Onshore Wind Projects: How to Deliver Access Off Site and Safety Excellence
Wind power continues to grow in popularity. It is already the largest source of renewable energy on the planet, and with more wind turbine project numbers coming up in the UK, including a wide variety of onshore wind project locations, the numbers look good for greater reliability on renewable energy as we move forward. Designing, creating, and installing an onshore wind project takes time, careful planning, and dedication. With the correct levels of support from those with an understanding of how to create a safe working site, an onshore wind project can be successful.
Working with a professional team that has experience in several onshore wind project locations will help you to install a wind turbine project and ensure that wind turbine maintenance is conducted regularly and to strict regulatory compliance.
The ideal locations for onshore wind farms are quite often difficult places to access. This is why it’s vital that developers and designers look at a range of factors and work with contractors that have experience in successfully delivering access to such projects, whether in the form of scaffolding, walkways, platforms, and other temporary access solutions during the building and maintenance phases of wind turbines.
What are the access challenges of onshore wind projects?
Every onshore wind project site is unique, with its own set of access challenges. There are, of course, some challenges that are experienced on most sites, including:
- Mountains
Onshore wind farms are often found in mountainous regions as sloped surfaces can accelerate wind speeds, which is advantageous to creating renewable energy. They provide a unique challenge, however, as steep inclines and rocky terrains can cause challenges to installation.
- Open plains
Large, open swathes of open land are also efficient in creating wind power. This is seen especially in countries where there are large areas of open land, such as in the USA. The challenges of installing wind turbines in these locations include soft ground and traversing streams.
- Wind turbine size and weight
The taller the wind turbine, the more efficient it is, as it can catch more wind. The taller and larger the blades however, the heavier the wind turbine, and the more challenging it is to move the components into place and to install safely for project success.
- Equipment and access
Not only are the components for the wind turbine itself heavy and cumbersome to move into place, but the equipment and machinery used to install and maintain wind farms are also difficult to get into place. This must be considered when choosing an access strategy for the duration of the project.
- Environmental concerns
Modern environmental regulations can change the scope of a project from one site to the next, even if the end result of the project is beneficial to the environment. Seasonal access limitations to wind farms are linked to mating seasons, growing, and migration seasons.
There is a range of onshore scaffolding services that are a great example of access solutions that are effectively utilised within an onshore wind project for both installation and ongoing maintenance of wind turbines. This includes the safe erection and dismantling of scaffolding, designed for optimal safe and effective use. Scaffolding and specialised access solutions can be tailored to each individual project, including temporary walkways, platforms, and stairwells that allow for safe movement on-site.
For installation and maintenance of onshore wind projects, there is also the requirement for rigorous testing and inspection of any scaffolding present, and this is a part of the services you can hire from an expert team.
