SGS Germany GmbH: InWind Chronicle features SGS Article on In-Service Inspections for Wind Farm Projects

Geneva, the 29th July 2011. The April-May 2011 issue of the InWind Chronicle magazine features an SGS article entitled the “Importance of In-Service Inspections for Wind Farm Projects,” written by Olaf Robenek, Senior Wind Turbine Inspector Onshore and Offshore, and Nils Dreischerf, Wind Turbine Inspector, both of who are from SGS Industrial Services. The article explains the significance of regular In-Service Inspections conducted by a reliable third-party company, to minimize the risks of costly downtime and repair periods and to ensure successful functioning of a wind farm.

The InWind Chronicle is a leading wind-energy publication, issued by the Indian Wind Energy Association. The bimonthly magazine focuses on international and Indian developments in the wind energy sector. The April-May 2011 edition of the magazine features an article by Olaf Robenek and Nils Dreischerf, Wind Turbine Inspectors at SGS Industrial Services, entitled the “Importance of In-Service Inspections for Wind Farm Projects.”

In the article, Olaf Robenek and Nils Dreischerf explore the necessity of regular In-Service Inspections for wind farm projects conducted by a reliable third-party company.

In-Service Inspections are the most effective way to ensure the successful performance of a wind farm, because they can detect the imminent failure of critical components at an early stage, thus minimizing the risk of costly repair periods. With regular In-Service Inspections, the downtime of a wind turbine can be considerably reduced, which in turn facilitates the profitable operation of a wind farm with sustainable operational costs and the anticipated return on investment.

With an increasing number of installed wind turbines and the potential for major failure of critical components, the necessity of In-Service Inspections should not be underestimated. However, In-Service inspections only represent a value-added service to the customer when they are conducted by a reliable third-party company. The advantages of hiring an independent inspection, verification, testing and certification company not only derive from the dedication applied by its skilled personnel, but also from its economic independence from the stakeholders.

In-Service Inspections, including Vibration Measurement of the Drive Train, Thermographic Inspection and Oil Analysis, Endoscope Inspection, Blade Inspection, Rotor Imbalance, Blade Pitch, Angle Measurement and Rope Access, involve a series of activities in which the various components of a wind turbine are regularly inspected and monitored throughout its entire operational lifetime. Using a range of diverse inspection methods and analyses ensures that any unexpected degradation from normal conditions is detected as early as possible, in order to prevent consequential damage to the wind turbine.

SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, is well-positioned to provide a comprehensive portfolio of In-Service Inspections for wind farm projects on a regular basis. Having an international presence with more than 64,000 employees and over 1,250 laboratories in 140 countries, SGS is familiar with the local environment, circumstances, languages, laws and regulations.

To learn more about this topic, you can download and read the complete InWind Chronicle article – Importance of In-Service Inspections for Wind Farm Projects.

About SGS Industrial Services
Industrial Services is one of the major business lines of the SGS Group, a global service provider for technical verification, inspection, testing and conformity assessment. SGS Industrial Services ensures that the customer’s installations, material, equipment, facilities and projects meet all quality and performance requirements, whether they are regulatory, voluntary or customer based. Industrial Services has decades’ worth of experience and some remarkable references in serving key industries, such as Construction, Industrial Manufacturing & Trade, the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industry, Power Generation and Transmission, Banks and Financial Institutions, as well as Renewable Energy.

As the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, SGS has accreditations to all major standards and is recognized as a leading global benchmark in the field of inspection, verification, certification and testing. With its experienced and highly qualified staff, SGS operates an extensive network of offices and laboratories in various fields, which offer a wide range of product certification services.