The new Wind Turbine Type Certification
IEC 61400 service launched today from Lloyd’s Register Energy is developed
to help overcome many of the technical, financial and environmental risks
associated with turbine design and manufacturing.
Type certification confirms that the
wind turbine type is designed, documented, and manufactured to comply with
the design specifications, specific standards and other technical requirements.
Ross Wigg, VP Renewables at Lloyd’s
Register Energy said: “Success in the wind energy industry requires
multi-disciplinary competences to understand the wind resource; choose
appropriate technology; and design, install, and operate robust projects.”
Wigg continued, “With the certification landscape changing, we
have launched this new certification service to address a growing need
in the market for independent provision of type certification for onshore
and offshore wind turbines.”
Recent consolidation in the industry
has reduced the number of organisations offering turbine-type certification
services.
“We feel that clients in Europe,
America and Asia could benefit from a fresh, more intuitive, approach while
retaining the technical excellence already associated with Lloyd’s Register
Energy as an acknowledged independent global certification and classification
company.”
The Lloyd’s Register Type Certification
process is carried out in accordance with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) -- IEC 61400-22 -- which is an internationally recognised
and a mandatory requirement in some regions. It sets out the key requirements
for assessment of wind turbine design, manufacturing and testing. The certification
and testing of wind turbines is essential to provide confidence, trust
and continuity to all entities involved in wind energy projects, from the
wind park operators and banks, through to government and agencies involved
in the sector.
The
company also has launched a unique pre-certification ‘SMART Audit’ module
specifically designed to plan for innovation challenges in future technology
advances. Its experts conduct a full audit of a client’s early stage design,
management systems and resource so they can make adjustments where necessary.
A pre-certification audit is then put in place to plan for likely technical
or innovation challenges which can be worked through in advance and minimising
delays further down the line.
“We are providing the global wind
sector with a different service offering to what is presently available.
This includes training seminars to help clients understand the standards
available, the certification process, how to prepare and how to avoid the
typical stumbling blocks.”
Wigg says that his global team pride
themselves on their open-minded approach to technical innovation. “While
turbine technology is now significantly advanced, we never consider that
there is only one way to achieve robust high performance turbine technologies.
“Our experts have grown up with the
industry and, while they have a comprehensive understanding of the entire
turbine design, testing and certification process, they acknowledge that
there are still opportunities for future innovation, particularly in materials,
structures, control systems, safety and electrical systems.
Ultimately, the new service from Lloyd’s
Register Energy will support the end-users of turbines, typically developers,
who require that the technologies they use are effective, robust and safe.
“While our Type Certification process
is based on core engineering principles, it is structured in a way that
supports innovation where there is a clear case for thinking differently.“
Lloyd’s Register Energy is active on
the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and plays a key role
in defining consistency across certification modules in the wind energy
sector to make the process of bringing wind energy turbines to market easier
for manufacturers and developers alike.