College adds wind to the curriculum.
Small wind just got bigger.
Industry thinking is that anything below “utility size” is “small.” This 100 kW turbine would have hardly been small 25 years ago.
But, compared to the mammoth 2+ MW machines now, it's small wind: capable of powering a farm, a light industrial plant, or even a campus.
The Northwind turbine is designed with the same principles in mind as its large scale brethren.
Lego. For big people.
Putting up a 100 kW turbine is not for the meek. Coordinating hundreds of project elements together requires practiced logistical excellence.
Zoning and permits, electrical and structural engineering are all needed. But the placement and installation of the tower is not child's play.
Exact placement of the tower flange bolts into the concrete is critical. Like Legos, all the pieces must together in proper order -- with the right fit.
All in the planning.
The delivery sequence must be well orchestrated. Tower sections, nacelle, rotor, and blades need to arrive on time -- often from different ports of call.
Roughing in the electrical and communications monitoring is a must, so that the connections, commissioning, and utility testing go flawlessly.
With so many trades in the queue, one missed step results in job site mayhem as overlapping schedules and deliveries are all affected.
