Wind turbines and their blades represent a substantial investment for any renewable energy project. In this webinar, learn how our experienced blade service technicians use field knowledge to combat issues such as blade erosion and lightning damage. We will provide you with the knowledge of how a comprehensive blade inspection and repair plan can increase the lifespan of your project. By utilizing a multi-tiered blade inspection approach customers can select the service level that best suits their individual project’s needs, helping owners overcome common blade issues and increase project output. Watch the webinar: http://www.windpowerengineering.com/webinars/blade-maintenance-observations-from-the-field/

1. #WindWebinar

2. #WindWebinar
q This webinar will be available afterwards at
www.windpowerengineering.com & email
q Q&A at the end of the presentation
q Hashtag for this webinar: #WindWebinar
Before We Start

3. #WindWebinar
Introducing the Speakers
MODERATOR
FEATURED SPEAKER
FEATURED SPEAKER
FEATURED SPEAKER
Michelle Froese
Senior Editor
Windpower Engineering
& Development
Kelly Miller
Composite Report Manager
EDF Renewable Services
Matt Sigala
Area Technical Specialist
EDF Renewable Services
Jon Salmon
Senior Technical
Services Manager
EDF Renewable Services

4. #WindWebinar
BLADE MAINTENANCE:
observations from the field
and practical solutions
Jon Salmon, P.E., Senior Technical Services Manager
Kelly Miller, Composite Repair Manager
Matt Sigala, Composite Specialist

5. #WindWebinar
EDF Renewable Services
5
6.81
8.05
5.91
4.1
1.88 1.34 1.78 1.16 0.75 0.72 0.73
7.26
8.05
5.91
4.38
2.64 2.44
3.11
1.85 1.86
1.08 1.1
0
2
4
6
8
10
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Safety Performance 2005-2015
DART TRIR
TRIR: Total Recordable Incident Rate
DART: Days Away, Restricted, or
Transferred
30 years of
expertise in
renewable energy
industry
Largest third-party provider of Operation and
Maintenance (O&M) services in North America
Offer O&M, BOP, scheduled and unscheduled
maintenance, blade inspections, blade repair and
asset management
410 technicians and supervisors
Solutions customized to your specific
projects needs
Company culture focused on safety

6. #WindWebinar
Key Figures Across North America
6
10,723
7,782
6,703
4,094 3,840
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
Operations &
Maintenance
Developed Put Into
Service
Installed
Capacity
Divested
EDF EN North America
Activity
December 31, 2015
MW

7. #WindWebinar
Blade Trends
3/22/16
Presentation Title 7
Larger rotors
and longer,
heavier
blades
Increased
structural
loading
Higher
maintenance
costs
Turbine power ratings are increasing
Wind cost of energy
Least
amount of
blade
material
Lower
design
safety
factors
Higher
maintenanc
e costs

8. #WindWebinar
Blade Trends
3/22/16
Presentation Title 8
Growing awareness of blade
problems
Aging of flexible megawatt blades
The number of owners seeking blade maintenance
services is increasing due to:

9. #WindWebinar
Why is Blade Maintenance Important?
3/22/16
Presentation Title 9
Preserve the blade structure
Retain airfoil shape
Reduce AEP losses
Repair costs increase non-linearly
as degradation progresses
Risk of complete blade loss

10. #WindWebinar
Maintenance Factors
3/22/16
Presentation Title 10
Airborne erosive particles
• Water
• Ice
• Sand
• Dust
Lightning frequency and intensity
Moisture ingestion
Freeze and thaw cycles
Blade design and manufacture
• Material erosion properties
• Leading edge protection
• Adhesive properties and processing
• Workmanship
• Blade degradation rate varies greatly site to site
• Some factors to consider at your site:

11. #WindWebinar
Things to Consider
• Established blade and site maintenance plan
• Perform inspections early and often
• Owner budget
• Provider capabilities:
3/22/16
Presentation Title 11
Inspection techniques
Database to organize collected blade data
Maintenance and repair planning

12. #WindWebinar
Things to Consider
3/22/16
Presentation Title 12
Modes of Inspection
• Visual inspections
• Binoculars
• Cameras
• Technicians on the blade
• Drones
Ability to see fine details
• High image resolution
• Image effects: contrast, brightness
• Zoom ability
Cost and productivity
• Inspection
• Data Management
• Reporting

13. #WindWebinar
Inspection Approach
3/22/16
EDF RS Blade Services 13
• The industry has multiple different inspection
techniques putting the customer in control of
their solution
• Blade maintenance needs can change
depending on:
Turbine Age (construction vs. 10 years in)
Condition of Turbines
Climate
Customer Budget
Blade Design

14. #WindWebinar
3/22/16
Presentation Title 14
Basic Visual
Inspection
• Visual inspection typically using binoculars
• Technicians inspect each blade noting damage
• Lowest cost option and often included with O&M contract
Photographic
Inspection
• Inspection with a camera, typically including a telephoto lens
• Technicians inspect each blade and are able to show owners
damage through photographs
Technicians
on the blade
• Technicians are secured to the blade using ropes, cranes or
a platform
• Visually inspect and take photos of blade noting any damage

15. #WindWebinar
3/22/16
Presentation Title 15
UAV
Inspection
• Inspection with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or a drone
• UAV takes up close photos or videos of each blade
• Technicians then analyze data to see damage
Mosaic Image
Mapping
• Inspection performed with a high powered telephoto lens
• Photos are stitched together to form a mosaic image map
• Owners are able to see each blade in single photograph

16. #WindWebinar
Data Management Reporting Capabilities
3/22/16
Presentation Title 16
Basic Reporting
• May include photographs
• Detail recommended repairs
• Paper or email form
• Difficult to show yearly damage progression
Database
• Central location to store reports from year to year
• Difficult to note damage progression
• Includes photos of every blade
• Stored online or on computer
Website
• Includes photos and may include mosaic image map photos
• Online with 24/7 access
• Easily see damage progression from year to year
• Ability to filter and search through photos and blades

17. #WindWebinar
Lightning Strikes
Leading Edge Erosion
Laminate Delamination
Moisture Ingestion
Freeze & Thaw Cycling
Manufacturer Defects
Common Blade Failures
3/22/16
EDF RS Blade Services 17

18. #WindWebinar
3/22/16
EDF RS Blade Services 18
Lightning Damage Repair Progression
Removal of gel coat
and NDT
Damage prep
for repair
Repair laminate
cured
Gel coat / LEP applied

19. #WindWebinar
Lightning Damage Repair
3/22/16
EDF RS Blade Services 19
Specially trained technicians test and repair
Lightning Protection Systems
Repair damaged laminate
Repair and replace lightning protection receptors
Delamination
Disbond

20. #WindWebinar
Leading Edge Erosion Control and Repair
3/22/16
EDF Blade Services 20
Specially trained blade repair technicians
inspect and repair erosion damage
Install and replace leading edge
protection
Bond line repairs
Leading edge preventive maintenance

21. #WindWebinar
3/22/16
EDF RS Blade Services 21
Costs of Not Repairing
A small problem one
year can become a
big problem the next
Leading edge erosion
left untreated is more
expensive to fix in the
long term
Unrepaired damage
can impact your
plant performance

22. #WindWebinar
3/22/16
EDF RS Blade Services 22
Costs of Not Repairing
• Over time, blade repair costs increase
• Repair costs increase non-linearly as
degradation progresses
• Erosion can cause significant AEP
reductions
*Data courtesy of 3M
Pits and gouges reduce AEP from 4% up to 10%
Delamination reduces AEP up to 20%

23. #WindWebinar
Questions?
MODERATOR
FEATURED SPEAKER
FEATURED SPEAKER
FEATURED SPEAKER
Michelle Froese
Senior Editor
Windpower Engineering
& Development
mfroese@wtwhmedia.com
Kelly Miller
Composite Report Manager
EDF Renewable Services
Kelly.miller@edf-re.com
Matt Sigala
Area Technical Specialist
EDF Renewable Services
Matthew.sigala@edf-re.com
Jon Salmon
Senior Technical
Services Manager
EDF Renewable Services
Jon.salmon@edf-re.com

24. #WindWebinar
q This webinar will be available at
www.windpowerengineering.com & email
q Tweet with hashtag #WindWebinar
q Connect with Windpower Engineering & Development
q Discuss this on EngineeringExchange.com
Don’t Forget!

25. #WindWebinar