The services that Wind Energy Services Company (WES), headquartered in Gainesville, Texas, USA, is adding include dynamic rotor balancing, comprehensive rotor service maintenance programmes, and replacement composite parts for older turbine models.
WES has created a range of planned maintenance programmes tailored to a variety of turbine operator needs. These programmes include inspection, corrective repairs and restoration, and preventative measures like leading-edge protection. One reason behind the increasing demand for turbine repair and maintenance is the maturing of the installed base of wind turbines, WES reports. As fleets age, instances of breakdown become more frequent and overall productivity declines. WES says that North American turbine operators have historically been slow to implement proactive maintenance practices, electing instead to manage breakdowns as they occur. However, recent studies by independent researchers have shown that over the lifecycle of a turbine, repair costs are substantially less with scheduled maintenance programmes than on an emergency call basis. Another new offering from WES is spare parts for older turbines. Through the Molded Fiber Glass Companies (MFG), WES’s parent company, WES is now supplying replacement blades, nacelles, spinners, hatches and other fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) components that are no longer stocked by the OEM. With this business expansion, WES expects to double its workforce in the coming year, and is actively recruiting for its Gainesville headquarters, as well as service centres in California and South Dakota.
