Win[d] W I N D , O I L A N D G A S No. 11 Ye a r 0 5 27 Februar y 2008 Water crisis looms The big change project · Consulting cu
No CO2, no H2O The Vestas vision of Wind, Oil and Gas is gradually beginning to materialise. But the progress in this area is no
Content 4 Water: A crucial resource in short supply CO2 emissions are not the only global challenge. Worldwide resources of fres
Water A crucial resource in short supply When heads of state and ministers of the environment from all parts of the world met up
In October 2007, DHI – an international consultancy and research organisation in the areas of water, the environment and health
In the twentieth century, the global population trebled, while global water consumption increased six times over during the same
Water consumption for the production of electricity Gareth James Lloyd emphasises that although this translates into very high w
“Politicians and the industrial sector should expand their concerns about CO2 emissions to include the issue of fresh water, too
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How different energy technologies use water FACTS ABOUT WIND TURBINES • No H2O consumption • No emission of CO2, Sox or Nox • No
DEFINITIONS Water stress: Annual water supply < 1,700 m3 per person Water scarcity: Annual water supply < 1,000 m per person 3 G
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Customers set the agenda Customers and development departments rarely know much about one another – and seldom meet face to face
then goes on to emphasise that Vestas sees comments, suggestions and criticism from customers as the most important return on th
PRODUCT MANAGEMENT The Product Management Department under Vestas Technology R&D is responsible for a number of areas, including
Vestas Technology R&D has lined up its challenges and reorganised to meet them. A new function has emerged as a result – Global
“Our goal is to have a borderless, global setup with hubs in Europe, Asia and North America. Via this network, we are aiming for
technologies to create breakthroughs that can be deployed into products,” Jan Kristiansen comments. “We will also chase radical
Fly like a bird Technology R&D so far, so good If a bird in flight can counter turbulent winds by adapting its wings, so can a la
Standing up to Thor Effective protection is essential to prevent lightning from damaging wind turbines. 20
Thor, the Norse god of thunder, still wields a mighty hammer. Lightning strikes regularly damage buildings and trees, even occas
on two spring-loaded sliding contacts. The first contact presses against a stainless steel band fixed around the outside of the bl
Lightning lore Lightning is a form of static electricity created by the movement of raindrops and hail inside clouds. After seve
Vestas Constitution The important foundations are laid 24
May 2005: Ditlev Engel has just taken over as the new One of the new initiatives that attracted a great deal of attention in con
New times When Bob Fritz and Vestas’ senior management team – the Vestas Government – started work on the assignment, they began
”I knew that Vestas was staffed by some of the hardest working and most determined people I had ever met, so it was both a great
increasing Vestas’ capability. This is a concept that is not to be confused with the more quantatively oriented capacity, as in
Robert P. Fritz. Or just plain Bob With 30 years of experience in the American energy sector – and with most of these in managem
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The key battlefields The Vestas Government has defined 12 new projects, which are all pan-organisational and scheduled for complet
Vestas is a company in constant development, and the market for wind power is also changing almost from one week to the next. Th
of the projects has been assigned not only a Battle Manager – who is to function as an operative project manager – but also a sp
Prepared for the worst Focus on risk management is to improve Vestas’ capacity to stay one step ahead. 34
How does Vestas react if a factory burns down or is flooded, if a supplier cannot deliver components, or if a crucial production
“Generally speaking, you could say that we have become more careful not to put all our eggs in one basket.” Kjær Lundø Jakobsen,
Systematised risks The initiative is intended to improve risk management at Vestas, which is divided into four key themes: Intro
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years in days A new test centre in Denmark is helping Vestas design wind turbines that are more reliable, in less time, for less
years in days tests. According to Mark Colwell, Assistant Vice President, Technology R&D, the task is next to impossible. “A pro
fail by subjecting them to stresses, temperatures and vibration levels far beyond what they would normally experience. Highly ac
On the way towards the right safety 42
culture 43
A corporate culture in which safety always has first priority starts with the senior management. At Vestas, the senior management
introduced in 2007. One of these is devoted to fundamental safety training and is intended for all service technicians at Vestas
“The acceptable number of industrial injuries at Vestas is zero.” Ditlev Engel, President and CEO, Vestas Wind Systems A/S. cour
DuPont DuPont was founded as a family business in 1802. Being a manufacturer of gun powder, DuPont learnt from a number of letha
Kent Hougaard is one of the managers who has completed the safety awareness training course. He is an area service manager with
But why bother focusing so heavily on training managers in safety issues? After all, at the end of the day it is the people “out
When asked what the backing from the senior management for the safety work actually means, Kent Hougaard has no hesitation in re
Claus Christensen, a service technician with Vestas Northern Europe, is one of the people who has completed the course in fundam
Grounds for improvement Lower engineering and installation costs, stable electrical performance, better documentation and increa
A new earthing system – or grounding system, if you are reading this in North America – developed by Vestas could cut the cost o
Main Earth Bonding Bar Horizontal Earthing Connected To Next Turbine Horizontal Earthing Connected To Next Turbine/substation Mi
Earthing rules Vestas wind turbines, including their earthing systems, meet the standards laid down by the International Electro
Awards in France and China The presentation of two prestigious awards marked a successful end to 2007. The sales company Vestas
In December, Vestas and ten other companies were presented with an award for their special commitment in China. The association