In the wind turbine industry, understanding failure modes and identifying the root cause is key to being able to assess wind turbine drivetrain damage. With this knowledge comes the ability to reactively solve problems whilst implementing a strategic view of preventative or predictive maintenance.
It’s now well documented that unpredicted wind turbine downtime can cause significant issues to operators and owners in a loss of generation in both profit and energy and therefore presents a financial risk. Any progress towards achieving greater reliability and extending the life cycle of the turbines is crucial to this growing industry.
Romax had been fortunate in its position as an independent provider for the wind industry with engineering expertise including forensic investigation, analysis with experience across multiple failure modes. Recently, Romax has been working with GCube to provide expertise with actionable information so that they can rectify issues, reduce or eliminate repeat problems. Allowing GCube to refine their monitoring and inspection approach aswell as their maintenance activity and crucially manage spiralling expenditure.
GCube offers all risks property insurance for projects from inception through shipment of equipment to the site and construction; through to the procurement of replacement parts and repair activities as well as the financial cost of lost electricity production.
With typical claims for wind turbine failures in the region of between $200,000 and $600,000, it’s vital for the insurer and its clients to fully understand the root cause of problems in order to reduce future risks.
Through the collaboration GCube was able to leverage its position and let the industry know how their services can support the industry.
“I think Romax’s independent set of eyes, it’s wide and deep technical experience, and its independence of any manufacturer, adds a lot of value to the industry,” says Chris Cioni, Senior Vice President – Technical Services/Claims,GCube Insurance Services Inc.
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Press release, September 4, 2013; Image: Westermeerwind