage model. The EverVolt battery storage is compatible with any solar module system or inverter and can be tailored to a homeowner's individual needs. In addition to offering both the AC- and DC-coupled options, the battery storage system can be scaled down to as little as 11kWh of energy storage or expanded to 102kWh. EverVolt battery storage system offers simple, one-person installation and is field serviceable. It also comes equipped with advanced software and a user-friendly app for homeowners, allowing customization between multiple operating modes and visibility into system status. The battery storage product is backed by a 10-year product and performance warranty.

Panasonic /// www.panasonic.com

Fortress Power announced its newest product, theFlexRack. This compact, high quality steel enclosure stores up to 4 eFlex 5.4kWh batteries. The FlexRack paired with multiple eFlex batteries can build a 48V UPS server rack or provide storage capacity to solar arrays. The FlexRack includes integrated busbars, wheels, and a DIN rail heater mount. This enclosure can be free-standing or padmounted. The FlexRack also provides space to house other 48V server rack mount electronics. The unit comes fully assembled and its sleek and clean design is a solution for space optimization.

Sustainable lithium mining power solution

Schneider Electric and Wärtsilä have partnered to create a sustainable, uninterrupted power solution for the most remote lithium mines in the world. The holistic fit-for-purpose power system includes tailored power supply consulting and design, power infrastructure build, equipment delivery, installation, digital microgrids operation, and commissioning available to mining operators around the world. The Schneider Electric and Wärtsilä solution, optimizes the efficient delivery and use of energy. It unifies and leverages microgrids, thermal power generation, energy storage, and other renewable energy sources to provide a cost-effective power solution with a minimal environmental footprint for the mining industry.

The design concept of the project extends to the lifecycle of the mine, delivering and provisioning for the exactly right level of power to enable a mine's productivity. As a result, operational costs are reduced and power availability is optimized to reach a mine's production targets. Predictability of parts, power supply, and maintenance costs reduce the need for working capital within the 24/7 cycle. This solution works for new mines that are currently being designed and also for mining project conversions.

Schneider Electric /// www.se.com Wärtsilä Energy /// www.wartsila.com/energy

Fortress Power /// www.fortresspower.com

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Check out our new RE Battery Basics video series and contact us for your energy storage needs. Visit www.crownbattery.com/webinars.

CONTACT US FOR DETAILS: +1.419.334.7181 commercial@crownbattery.com www.crownbattery.com North American Clean Energy

85

energy efficiency

Maintaining Supply Chain Confidence

by Michael Sirard

MAINTAINING SUPPLY CHAIN CONFIDENCE

is always an ongoing challenge. However, recent additional factors resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic revealed vulnerabilities that have significantly changed the nature of the supply chain. While some of this disruption is unpredictable, there are approaches that should be considered to be better prepared in anticipation of the known and unknown. As we all respond to these drastic changes in the supply chain, businesses and end-users should resist feeling helpless and take into consideration these preventative and proactive measures. The following best practices encompass leveraging existing resources, planning, communication, and balance.

Service Partner Collaboration

Providing the best level of service to an end-user is a constant goal. One way to help achieve this is to leverage the expertise of existing partners; service providers that are already used in one area of a business can easily be utilized in other areas with minimal training and effort. Cross-training current partners not only saves time and money, but using these same experts across all areas of a business can help compress schedules and reduce errors as well.

As an additional layer of control, building up an internal project management team can be paramount for the successful collaboration with these partners. Having a team of experienced project managers in place enables companies to better manage these service providers and engage with the customer more directly which, in turn, helps close communication gaps and increase speed of problem resolution with more clarity. Their familiarity with existing partners equips them with the knowledge to ask the right questions on a customer’s behalf by building on lessons learned from past experiences together.

The cooperation of these internal and external teams can ultimately provide a higher service-level and improved customer experience to the end-user. The combined experience that comes from having worked together on past issues can better prepare companies for the unpredictable future. With an onsite team effort, miscommunication is minimized with real-time problem solving and proactive problem resolution helps alleviate issues that could impact cost and scheduling. Having the right people and tools in place with a general awareness of unpredictability from learned experience are both steps towards preparing for the unknown.

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Resiliency is Essential

The impacts of supply chain disruption have been seen in everything from toilet paper and cleaning supplies to building materials. As the world works to recover from the recent disruptions of the past few years, resiliency is essential. Companies and end-users should not despair. There are multiple ways to respond to this crisis; collectively, they can have a positive impact on the supply chain. Ongoing assessment of current supply chain operations and planning for the unforeseeable future is now part of the new supply chain norm. While the world looks towards an improved situation in the future, getting started today to work on the areas you can will mutually benefit companies and end-users.

Follow the Trends

In any industry, always deliberating “what is next?” is an important part of a proactive approach. Forward-thinking can help to deliver things faster when needed, and assist with overall better preparedness. Constant questioning of processes and procedures will ultimately result in a better way of doing things.

Working to streamline practices and taking a modular approach to business are recent trends shaping many industries.

The ongoing threat of cyber security is also triggering many companies across the country to evaluate their products and processes for potential future threats.

Additionally, many companies are considering producing domestically, which presents multiple benefits. Shorter lead times and job creation are two of the key advantages gained with domestic expansion, as well as improved safety measures, which is always a high point of concern. Furthermore, the closer proximity can assist with quick design changes and enhance quality control.

Considering trends and coming up with ideas, along with a solid plan to deliver, will keep a supply chain growing strong.

Maintaining Balance with Supply Chain Capacity

Managing manufacturing capacity requires a great deal of multitasking. For one, retaining some elasticity enables the ability to plan for the unexpected. Proactive management of expansion rather than managing a lack of production can make all the difference in maintaining balance within a supply chain. This can be accomplished with frequent evaluation of lead times and continual assessment of processes to ensure everything is lining up and all key points in the supply chain converge where they should.

Additionally, a general understanding of how tier systems work can help when choosing partners. The general idea of tiers categorizes geographical and capacity stats of organizations, but there are other things to consider besides tier placement.

While a company may not produce within certain geographic markets or operate at a specific size capacity, it does not mean they are not a reputable producer of quality solutions.

No matter where a supplier ranks within the tier system, companies can additionally show their strengths and benefits through volunteer testing. Working with these reputable outside companies can help further validate attributes such as quality, performance, warranty, and longevity through thirdparty tests. A balance of knowledge in both of these areas can guide end-users to find the right partner.

Michael Sirard is the EVP of Technical Operations and Engineering at MPINarada, the North American operation of Narada. Michael has over 20 years of experience working for multiple domestic battery manufacturers including Johnson Controls, Exide, Ultralife and most recently Asian battery and system manufacturer Narada.

Michael has led both battery design, operations, and battery system development utilizing both Lead Acid and Li-Ion (LFP) technologies within Automotive, Critical Power, Telecommunications and Renewable Energy Storage Utility Scale Applications. Michael holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Western New England University and an MBA from Marquette University.

MPINarada /// mpinarada.com

Communication

While communication should be an obvious opportunity, the power of clear and consistent communication should not be ignored; transparent communication tactics can help increase the level of service that is brought to end-users. Focused and frequent communication can build trust, develop relationships, and help fine-tune processes by leaving nothing unanswered on the table. Check-ins and asking frequent questions can help with troubleshooting to get ahead of potential problems.

Leaving nothing to an assumption by keeping a steady stream of questions to processes and methods will add to a continuous improvement. In the area of forecasting, this can be of vital importance.

Being diligent about managing a forecast with frequent check-ins to update changes (good or bad) is a great way to manage expectations for all in these uncertain times. With continued follow up in this area, lead times may be tightened saving both time and money in the end.

North American Clean Energy

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energy efficiency

How the Shift to Distributed Energy Resources Impacts the Water-Power-Carbon Nexus

by Jason Blackburn

As global water supplies become more stressed (due to steadily increasing demand spurred by population growth and record-breaking droughts) two major challenges—water scarcity and water quality—are impacting access to clean, plentiful water. While the severity of these challenges varies by location, it is clear that both demand more efficient use of our resources.

Water, power, and carbon dioxide emissions are intricately intertwined; the process to reliably produce safe, drinkable water is energy-intensive and directly tied to the external sources used to power these processes.

The relationship of how energy is used, generated, and embedded in the water cycle, known as the waterenergy-carbon nexus, is being tested by the impacts of cleaner power generation, evolving and more stringent regulations, climate change, and population growth.

“Every step of the water cycle—producing, moving, treating and heating water, then collecting and treating wastewater—consumes energy,” according to the UC Davis Center for Water-Energy Efficiency. In fact, 20 percent of California’s electricity and more than 30 percent of its natural gas goes to water utilities. It is easy to imagine, then, the crisis a water facility faces during power outages—and why it is becoming increasingly attractive to identify dependable power sources controlled by the facility.

Water facilities must be reliable. There is no room for outages or process and equipment failures. They must also be resilient: able to adapt to and manage the effects of events outside of the facility’s control, such as natural disasters. Reliability and resiliency are nearly impossible to achieve without power. With the rise of devastating weather events causing emergency power outages in cities around the world, water treatment facilities are looking for new ways to ensure a plentiful, clean water supply. One solution has come to the forefront: microgrids.

Microgrids—decentralized and self-sufficient energy systems—are emerging as the next frontier in water industry efficiency. Built within a water utility’s complex and tapped into multiple energy sources, including

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NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

Recent events in places like Texas, California, and Louisiana have shown that reliable power and water are not a given. But they are tremendously important to a healthy society. Utilities must adapt to provide these basic needs in the efficient, reliable, and resilient way that is required today.

A digital strategy using a scalable automation platform with intelligent software can seamlessly integrate systems from all levels of a power and/ or water enterprise. In doing so, it contributes to the viability of integrated management of the water-energy-carbon nexus that, through reduced emissions and increased energy and water security, can help our cities and communities with their sustainability efforts.

Jason Blackburn is Global Product Director for the Power and Water Industries at Emerson, which offers software and automation solutions to help facilitate wider clean energy adoption.

Emerson /// www.emerson.com

OFFICIAL SHOW SPONSOR

2022

renewable options like solar and wind, microgrids are creating opportunities for water organizations to reduce their power costs and increase opportunities to leverage natural and clean energy sources.

This is especially appealing as many utilities seek to both enhance sustainability as good corporate citizens and comply with new regulatory requirements.

But changing power infrastructure is not a one-way street. Microgrids can plug into the larger power grid to get more energy when needed or provide energy to the grid in case of excess. While this creates new opportunities for sustainability, it also adds complexity to the power landscape, which, in turn, impacts the water-power-carbon nexus. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say the growing integration of renewable and distributed energy resources with traditional energy sources is reinventing the power business model and infrastructure.

New federal regulations (FERC 2222) allow alternative energy sources like smallscale generation or storage technologies, to compete in the wholesale electricity market. As such, “virtual power plants” that aggregate smaller distributed energy resources (DERs) - wind, solar, energy storage, demand response, electric vehicles - will be able to participate in the larger, networked power system. Instead of relying primarily on large coal or gas-fired plants, the smart grid will increasingly depend on virtual plants that switch seamlessly among various energy sources to make renewable power more accessible.

This results in greater variability and complexity. Yet, all of these power sources (traditional and renewable) must be managed to provide stable, reliable power to meet the grid needs.

Overcoming this complexity to meet consumer demand means looking at solutions and technologies differently.

This requires rethinking operational and business models for how energy is generated, transmitted, and distributed to meet the ultimate goal: keeping the power on for customers.

In a future with more decentralized energy generation, virtual power plants will need to model, aggregate, optimize, and dispatch energy onto the grid in real-time, alongside traditional power generation players. Establishing seamless integration between local at-the-source control technology and centralized operational control at the utility is key for optimizing resources in real-time while maintaining overall system reliability.

This seamless integration will require the power industry to continue to innovate better ways of managing and automating energy production and delivery, from transmission to transaction. By enabling dynamic grid operations that safely and reliably manage distributed energy resources and virtual power plants, producers can pave the way for the sustainable grid of the future.

FEBRUARY 1-3 NEW ORLEANS, LA

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North American Clean Energy

89

advertisers’websitedirectory

eventscalendar NOVEMBER

Page Company

03-04

ACORE Grid Forum

Virtual Event; acoregridforum.com

04

Connected Microgrid Event

Virtual Event – 9am - 12pm; nergica.com/en/evenement-microreseaux/

09-11

Solar Power Mexico

Centro Citibanamex – Mexico City, MX; www.hfmexico.mx/solarpowermexico/

16

Clean Energy Solutions Summit

Virtual Event through Zoom – 9am - 4pm MST; cleanenergysolutionssummit.com

16-17

Long-Duration Energy Storage Forum

Capitol Event Center – Sacramento, CA; www.smartgridobserver.com/storage

16-18

Southeast Renewable Energy Summit

Omni Charlotte Hotel – Charlotte, NC; infocastinc.com

DECEMBER 07-08

CLEANPOWER 2021 Conference & Exhibition

Salt Palace Convention Center – Salt Lake City, UT; www.cleanpower.org

07-09

SEMICON West 2021 Hybrid

Moscone Center – San Francisco, CA; www.semiconwest.org

JANUARY 2022 13-15

Intersolar North America

Long Beach Convention Center – Long Beach, CA; www.intersolar.us

13-15

Energy Storage North America

Long Beach Convention Center – Long Beach, CA; www.esnaexpo.com

FEBRUARY 2022 23-24

Solar and Energy Storage Northeast

Westin Boston Seaport District – Boston, MA; events.solar/northeast/

MARCH 2022 07-09

Solar + Wind Finance & Investment Summit

TBD; infocastinc.com

09-10

2022 ACP O&M and Safety Conference

Hotel Del Coronado – San Diego, CA; www.awea.org

MAY 2022 16-19

CLEANPOWER 2022 Conference & Exhibition

Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center – San Antonio, TX; www.awea.org

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Email information to the editor at editor@nacleanenergy.com Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Requestor Publications Only) 1. Publication Title: North American Clean Energy 2. Publication Number: 0000-1370 3. Filing Date: 10/21/2021 4. Issue Frequency: 6 times per year (bi-monthly) 5. Number of Issues Published Annually: 6 6. Annual Subscription Price: 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 3012 S. Banker St., Suite 1, Effingham, IL 62401 Telephone: 1-309-347-5151 Contact Person: Ian Stuart 8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher: 255 Newport Drive, Suite 336, Port Moody BC V3H 5H1 9. Full Names and Complete Mailing Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Ian Stuart, 255 Newport Drive, Suite 336, Port Moody BC V3H 5H1 Editor (Name and complete mailing address): Ian Stuart, 255 Newport Drive, Suite 336, Port Moody BC V3H 5H1 Managing Editor (Name and complete mailing address): Ian Stuart, 255 Newport Drive, Suite 336, Port Moody BC V3H 5H1 10. Owner (Name and complete mailing address): Ian Stuart, 255 Newport Drive, Suite 336, Port Moody BC V3H 5H1 11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 13. Publication Title: North American Clean Energy 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: Nov/Dec 2021 15.

Average No. of Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies Single Issue Published Nearest Filing Date

a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run):

32,349

32,000

c. Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation:

16,024

15,555

d. Non-requested Distribution:

15,821

15,639

e.Total Non-requested Distribution:

16,069

15,882

f. Total Distribution:

32,093

32,000

g.Copies not Distributed:

256

563

h.Total:

32,349

32,000

i. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation:

49.93%

49.48%

16 a. Requested and Paid Electronic Copies

21,235

21,421

16 b. Total Requested and Paid Print Copies + Electronic Copies

37,259

36,976

16 c. Total Requested Copy Distribution + Requested/ Paid Electronic Copies

53,328

52,858

16 d. Percent Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Both Print and Electronic Copies)

69.87%

69.95%

I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are legitimate requests or paid copies. Published on the 31st day of October, 2021 I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

90

NOVEMBER• DECEMBER2021 /// www.nacleanenergy.com

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www.vatransformer.com North American Clean Energy 91