As wind energy technology evolves, most land-based wind farms look like large municipal parks, with towering windmill turbines as the giant flowers of the solar energy garden. But these monoliths need people to take care of them, mainly wind turbine technicians. In this article, we will explore the details of a wind turbine technician’s job, including skills, difficulties and opportunities. At the beginning of the 21st century, it is clear that wind power and other renewable energy technologies will be a major part of the future energy supply. Learning more about the technicians who help make renewable energy a reality yields insights into the future of wind power.
Table of Contents:
– What does a wind turbine technician do?
– The path to becoming a wind turbine technician
– Key skills and challenges faced by technicians
– The future outlook for wind turbine technicians
– Why wind turbine technicians are vital for renewable energy
What does a wind turbine technician do?
At the heart of wind energy is a team of dedicated workers known as wind turbine technicians – the first responders to mechanical or electrical disasters looming in the wind industry. As the maintainers and repairers of existing wind turbines, technicians engage in everything from health checks to diagnostic troubleshooting, and they regularly climb turbines in remote areas to inspect every tiny part of a giant machine. Without their daily servicing work, wind energy’s share of global electricity production would suffer. Likewise, its reputation for safety would be questioned were technicians too slow to realise a small issue in a wind-farm turbine that might soon become a blowout awaiting devastation.
The path to becoming a wind turbine technician
There is a blend of education and ‘on-the-job training’ involved in entering the field of wind turbine technology. A two-year associate degree in wind energy technology is typically the educational background of most beginning technicians, although some start out with vocational training programmes that award certificates. No matter what educational route a technician takes, a vital part of acquiring the needed skills comes from apprenticing with more senior technicians. It is a continuing process. Because of the rapid advancements in technology, technicians must be constantly keeping up with new and improved turbine designs and with maintenance adaptations.
Key skills and challenges faced by technicians
The job of a wind turbine technician is as challenging as it is exciting. To begin with, it requires a decent grasp of mechanical and electrical engineering and a good level of physical fitness, as well as an ability to work at height. Technicians need to be good problem solvers, able to diagnose and repair faults in stressful situations. In addition to these basic requirements, the work is hard, with challenging weather conditions and complexities of logistics in accessing remote working locations compounding the difficulty of the job. However, the buzz of knowing you are helping to work towards a sustainable future is a powerful motivator.
The future outlook for wind turbine technicians
If you’re good at maths and physics, adrenaline-filled adventures are in your future The number of wind turbine technician openings is expected to grow 95 per cent in the US between 2019 and 2029. But the really big issue here is not so much about numbers – it’s about what the voice behind those numbers signifies. We know now that the energy mix of the future will include more and more renewables. There’ll be more wind. That means more turbine technicians. Hey, you could certainly do worse for a post-graduation job. Suppose you’re skilled with your hands, good at maths and physics, and not mindful of heights. Then a career in wind turbine maintenance might be for you. For the foreseeable future, skilled technicians will be in demand. New technologies will emerge with each new generation of turbine design, expanding the need for workers and boosting the prestige of the job. You won’t just be laying robots any more. You’ll have a drone that can fly up the mast and photograph the blades, or carry a sensor that can be waved over the great geared mechanism to detect anomalies in vibrations. It will be a career in the forefront of the energy revolution, perhaps including a supervisor’s drone.
Why wind turbine technicians are vital for renewable energy
Wind turbine technicians are the unsung heroes of the renewable energy revolution. Once a turbine is commissioned, wind-energy technicians are the ones who make sure the machine keeps spinning. They are the ones keeping the turbines turning and putting power on the grid. Without them, the reliability, efficiency and uptime of wind turbines would suffer, and carbon emissions would continue to rise. When we think of renewable energy we often consider the hydro engineers whose dams, weirs and canals transform rivers into conduits for power, or the entrepreneurial visionaries who forge bold plans for a new energy future. And yes, of course, we think of the relentless entrepreneurs who are constantly inventing new ways to harvest the elements. But we must also remember the hardscrabble workers whose labour and professionalism keeps the wheels of renewable energy turning. Wind-energy technicians lie at the apex of that continuation.
Conclusion:
Without wind turbine technicians, we would soon lose the operational integrity of our wind turbines and with it our shift into a green world of energy. The challenges of working at such heights, as well as the sheer scope of the projects involved, show not only the skills needed here, but the importance of a proficient workforce in the increasingly green world of our energy future.
