The wind energy sector is on an upswing. Installed power worldwide, totalling 203,000 MW in 2010, will rise to 1,900,000 MW in 2020. TÜV SÜD supports manufacturers, engineering and construction companies and operators of wind turbines by providing comprehensive safety, reliability and profitability services. Visitors can inform themselves about these subjects at Europe’s wind energy event, EWEA 2011, to take place between 14 and 17 March 2011 in Brussels (hall 7, stand 7501).
In the future, offshore wind farms in particular can make a rising contribution to securing energy supply. According to estimates by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), the installed power of offshore facilities in Europe alone may increase from 2,000 MW in 2010 to 40,000 MW in 2020. The establishment of an offshore wind-power department has clearly strengthened the position of TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH in the offshore sector. Its service portfolio includes certification of offshore wind farms, technical testing of offshore foundation structures, preparation of risk assessments, development and surveillance of occupational health and safety schemes, and monitoring and quality assurance throughout the construction phase of offshore projects. “Further focal areas are factory inspection and quality control during the production of all components, including cross-interface quality assurance of the interaction between individual components”, explains Alexander Heitmann, Head of the Offshore Wind Power department. “We also provide periodic testing throughout the service life of offshore wind farms.”
The offshore services round off TÜV SÜD’s existing portfolio of proven services in the area of wind energy. “We offer comprehensive and customized consultancy and support for manufacturers, engineering and construction companies and operators of wind-power stations”, explains Peter Herbert Meier, Head of Wind Cert Services at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service. “In this context, we cover the entire range of services from type certification to site assessment and wind-farm certification.” For this purpose, the wind experts rely on a set of aligned assessment instruments, including wind measurement, yield prediction, analysis of wind potential and expert opinions on turbulence and extreme winds. Last but not least, wind-farm due diligence and wind-farm certification provide certainty that the potential of a site will be fully exploited.
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Source: tuev-sued, January 26, 2011