Optimising wind farm performance and minimising potential downtime relies on various important measures. But it may come as a surprise to hear that wind turbine cleaning is as vital as any other form of maintenance to ensure efficient operation.
Cleaning helps to keep turbines free of debris, so they remain as streamlined as possible. Clean blades have less wind resistance, allowing for smooth revolutions and maximum energy efficiency.
In an industry where downtime costs in excess of £5,000 per day and keeping a competitive edge means staying hyper-efficient, no stone can be left unturned, and cleaning isn’t optional.
To ensure a wind turbine cleaning project is delivered in the most effective way, there are some key considerations to bear in mind:
When should they be cleaned?
Cleaning should form part of a wind turbine’s regular maintenance programme. Incorporating it this way avoids needless interruptions to operations, it also ensures that debris can be dealt with before it builds up and causes more serious problems.
It’s crucial to schedule and perform routine maintenance on wind turbines to ensure they operate at peak efficiency. As well as addressing turbine blade cleaning, maintenance should include, inspecting and repairing any damage, checking lubrication levels, and testing electrical components.
Who should do the cleaning?
Complex tasks of this kind, performed at height, with exposure to the elements, always require the support of highly experienced specialists.
A decades-long track record of delivering cleaning services as part of clients’ wind turbine maintenance, has equipped our team at AIS Wind Energy with the instinct and expertise required to perform the process swiftly, safely and efficiently. These credentials are essential when choosing specialist support.
What is the most important part of a cleaning project?
Health and safety must always be top priority during wind turbine cleaning projects. At AIS Wind Energy we always take a safety-focused approach to wind turbine cleaning and operate within the Wind Turbine Safety Rules (WTSRs). Our fully-certified wind energy operatives adopt a safe system of work (SSoW) for every project. Taking this approach not only means achieving high-quality results but also protects clients’ assets and keeps everyone involved in the cleaning project safe.
Where to start
Cleaning is paramount to the efficient performance of wind farms and so needs to be executed precisely and thoroughly. Planned carefully, it can blend effortlessly into existing scheduled maintenance regimes – guarding against future performance issues.
To see how the team at AIS Wind Energy could support your onshore wind farm, contact us.
