Published

1 month ago

June 12, 2025

Alice Rush

MotorDoc’s Electrical Signature Turbine Diagnosis

Howard Penrose from MotorDoc discusses their electrical signature monitoring for wind turbines that offers precise diagnostics, enabling cost-effective preventative maintenance and lifetime extension.

Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly email update on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary Barnes’ YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us!

Welcome to Uptime Spotlight, shining Light on Wind. Energy’s brightest innovators. This is the Progress Powering tomorrow.

Allen Hall: Howard, welcome back to the show. Thank you. Well, we’ve been traveling a, a good deal and talking to a lot of operators in the United States and in Europe, and even in Australia. And, uh, your name comes up quite a bit because we talk to all the technical people in the world and we see a lot of things. And I get asked quite a bit, what is the coolest technology that I don’t know about?

And I say, Howard Penrose MotorDoc. And they say, who? And I say, well, wait a minute. If you want something super powerful to learn about your turbine, that is easy to implement and has been vetted and has years of in-service testing and verification. It is MotorDock, it is [00:01:00] empower for motors, it is empath for systems and vibration and all the other things.

And now empath, CMS, which is a continuous monitoring system that you’re offering that those systems are revolutionary and I don’t use that word a lot in wind. It’s revolutionary in wind and. Let, let me just back up a little bit because I, I want to explain what some of these problems are that we’re seeing in the field and, and what your systems do.

But there’s a, the, the core to what your technology is, is that you’re using the air gap between the rotor and the stator and the generator to monitor what’s happening inside the turbine. Very precisely. Can you just provide a little insight like how that magic happens?

Howard Penrose: Okay. It’s, it’s basically, we use it as an, as a basic accelerometer.

So, um, the side to side movement of the, of the rotor inside the air gap. Um. I could get very technical and use the word [00:02:00] inverse square law, but basically in the magnetic field I’ve got side to side movement. Plus every defect in the powertrain, um, causes either blips or hesitations in the rotation.

Basically, the torque of the machine, which is also picked up in the air gap, and from a physics standpoint. The air gap, the magnetic field, can’t tell the difference. And, um, both voltage and current see that as small ripples in the wave form, and then we just pull that data out. So, um, uh, I, I liken it exactly as vibration.

Just a different approach,

Allen Hall: right? And that that vibration turns into little ripples. And then I’m gonna talk electrical engineering, just for a brief moment, everybody. We’re taking it from the time domain to the frequency domain. We’re doing a four a transform. And in that four a transform, you can see these spikes that occur at, uh, known locations that correlate back to what the machine is doing

Howard Penrose: exactly.

[00:03:00] They’re they’re exact calculations, uh, down to the hundred or even thousandths of a hertz. Uh, so, uh, when we, when we do the measurements, they come up as side bands around, uh, whatever. The, the, uh, signature is, so the amplitude modulation, it’s an amplitude modulated signal. So I have, uh, basically the ripple show up on the positive side of the waveform and on the negative side of the waveform.

So around everything, I just have plus and minus line frequency. That’s, that’s basically the primary difference. Then we just convert it over to decibels, which makes it, um, relational to the load, which means load doesn’t matter. Uh, so I can compare an unloaded machine to a fully loaded machine and get the same results,

Allen Hall: which is also amazing.

So the load, what the turbine is doing doesn’t really matter at all, as long as it’s rotating and producing power. You can [00:04:00] monitor what’s happening, sort of anything up, and then the cell. Mostly,

Howard Penrose: well, it’s even, it’s even more fun than that because the air gap in a wind turbine is at a fixed speed for a dfi.

So, uh, it’s constantly turning at the exact same speed, which is basically all I need regardless of the physical speed. So, vibration, I need to know that physical speed and electrical signature. I need to know the air gap. Speed.

Allen Hall: So with this data and the way you’re monitoring what’s happening on the turbine is through current sensors on the feeds and voltage probes.

You could do one or the other and, and you’ve done both, and we can discuss that for a moment. But just using the what’s happening on the wires, on the generator wires, now he can determine everything that’s generally happening mechanically. So from gearbox to the blades. The, [00:05:00] the hub, uh, you can even determine things that are happening up tower a little bit like ya motors and that sort of thing.

If they’re acting weird, you can see changes there. And it’s sort of like the pulse of the turbine

Howard Penrose: and the main bearings. And the main bearings, right? So all the bearings never leave out the main bearings. That’s, that’s a study we’re involved in right now. So, um. Yeah. Uh, oh. Yeah. The, the study right now is, uh, we’re using the technology to map out circulating current sub tower.

Um, so we’re, we’re looking at, uh, why main bearings are failing, um, which was missed before. I’ve got an, I’ve got a paper coming out on it. We’re kicking off an NRE L study, uh, on it. And we are also working along with, um, groups in the field and an independent study all to. Well, a main bearing is a really expensive issue.

Um, and, and we’re fine. People are just [00:06:00] finally figured out that they were failing because of electrical discharge. And, um, the high frequencies associated with that basically caused the brushes to become resistors and the bearings to become conductors. So, uh, we now have a technology that allows us to look at these very high frequency sound or.

High frequency

Allen Hall: noise. Okay. Let’s just use that as a test case for your system for iPath CMS, because. That is one issue that pretty much everybody in the United States that uses a particular OEM has

Howard Penrose: actually, uh, you, you got, you hit it on the head. It’s just like the old W Ring thing. Everybody thought it was a specific, uh, generator manufacturer turned out to be every DFI failing the same way we discovered that.

Uh, we’ve also heard, uh, you know, a specific OEM and a specific. Type of platform. They were seeing the problems in the main bearings. And again, it just came about because people were talking about it. Except [00:07:00] guess what? We’re not just seeing it in the us, we’re seeing it globally. That’s one of the benefits we have with so many users worldwide is we’re finding out that all of these problems are not unique to us.

They’re global in nature and they’re cross platform.

Joel Saxum: So when we talk cross platforms and, and you, the listeners here will notice that I’ve been markedly absent from the conversation so far. ’cause it’s a bit over my head. Sorry. No, it’s, it’s just, this is, this is great stuff. But what I, that was one of the things I was wondering while we were going through this is we were talking about, um.

Solutions that you guys have that can solve specific problems. Now, does this say I have a direct drive turbine? Or like, is, is there any models or any types of technology that you can’t work on out in the field or does it Basically we have a solutions that can cover all turbines regardless

Howard Penrose: if it’s got a magnetic field, whether it’s a generator, motor, or transformer, we can see it.

I can follow that. So we even, we even, we even use [00:08:00] the technology in the industrial side for power monitoring for plants. Because we get, uh, we get good insights on what’s coming into the facility and what the facility’s putting back into the system, in particular with high frequency noise and stuff like that, that utilities are just now starting to pay attention to.

Joel Saxum: It’s just, this is an important thing for the CMS system that you guys have, because I’m, I’m thinking right now, okay, now, now again, I’m gonna dumb this way down, um, in my. Built Jeeps that I’ve done in the past, I’ve gotten death wobble in the steering wheel because of oscillations in the front axle.

Right? But that only happens at a certain speed, right? If I, if I could, if I could get through second gear at about 4,000 RPMs and grab third, I’m fine. But if I have to shift to 2,500 RPMs, about 32 miles an hour, I’m in a world of hurt, right? I’m, I’m shaking this thing down the road. So turbines I know will do that sometimes at certain RPM.

They will have vibration issues that will either go away or expand a resonance or natural [00:09:00] frequency.

Howard Penrose: Yeah,

Joel Saxum: right. Like at, at at, um, you know, four RPM is one thing at seven and a half rpm it goes away. So having cm, your CMS system, that’s their continuously monitoring when the wind speeds are low, when they’re high, when.

Does that help you pick up different anomalies within the turbine to be able to kind of pinpoint what’s, what could be happening?

Howard Penrose: No, because those frequencies are always present. They just amplify at certain points in speed, right? They, they hit a natural frequency, so they just oscillate like mad. Uh, I’m rereading all of my Tesla books right now.

So where, where he talks about that, you know, you could split the world like an apple if, if you hit the right frequency. Um. With a small device. Uh, so, uh, yeah, we see it across that entire speed range, even though you feel that oscillation. One of the nice things about, um, uh, electrical and current signature is it isn’t a structural vibration analysis.

Like if, if I [00:10:00] have the, um, structure or the machine vibrating outside, I see very little of that. I see all the drivers behind it instead. Right. So it, it’s, it’s less likely, uh, I’ll pick up a false positive because I hit a resonance. That amplitude remains the same.

Joel Saxum: That’s the difference between what you guys are doing and what and what everybody else is doing with a accelerometer, gy, gyro, whatever that sensor may be.

You name it,

Howard Penrose: accelerometer, ultrasound, all that other stuff. It’s all variations of,

Joel Saxum: of physical.

Howard Penrose: Yeah, and I refer to those as basically fault detectors. They’re dummy lights. Nobody’s actually using condition-based maintenance as condition-based maintenance. We can use the information to actually make modifications and changes.

Joel Saxum: You can actually diagnose with yours. That’s what we always say right now. CMS basically at, at this, at a general level is go and look at this turbine, bing. Go and [00:11:00] look at this turbine. You have a problem. Go and look. One of these blades has a problem. Go and look at it. But you are actually going deeper down saying diagnosis, Hey, this may be the actual problem that’s causing.

This issue in your turbine, and that is invaluable.

Howard Penrose: Yeah. One of our case studies is of a bearing a man, a a a a re, a reinstalled bearing on a, or an installed bearing on a drive end of a a wind turbine. The, um, it had some problems with, uh, the cage, which caused one of the roll balls not to rotate. Um, and it had some false brunel on in the inner outer race, and we saw that, but we also saw, uh, a much higher level in the thrust bearing in the gear box.

And so when we, we went back to them and said, yeah, you’ve got a problem here. Uh, they took the bearing back off, and then I said, make sure that you’ve got all the shims in the. And the, uh, coupling and they had left out a shem, so it had [00:12:00] caused a problem in the, so if we hadn’t detected the other thing, we would’ve detected the gearbox, um, bearing.

But they were ignoring that data and were looking at the bearing. They just replaced in the generator. So when, when they put everything back together, we were able to confirm that. All we saw after that was the friction losses in the, in the bearings.

Joel Saxum: question is, is okay, we’re looking at. Basically deltas outside of a, a sine wave and these peaks and valleys to in your, in the sign you’re detecting, how are you able to know, oh, I saw this delta here, or I saw this here.

That’s a thrust bearing. That’s a main bearing. That’s something here. Is that just years of knowledge built up from, okay, we saw this fault and we, we figured it was this because of it, or. How are you guys arriving at that?

Howard Penrose: Uh, it’s from my years as a, uh, vibration analyst, um, Navy trained vibration analyst.

Uh, [00:13:00] so, um, what, what was discovered by Oak Ridge National Labs in the 1980s? So this isn’t that new. As a matter of fact, this technology is direct descendant from Howard Haynes’s work another Howard. What we discovered was the frequencies are. For the most part, exactly the same as what we look for in vibration, just side bands, right?

Because we, we, you know, I tell people, how do you interpret the data versus vibration? Stand on your head and cross your eyes. Um, being former Navy, I sometimes use some other, you know, things such as go out and drink heavily. Uh, but in any case, um. Instead of looking from bottom up, we’re actually setting whatever the peak line frequency, current or voltage is, that’s zero.

And then we, uh, relate every other peak, um, based upon 20 times the log 10 of the difference in the current, from the current in [00:14:00] question back to that peak. Which is kind of cool because that also means that it’s. As my load changes, everything follows. So it’s not load dependent. The only thing that happens is frequency.

So you have to take enough of a, a data across a long enough time so that you can determine the differences between the, the components, right? So, so in a wind turbine for instance, I’ll have all those bearings in the gearbox, including the planetary gears. I have the main bearing, and they all kind of crowd around line frequency.

I need a resolution that’ll show me a hundredth of a hertz difference between any two peaks. It’s it’s vibration. It’s actually vibration. So the, each of the components, even each component of the bearing, ’cause I can call out which part of a bearing, and that’s actually how we analyze what conditions we’re looking at.

If it’s, uh, cage and ball only, and no signature off of the inner and outer [00:15:00] race, chances are it’s lubrication. Um, you know, that kind of thing on a main bearing. If I see the outer race cha and nothing else, chances are, uh, they didn’t clean out all the old grease and there’s dried grease across the bottom.

Uh, we discovered that actually with a couple of the, a couple of sites. So we, we say check, check greasing and condition of the inner and outer rays, you know, that kind of thing. And, uh, we’ve been right more than wrong. Uh, the, the quoted, the quoted number back from one of the OEMs is about 95% accuracy.

And when you consider, when you consider borescope has been identified at less than 50%, um, it, it, it gives you a really high accuracy.

Joel Saxum: We just had a conversation with someone the other day, Alan, you and I, about borescopes and how can you borescope so think that’s full of grease And they were like, oh, yeah.

Allen Hall: Yeah, it’s difficult.

At best. Well, and that’s the power of [00:16:00] what Modoc is doing, and what Howard’s doing is that it can detect a range of problems early. And as we get into this area of where o and m budgets are becoming restricted, and you need to spend your money wisely. Do preventative maintenance, which is what MotorDoc is all about, is catching these things early before they become really expensive.

Electrical signal analysis is a very simple way to get that data, which is what the Empower Empath and then Empath CMS system are doing is they’re, they’re reading those electrical signatures and correlating back to where the problem is and the success rate is. Howard, as you pointed out, is. Really high, uh, a lot of systems that I see and I was just went to Europe and looked at some data on some other systems, it’s about 50 50.

Well, if 50 50, I could flip a coin at that point. It’s not of any use to me. It has to be somewhere north of 90 where I become interested. And your system, when I talked to operators that use it, [00:17:00] said, well, geez, um, you know, it’s well in the high, in the nine high nineties all the time and it’s amazing what they can pull out.

It’s this bearing or that bearing or this problem with this motor or this problem with the system and the amount of money they’re saving to pick up those problems early and to get them repaired when it’s lower cost or to keep an eye on ’em even, which is an option, lowers our operational budgets down and it makes sense.

So the, the cost of a CMS system is only relative to the money it saves. And I think this is where a lot of operators are getting a little hung up. There’s a lot of CMS systems, which are you pay per year for, and it’s a constant expanse. It adds up to the om OMS budget and no one wants to do that. What you’re seeing now with MotorDock is that system is a capital expenditure.

You buy it, it comes with the hardware, it comes with the [00:18:00] software, it comes with all the knowledge and all the updates I think are free. So. It makes a lot more sense to use a MotorDoc type of system and empath CMS than necessarily to, to put individual CMS systems on that maybe do less than what Howard can do.

Joel Saxum: I think an important thing here too, Alan, is as we get to, uh, an era of lifetime extension, I. People looking for that solution. How do I guarantee the safety of my turbine, the operation of my turbine as we continue to roll this thing forward? I know here, even in the states, we always say PTC, 10 year repower.

That’s not the case for all these turbines. We have 80 20 repowers. We have a lot of ’em. Like, Hey, we have a good PPA. So these things have been, these are 14 years old, we’re still gonna run ’em. We’re not repowering these, or in Europe or in other places in the world where we don’t have the same kind of tax setup we do, where they’re trying to squeeze as much life outta these in, you know, originally 20 to 25 year lifetimes.

Man, if you can put something on there that can tell you you’re good to go, or Hey, you need to watch this, or This is the next big spend you have coming up, they can help those operators to make decisions [00:19:00] to for lifetime extension in a really, really good way.

Allen Hall: Going into the data acquisition system and how it connects to the turbine, I know it’s one of the problems that we run into occasionally, is using anything that the the Tower has in terms of data streams.

They want of a lot of it information. Does your system plug into the data system of the turbine or is it independent, or how does that work and what is the security features?

Howard Penrose: Yeah, whatever they want. So, uh, that, that, and, and you bring up a good point, like wireless is not allowed. Um, but everybody’s using it, right?

Um, there’s a lot of things that aren’t allowed that we were, we were. Privy to during NIST’s work and, and others’ work on cybersecurity on the hill, because I was advising that stuff back in the, you know, back, uh, prior to 2020 and a little bit afterwards. Um, so, uh, uh, [00:20:00] yeah, we, our system was originally designed for nuclear power plants.

So, uh, it’s meant to either. It’s a wired system basically, that you can take back to an independent server. You can have it go locally and send it through your own, uh, own network. Um, it doesn’t need to connect to cloud or somewhere else. Uh, if you want to keep it itself contained. Uh, in some turbines we have gone the route of, uh, cellular modems.

For, for each of the towers. Um, you know, when, when they’re permanently installed, a lot of people just do data collection. I mean, when you consider, like in a GE turbine, um, if I go, if I personally go to a site and I’ve done over 6,000 turbines in the, in the US and Canada myself, um. And if you could see me, you know, I don’t climb.

[00:21:00] Um, yeah, that’s my running joke. It’s like, yeah, I don’t think the ladders will support me. Uh, but any case, um, the, uh, normally it’s walking the base of the tower gathering data as long as the transformer’s down tower and moving on to the next one, I, I think my record is seven minutes a tower, including traveling in between.

So it’s not unusual to knock out a single data collection on a site within, uh, if it’s 120 turbines, normally three days. Three and a half. If there’s a, if it’s summer and they’ve got that wind break in Texas where, you know, it’s changing direction, so it takes a lunch break.

Joel Saxum: You’re a small company, right?

Just like we are here at Weather Guard where we’re flexible to what the client wants. So if the client wants a certain thing, we can deliver a certain thing. If the client needs this, they can, we can do this. So you get, you guys can do the, the CMS UPT Tower where it’s like you have an installation and it’s gonna be there.

Or hey, we can just come to your site, boom, boom, boom, do some testing, and be outta there and give you some reports like you can, you [00:22:00] have a lot of solutions that you can help people out with.

Howard Penrose: We even have, uh, most of the, um, uh, wind service companies, you know, motor repair shops and generator repair shops and everything else have our technology.

They also provide the service. Uh, that’s our model is the more the end users or service companies can do it, the better. Uh, we, we made the choice not to, you know, I don’t want a room full of people that are sitting there doing nothing but analysis, right? They’re gonna burn out. Uh, I’d rather be doing the research and identifying the problems, finding industry related issues to solve.

And our technology was built simple enough that we don’t have to handle a lot of tech support calls. Um, and, uh, and monitoring is an option. Meaning we’ll do the monitoring. I’ve got, I’ve got a number of industrial sites, some wind sites, some other energy sites. Uh, [00:23:00] all, all using the technology and getting us data, but yeah, exactly.

Smaller company. It’s broad, but the technology is not backed by just us. It’s backed by a small $12 billion company called ome. So, uh, yeah, so, and that’s not, it’s not an investor anything. It’s, they, um, they got the license from Oak Ridge back in 1991 or two and, uh, and they maintain it. And during some 97 on, uh, I, in different roles.

Uh, have been supporting the development of the technology. So we have a mutual agreement. They focus on, um, nuclear power, and I focus on everything else.

Allen Hall: Howard, we love having you on the program because your technology is just amazing and people need to get a hold of MotorDoc. So if you’re an operator, a developer, an OEM, and Wind, if you’re making some of the components for wind [00:24:00] turbines, you need to be talking to Howard and MotorDoc to get this diagnostic tool into your toolbox and save the the world a lot of money on downtime and repairs.

Howard, how do people get a hold of MotorDoc? Where do they find you on the web?

Howard Penrose: Well, we could be reached online, uh, through, uh, LinkedIn at, uh, LinkedIn slash in slash MotorDoc, or, uh, at our websites MotorDoc.com or MotorDoc ai.io. Uh, or you can also reach us via email at info@motordoc.com.

Allen Hall: Howard, thanks for coming on.

We’re gonna have you back on soon and everybody keep watching Howard on LinkedIn if you wanna find out what’s happening as MotorDoc develops more technology, watch Howard on LinkedIn. Howard, thank you so much for being on the program. Love having you.

Howard Penrose: It has been a pleasure as always. And we’ll see you the next time [00:25:00] around.

https://weatherguardwind.com/motordoc-electrical-diagnosis/

Renewable Energy

GreenSpur Rethinks Generators for More Efficient Wind Turbine Operations

Published

1 day ago

July 15, 2025

Alice Rush

Weather Guard Lightning Tech

GreenSpur Rethinks Generators for More Efficient Wind Turbine Operations

If you manage wind turbine operations, you’re probably acutely aware of just how much generator weight, complexity, and maintenance affect uptime and cost. In a recent Spotlight interview with the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast, Jason Moody, Chairman, GreenSpur Wind, explained how the company’s axial‑flux technology is reshaping generator design to meet today’s offshore and floating wind challenges.

Listen to the full interview to learn how GreenSpur is putting a whole new spin on wind turbine design

The Weight Problem and The Axial-Flux Solution

It’s typical for today’s direct‑drive generators used in offshore turbines to weigh more than 150 tons. Big machines for big jobs, right? But that weight has a structural ripple effect: heavy generators necessitate heavier towers, reinforced foundations, thicker steel, and larger blades— and all of that heft increases capital and installation expenses, initially, and contributes to ongoing maintenance and operations expenses.

When large generators are needed on floating platforms, those dynamic loads require even heavier ballast; structural integrity gets more complex. Some floating wind designs have tested hybrid and geared systems to reduce weight, but combined systems add complexity. While the industry’s goal, always, is to reduce LCoE, larger systems weigh more, and more complicated designs rarely improve efficiencies.

So for floating wind installations, particularly, GreenSpur’s axial-flux design – with a significantly reduced weight – offers clear advantages.

As Moody points out, hybrid and geared systems can be “even more complicated” – and not just on electrical efficiency.

“As they spin faster, they get hotter, and then…you need more high-tech cooling systems, which is another point of failure,” he said.

“So the LCoE really does start to suffer with these more complex, advanced systems.”

“What we’re trying to do is introduce a new technology that can address the problem (of excess with) and hopefully address some other problems as well.” – Jason Mondy, GreenSpur

What are the Advantages of Axial Flux Generators?

While most traditional radial-flux generators have concentric cylinders where magnetic flux flows between them (see more here), Greenspur’s axial flux design has the rotor and stator arranged as discs along the axis of the machine, and the magnetic flux flows parallel to this axis.

Because Greenspur’s axial flux generator employs a modular architecture, multiple smaller stages can be connected in parallel. This allows for easier scaling, customization, and potentially a lighter overall design for higher-power applications.

GreenSpur’s axial-flux generators are significantly lighter than traditional radial motors. And, unlike current generators that need active cooling systems (which bring their own maintenance headaches), axial‑flux machines reduce or eliminate this demand.

Also, because GreenSpur’s designs work with a variety of magnets – from low-cost ferrite to rare-earth materials – they offer a lot of cost control options, too.

GreenSpur Rethinks Generators for More Efficient Wind Turbine Operations

How does an axial flux generator work? Uptime explains everything.

The Wheels are Turning Now

While axial flux is not a new design concept, GreenSpur’s implementation puts a new spin on things. Where else are axial flux design used? In Lamborghini’s Temerario, pictured, as well as in high-end vehicles from Mercedes Benz, Ferrari, Jaguar and other manufacturers.

Temerarior image from Yasa motors.

Other Operational Impacts for Turbine Installation, Maintenance

Lower weight means fewer cranes and smaller barges. Translation: Easier, less-expensive installation and repairs

Structural Compatibility is a lifetime benefit, as axial-flux components could slot into new turbines with few structural upgrades, and make retrofitting existing foundations easier

No active cooling means lower maintenance costs, as there are few issues with fluid leaks, fans and pumps.

Strategic Moves for Owners, Operators, and Managers

Axial‑flux generators offer a fresh paradigm: lighter weight, simpler design, potential cost reductions, and enhanced suitability for offshore and floating farms. For operations managers – and also investors – this is welcome news because it also means: shorter installation times, lower and less-costly maintenance, and simplified inventories.

Although axial-flux turbines aren’t yet mainstream, the promise of reducing the LCoE combined with more streamlined, efficient operations, is a powerful lure to get behind the technology.

Those who want to learn more about axial-flux integration, pilots or trial deployments should contact GreenSpur. As axial-flux engine production is already scaling up in the automotive industry, it will soon be wind energy’s turn to benefit from the technology and design.

This article is based on a June, 2025 interview with Jason Moody, Chairman, GreenSpur Wind. Listen to the entire conversation here, on Spotify, or WATCH on YouTube!

How to Prepare for Axial Flux Generators?

Tips and considerations for those ready for this efficient upgrade to wind turbine operations include:

Training: O&M crews must understand axial‑flux-specific drive electronics, winding structures, and maintenance procedures. proactive training plan will be essential.

Pilot Programs: Collaborate with GreenSpur or OEMs to install axial‑flux prototypes on pilot turbines, ideally in planned outages or new builds.

Develop Inspection Protocols: Begin documenting how axial‑flux units behave under load, vibration, thermal cycling, and blade pitch events.

Evaluate Asset Life Cycle Savings: Estimate savings from reduced downtime, simpler maintenance, lighter lifts, and material costs to put real numbers behind expected gains.

https://weatherguardwind.com/greenspur-axial-generators-more-efficient-wind-turbine-operations/

Renewable Energy

New PTC Legislation, AES Potential Sale

Published

2 days ago

July 15, 2025

Alice Rush

Weather Guard Lightning Tech

New PTC Legislation, AES Potential Sale

Register for the SkySpecs webinar! The crew discusses the resignation of Wind Europe CEO Giles Dickson and his impact on the organization. They examine a new executive order from the White House targeting ‘unreliable’ wind and solar energy sources, analyzing its potential effects on tax credits and the renewable energy market.

You are listening to the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast brought to you by build turbines.com. Learn, train, and be a part of the Clean Energy Revolution. Visit build turbines.com today. Now here’s your hosts, Alan Hall, Joel Saxon, Phil Totaro, and Rosemary Barnes.

Allen Hall: Welcome to the Uptime Winner d podcast. I’m Alan Hall in the Queen City, Charlotte, North Carolina.

I got filter the tower out in California and Joel Saxon is in wet Austin, Texas. It rained again today. The storm waters have been severe, like a hundred year flood Situations in Texas have been very dangerous and a lot of people have been injured down there. yeah, our condolences go out to everybody affected down in Texas and there’s supposed to be some more severe.

Rainstorms in the East coast of the United States. So hold on tight. there’s a lot of news going on [00:01:00] this week around the world. the one that sticks out first and I wanna bring this to the attention of everybody that, if you haven’t heard yet, is, wind Europe. CEO Giles Dixon has announced he’s stepping down after 10 years as leading WIN Europe.

And I was stunned when this happened. And obviously, I. Don’t have any influence in when Europe being an American. I just watch from the outside and I, from what I’ve seen and attended the conferences over in Europe, everything from what I’ve seen under his tutelage has been great. And the promotional materials and all the information that when Europe provides, has been outstanding.

so Giles is going to go back to teaching. He’s gonna go back into the schoolhouse. but it, seems like it’s a shock to everybody at, Wind Europe, at least that’s the outward appearance. Board chair Henrik Anderson, who is the head of Vestus Praise Dixon’s, tremendous contribution, noting [00:02:00] that he will leave Wind Europe stronger than he when he arrived.

And that’s clearly the case. Phil, do you have any insight as to what’s going on behind the scenes over in Wind Europe and with Giles?

Phil Totaro: I do not, but I can also speak from personal experience, having met him, I wanna say back in 2018 or probably 2017. and I can certainly attest to the, the work that they’ve done.

As you might be able to see, I’ve got two, things sitting here behind me that are awards from, the Wind Europe and, predecessor to, that, we’ve, done a lot of work over in Europe and it’s been facilitated by, the Wind Europe, events that they do as well as the publications that they’ve put out.

certainly my thanks go out to, to him and, [00:03:00] wish him well on his, future endeavors.

Joel Saxum: I would say from an American standpoint, been to wind Europe now, man, I don’t know how many times, half a dozen times or something like that. They do a really good job over there. And this is from, the leadership comes from the top of just circling the wagons, right?

Bringing everybody out to the show, getting more voices involved, giving, getting executive leaders from a lot of these large operators, giving them the space to talk and putting them, in an area where their voices are listened to. So like when, the last time I was at Wind Europe, I think it was in, bill Bao.

so I went, walked into Bill Bau, and when you walked into the conference center, there was big banners hanging of all of the key speakers and what their messages were with pictures of their faces, six feet tall, hanging in all the hallways. And I thought, what a great way to get visibility to the industry, right?

Because if anybody walks in here, because of course at those shows you get, impartial news [00:04:00] agencies and other things going. You see that stuff right in the, European realm. I’m like, I recognize the face of the CEO of RWE and, these things like they pop up. They’re, good at getting in the face of the, public and getting their message across.

And I would like to see us do more of those things here. under giles’s tutelage there, fantastic job. he said he’s gonna step back and go to teaching and give back to his local community where he’s from, and I think that’s fantastic. it’s a, a career shift.

He’s given a lot to the wind industry. and moving on. So now, we have those Giles in Pierre walk and talk videos that they put out every, so often, they’re gonna have to find someone else to walk and talk with.

Allen Hall: That’s gonna be hard to do. Those win flicks are really well done. They’re great promotion for the industry in, Europe.

I, there’s very little that I’ve seen that even really compares to them the amount of knowledge you’re gonna get in about four and a [00:05:00] half minutes about what is actually happening on the ground in Europe. You just don’t find it anywhere like that. The, they are really good tuned to all the inner workings of the eu, the individual countries, all the manufacturers.

They have the pulse of that industry and it’s, gonna be a lot to live up to wherever they nominate to be. The next CEO win Europe. It. It has a high bar. A very high bar. Don’t let blade damage catch you off guard. OGs. Ping sensors detect issues before they become expensive. Time consuming problems from ice buildup and lightning strikes to pitch misalignment and internal blade cracks.

OG Ping has you covered. The cutting edge sensors are easy to install, giving you the power to stop damage before it’s too late. Visit eLog ping.com and take control of your turbine’s health today. Over in the United States, the White House has issued an executive order targeting, what has been described as [00:06:00] quote unquote unreliable wind and solar energy sources, which is a matter of strong debate.

The executive order titled, ending Market Distorting Subsidies for Unreliable Foreign Controlled Energy Sources. Does that make an acronym, guys? I don’t think it does. The order directs the Treasury Department to strictly enforce termination of clean energy tax credits already included in the recently passed budget reconciliation bill.

the feeling on the street is this was done to placate some of the. Congress, people that wanted more action against wind and solar, mostly from petroleum, based states, and that they didn’t feel like they got enough in the legislation, so they wanted to reinforce it. I, don’t think this has any real effect, but in in the larger scheme, but the one area which can.

Be adjusted with or played with is the [00:07:00] timing of when projects have to go in and what the percentage of projects has to be done to qualify for the tax credits. And Phil, you want to provide some insights into what can happen with the qualification aspect.

Phil Totaro: Yeah, so let’s start with understanding what got approved in the bill.

Any project that starts construction after July 4th, 2026 will no longer be eligible for a production tax credit. Going back to Alan’s comment about this executive order, the intent. There is to direct the Treasury Department, which oversees obviously the IRS, which has a final say in what the qualification criteria are for getting the, Companies who wanna claim the production tax credit, you have to submit an application to be able to do that. they are being directed under this executive [00:08:00] order to reexamine whether or not there needs to be changes. That would be I. Basically considered anti renewable. So anything that can take, money off the table for wind and solar is, what they’re trying to accomplish with this.

And what they can do, that’s outside the scope of the bill is they can. Have, the threshold for what constitutes start of construction raised such that, let’s call it about 15.3 gigawatts out of the 30 gigawatts that’s already, into the, construction and permitting queue.

There’s about 15 gigawatts of that is at jeopardy if we can’t. if they raise these thresholds and if we can’t get started on construction with all that by, July 4th, 2026.

Joel Saxum: Phil, I got a question for you ’cause I wanna clarify this. We know that solar PV [00:09:00] onshore wind almost exclusively, and I think it is exclusively, will harvest PTCs over the lifetime instead of the 30% ITC credit for CapEx, however.

Offshore wind usually goes for ITC. And so I wanna clarify this also pertains to ITC as well. That’s, under, under the same rule set as the PTC. Yes. and ITC if you don’t know, is investment tax credits versus production tax credits. So you, that’s a onetime, wham. on, I think 30% of the CapEx of a project.

And that’s why you see it in offshore wind because it’s so dang expensive for offshore wind. But this, so the same set of rules is gonna hit both of those, right?

Phil Totaro: Yes. And, regardless of the executive order, Joel, the, it, the changes in the law that they just made in the tax and budget bill, they passed these changes in the law, actually potentially preclude.

The Mar Wind project in Maryland and the New England one and two [00:10:00] projects, in, Massachusetts, Connecticut, et cetera. that general vicinity where, multiple states are gonna be off taking power, those projects may not be able to get their construction finance in place and. Meet the start of construction threshold, by the time that they need to be able to, in order to claim the, tax credit.

So they could be, these projects are potentially in jeopardy now of not being able to claim that ITC, because of these, the change in the law passed by Congress and the con in combination with. The executive order that is likely to, increase the threshold for what constitutes startup construction on a project.

Joel Saxum: Could you see someone with a bold strategy saying, you know what, because PTCs may run out, we’re gonna take the 30% ITC bam right now on an onshore wind project. A big one. Could you see that?

Phil Totaro: Potentially, yes. Particularly if it’s [00:11:00] gonna, it’s the down to the number crunchers at that point. And if somebody says, you know what?

That makes a lot more sense than getting a reduction. look, we’ve, Intel store’s done this analysis. We released a research note about this. It’s gonna reduce, this. Change in the law is gonna reduce what? the revenue that asset owners for wind in the USA get by about $16 billion.

Now, keep in mind that ever since they started this production tax credit back in the early nineties, it’s paid out about $66.3 billion to date. And is $16 billion really saving us a whole lot, especially when you consider that we’ve got increasing demand, a five year backlog on gas. Nuclear that can’t be built.

And we talked last week about, the situation with, trying to sell people liquified natural gas. where exactly are we gonna get our electricity from? Because you’re all about to face brownouts in [00:12:00] about, a year and a half here. So if it’s not coming from wind and solar, I, don’t know where it’s coming from.

Allen Hall: The offshore projects on the east coast will have to be finished. They’ll just go back to the states and renegotiate the contracts for the offtake pricing.

Phil Totaro: If they can.

Allen Hall: I, think there’s always opportunity in tax law for things to get a little funky if you haven’t noticed that. the IRS can do all kinds of crazy things on its own, and obviously, things get tagged onto additional bills.

There’s all kinds of bills going through Congress and nobody knows exactly what’s going on at midnight when they pass. So it wouldn’t shock me if some of these projects get a little bit of coverage by the states and the senators in particular that backdoor it to protect them. Because otherwise what’s gonna happen is Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, maybe all the way down towards Virginia, New Jersey, are going to have to raise the prices to get those projects in.[00:13:00]

They’re still gonna happen. I, just don’t see them not happening. Back to your point, Phil, what are they gonna do for power? If they don’t have any other opportunities. Can I shift gears a little

Joel Saxum: bit here? The I’m, what I wanna understand now is, okay, bill, big beautiful Bill has passed, executive order, signed, enforcing it, whatever.

Today is July 9th that we’re recording. What does July 10th look like for the next two years? For all of our friends in the wind industry that are ISPs. That are specialists that are, technical field advisors for construction and crane companies and bolting companies and all this stuff. What does the next two years look like for them?

Because in my mind it means hammer down pedal to the metal. People are gonna be scrambling to get support to build their projects out. So everybody that’s in ISP is gonna be busy as hell for the next few years. At the same time, if I’m an operator, I’m thinking I’ve got a, an odd fiscal cliff. Coming and I need to [00:14:00] make sure that my turbines are running tip top shape while I’m still harvesting PTCs.

Before that date, because when that date comes, I gotta be o and m efficient. I gotta be spend efficient, these things have to be running well. I need to get ’em up to snuff, tear that apart. Does that make sense?

Phil Totaro: Oh, it, makes perfect sense. So right now what everybody, particularly anybody that built a project that.

They wouldn’t be able to repower prior to the end of this PTC cliff in 2027. What they’re looking to do is exactly what you just mentioned, Joel. They have to get operational efficiency improved and they have to hunt for the best possible PPA that they can get. now the good news is that. the market average right now for PPAs is about 55, just under $56 a megawatt hour, but if that drops, it’s gonna throw folks like that.

And they’re 65, or, I’m sorry, 62.115 [00:15:00] gigawatts worth of projects in that time period I mentioned 2019 to 2023 that are not gonna be able to do a PTC driven repowering. So they’re gonna have to improve. Performance they’re gonna have to life extend, and they’re gonna have to go find, a better, whether it’s a corporate offtake or something, a high PPA, that’s gonna help them sustain their profitability.

Allen Hall: The data I’ve seen more recently about what electricity prices are going to be in a year or two shows them up almost 10%, or sometimes more than 10%. So they’re gonna have to climb the, money’s gonna come from somewhere because. Back to Phil’s original point, if you don’t develop it, you’re gonna have problems with power supply.

you’re gonna have brownouts and restrictions and all the things you’ve been trying to avoid for the last 20 years, it’s going to come about. So I think the offtake companies and all the corporations involved in this that are pulling massive amounts of power off the grid are going [00:16:00] to have to encourage these projects to go forward.

They’re going to have to renegotiate PPAs. the, sites are gonna get built. I think there may be more opportunity for a little bit more money for wind and particularly solar just because. Gas isn’t gonna fill it, no one else is gonna fill it. The prices are gonna go up, and I think you could ask for a higher PPA price and get it because there’s nobody else that can provide the power.

Joel Saxum: I think we should benchmark this, right? Like a couple a month ago or so, the three of us, or more than that, we talked about what our, local power prices were and we’re in completely different markets. Alan, you’re on the east coast. Phil, you’re on the West coast. I’m down in Austin. In the Ercot market, I think the Ercot market will adjust quicker.

Simply because it’s, unregulated, right? It can, it’ll move. It’ll move. It’ll move now. So I think we should do that. let’s once a month collect that data again, just to see what it looks like over the next few years and check the trend. Because I think, like you said, [00:17:00] it’s gotta come from somewhere at the end of the day, who’s paying the bills, the consumer, And that’s the frustrating thing about, to me, just the frustrating thing about what’s going on with this bill is. Is the consumer’s gonna end up paying and a lot of times the consumers in these deep red states, that’s where wind is. It doesn’t make sense to me, but I don’t make all the decisions.

Allen Hall: just play it out in your head.

If GE is making the, gas turbines that are gonna provide electricity, just say GE is a focal point, probably is. Are they gonna increase production 50% over the next year, two years, five years, 10 years? They can’t do it. It’s impossible. It’s impossible. Exactly right. So although the current administration is going to downplay wind and solar.

It’s a physics problem. You can’t do it. This is not a Pol politics problem. This is a physics

Joel Saxum: problem.

Phil Totaro: But he, so here’s the good news though. Going, back to Joel’s point, if you work [00:18:00] at an ISP, if you own a company that owns cranes, you are gonna be in demand. full employment for everybody.

And here’s the other thing, a lot of these companies that have been overlooked as far as, kind of asset management, platforms and digital services, our friends over at Sky Specs, as, being one example. they are gonna be also very in demand because the companies, the asset owners that said, oh, I can get by without, digital solutions.

You’re not gonna be able to, when you need to be able to optimize your performance to hold out until 2029. Because if, your project starts dropping off precipitously, you don’t have a PTC that you can leverage to repower your project anymore. And who knows what actually happens in 2029. Hopefully we get something back in place that, like Alan mentioned, and Joel mentioned, a week or two [00:19:00] ago where oil and gas already have permanent subsidies.

we can argue about whether or not. subsidies for renewables are a good or a bad thing and all that, but wind energy alone in the United States is a $500 billion plus industry, and we’re talking about, again, $66 billion paid out over 30 plus years, and $16 billion in the immediate term to help support an industry that creates, more than half a trillion dollars worth of value.

In the United States jobs, tax, revenue, et cetera. let’s hope everybody gets the message and, starts playing it smart from here on out.

Allen Hall: As Wind energy professionals staying informed is crucial, and let’s face it difficult. That’s why the Uptime podcast recommends PES Wind Magazine. PES Wind offers a diverse range of in-depth articles and expert insights that dive into the most pressing issues facing our energy future.[00:20:00]

Whether you’re an industry veteran or new to wind, PES Wind has the high quality content you need. Don’t miss out. Visit PES wind.com today. In this quarter’s, PES Wind Magazine, which you can Google PES Wind and it’ll take you right there. You can download your own copy. There’s a really good article from Safe Lifting Europe, bv and some of their sustainable practices.

And if you’ve seen some of the work that they do, they provide. All the green colored equipment, the lifting equipment, and they’ve shifted from, a traditional ownership model where you buy the harness or the lifting piece to a rental service, which is a totally different model because most of the time that I’ve been around heavy lift, we ended up buying all the pieces, but renting this makes a lot more sense.

But there’s a lot to that when that happens. And it is, a. Truly a different approach to what has been a very, [00:21:00] wanna call a, very state industry where it hasn’t moved around too much. you lift things, you check, make sure the everything is the, same. But the, problem has been, is that.

It’s pay to play and it’s hard to get into that industry if you wanna buy the equipment. And so safe lifting Europe is, has a different model and it’s about time. Joel, I, know you’ve been around some heavy lift equipment yourself. This is, this, doesn’t happen very much. I have not seen hardly any of this in the United States ’cause these guys are based in the Netherlands.

Joel Saxum: So again, I, and I dial back to this offshore oil and gas. Offshore oil and gas is such a specialized industry with, when you’re lifting something, you may be using a piece that looks like you’re lifting something in a yard, but you’re actually using that in 3000 feet of water. so there’s all this specialized equipment all the time, and if you’re an operator or an IIRM consultant or whoever else that’s doing this work, it’s so cost prohibitive, capital [00:22:00]intensive to get into these things and it reduces the amount of players in the market.

That’s the trouble it, concentrates ’em, right? You get to these certain projects and Only Cype can take it on because they’re the only ones that can afford to buy the kit. What this does is it opens up the market to money. More people, right? Because then that offshore oil and gas world, this is a model they use all the time.

There’s companies dedicated to this expensive kit, like there’s a company called Unique Group that we used to use all the time, and they have water weights for testing and this, and the good thing about them, and it was electric, it was electronics and all kinds of stuff. When you got the kit, it was tested, calibrated, certified, ready to roll, beautiful in a crate.

You know what I mean? So it showed us like, Hey, we need this piece. And it showed up on site and it was ready to run, and it was all done by a third party. You pay the day rate on it. Once you’re done, you ship it back. Now, from a contract standpoint, that’s awesome because you just charge cost plus whatever percentage you put on it to your client.

It’s a pass through cost, you’ve dealt with it. Project gets done. That’s awesome. I think that’s, it opens up again, it [00:23:00] opens up the market. You can use mult, more vessels, more companies, good on them. And they’ve done a, this is a, this is something you and I really Alan, is this clever marketing.

Clever marketing, clever branding. There’s companies that do this well, and this is good, right? Because it’s rental kit that all looks the same. So no matter what vessel it’s on, you’re gonna see this, specific color of green right down here in Texas. Whenever I see a red, f two 50 go by, I go, oh, that’s Weatherford.

You know them, you know those guys right away, right? The Weatherford guys with the red jumpsuits and the red bumpers on the truck and stuff. you always see that. Or, like, in the offshore world, deme, blind green, Deme, you can see a deme vessel from miles away and you go, that’s that.

That’s them. That’s them. This will catch on. I like their, what they’ve done. Kudos to whoever thought of that as a branding initiative. I think this is only good things for the entire market, having a player like this that’s, specializing in that lifting kit.

Allen Hall: Yeah, great [00:24:00] article and you need to go check it out.

You can download this article at PS Wind. Just visit, your Google engine type in PS Wind. It’ll take you right there. Download it. There’s a ton of great articles in this quarter’s edition. and good on to safe Lifting Europe, bv. A lot of discussion about companies being, sold at the minute, and Joel and I have heard.

Quite a number of stories over the last probably month or so, but a ES corporation is, stock has gone up and down quite recently because the impression is, that they are for sale and they’re a Virginia based, renewable power company. And it sounds like they’ve had takeover interest from, investors, including Brookfield Asset Management, BlackRock of course, and Global Infrastructure Partners.

Now, a ES has a unique client base. They are really tied into the [00:25:00] data centers and ai centers, which from which are the big names, and Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, if you named the three. Those are the three. but it has more recently, as has seen their stock fall since about 2022. So it’s down quite a bit.

However, the future will look bright. This would be the perfect time to pick up a ES at probably a, what would be considered a reasonable price. But the dollar numbers, the market cap on a ES is pretty big at the moment. Joel? Yeah, I think what, what did, we see today? Like 40

Joel Saxum: billion. 40 billion. So there’s been a couple of big.

Acquisitions in the last year, right? There was the, GIP bought that company, New Mexico, can’t remember the name of it, that one. And then the Constellation bought Calpine for 16 billion. So that was another big one that just happened. of course we know BP is for sale. We should see an announcement on that at any [00:26:00] time.

We don’t know who or what that price is. but that’s gonna happen for bps, US onshore assets. So there is some big things moving and grooving. I could see, like I, I think off air I was talking BlackRock. GIP is a big one. Brookfield, I know Phil, you had some opinions on Brookfield, but, if a ES.

They’ve got some stuff in, in the states. They’ve got a lot of stuff in the Latin American countries, south America as well, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, they got some cool wind farms. If they’re doing some due diligence and you need someone to go, the uptime crew can go to Hawaii for the one you got out there, we’ll definitely take a peek at that for you or whoever the prospective buyer is.

but yeah, we, have friends over there. We know some of the engineers at a ES. of course, when these acquisitions happen, for the most part, it doesn’t change much. they just have a different t-shirt to wear and a different email signature. there’s some good people over there.

but yeah. Phil, what are your thoughts on who a prospective buyer for this a [00:27:00] ES thing could be?

Phil Totaro: Yeah, besides the two companies that have been named, you could have Masar also potentially kicking the tires if they wanted to expand their footprint. but I think Brookfield is probably the best fit.

besides some of the operational synergies that they already have with projects they’ve got, it fits Brookfield’s, as you mentioned, Joel, they’ve got assets in, Peru, Chile, and, I wanna say some transmission related assets as well in, in Brazil. that probably fit Brookfield’s portfolio a little bit better than anybody else, but I wouldn’t put it out of the realm of possibility that.

somebody dives in and, tries to gobble them up because they’ve built a pretty good portfolio, and a healthy one as well. This

Joel Saxum: week’s Wind Farm of the week is the Wheat Ridge Hybrid Energy Project. Why this one popped up on the Wind Farm of the Week is looking [00:28:00] forward to what’s going on in politically in the states right now, thinking about operational efficiencies and how do we squeeze as much more out of a project as we can.

And the interesting thing about this is the first project in the United States that combines the three most common renewable energy kind assets. You have wind on site, you have solar on site, and you have battery storage on site. Now, the advantage to that, of course, is it’s pretty simple. it’s combines the BOP costs.

So you have the same transmission, lines. the same o and m crews and that kind of stuff all in one spot. So it makes more sense. You’re double dipping on these, capital costs from the beginning. so a little bit about the wind farm. It’s up in Oregon, marrow County, near Lexington.

It’s about 300 megawatts of wind. There’s a, there’s 120 GE turbines up there. Have 2.3 and 2.5 megawatt units. There’s also a 50 megawatt, solar [00:29:00]array. And there’s a 30 megawatt, 120 megawatt hour lithium ion battery storage system. So together there’s 350 megawatts of production plus that nice smoothing, side of the batteries with a little bit of, there’s about four hours with the storage there.

so you can power efficiently a hundred thousand homes off of this one project from one spot. it was jointly built by Portland General Electric and NextEra. So NextEra’s got their hands in a lot of stuff. They got their hands in this one. and it was the first of its kind. It’s a util utility scale facility with wind, solar, and storage all on one site.

and because of that, you’re, balancing, the storage or the storage balances that grid variability and delivers power even when, you know the sun, wind aren’t optimal. I personally would love to see a ton more projects like this. it, and it has a lot of those same numbers we see on a lot of the Wind Farm of the week, or, anything.

It, 300 jobs created, 10 [00:30:00] full-time staff, millions of dollars in tax benefits. so really cool project. And as we go into the next phase of the energy transition, would love to see more projects done like this, or even retrofitted like this would be pretty cool. so the Wheatridge Hybrid Energy Project up in Oregon,

Allen Hall: you’re the Wind Farm of the week.

And that’s gonna do it for the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast. Thanks for joining us. Stay tuned. There’s a lot happening in wind. Don’t get discouraged. It’s all gonna be okay, and we’ll see you here next week on the Uptime Wind Energy Podcast.

https://weatherguardwind.com/ptc-legislation-aes/

Renewable Energy

Best Place To Put Your Solar Panels In Australia

Published

2 days ago

July 15, 2025

Alice Rush

Australia has over 2.3 million rooftop solar power systems, with nearly 20,000 new installations each month. Using the sun’s energy is a wise and environmentally friendly way to meet our energy needs.

But, optimising their performance requires thoroughly understanding Australia’s best solar panel orientation. So you’ll need to know the best place to put your solar panels. And today, we’ll try to understand the best place, direction, and orientation to put your panels.

Understanding the best orientation and place for solar panels is essential to get maximum output from solar panels.

In this blog post:

Why is The Orientation of Solar Panels Important?

The positioning of solar panels plays a crucial role in their efficiency, as they rely on exposure to sunlight to function effectively. To optimise the performance of your solar panels, careful consideration of their placement and angle is necessary.

The chosen angle directly impacts the energy produced from sunlight and the potential savings on your energy bill.

However, the structural capacity of your roof, like trees blocking the sun, may limit the ideal positioning. Ultimately, your specific circumstances will influence the direction you place your solar panels.

Solar installers can work closely with you to design a system that best suits your needs and energy consumption. If you’re interested in installing solar panels on your rooftop, check out ratings and reviews on solar panel installers to find the most reputable options.

The Optimal Direction for Solar Panels in Australia

Solar panel orientation refers to the direction that your solar panels face. It is a critical factor in determining the amount of sunlight your panels can capture and convert into electricity.

The best direction for solar panels in Australia is typically north-facing. North-facing solar panels in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia, receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day, and it maximises solar energy production.

North-facing panels capture sunlight from the Northern Hemisphere, where the sun is positioned at its highest point.

By orienting your solar panels towards the north, you can take advantage of the sun’s path and optimise the amount of solar energy your panels generate. This north-facing orientation ensures that the panels receive sunlight from sunrise to sunset for most of the day.

While a north-facing direction is a general recommendation, solar panels can still generate energy facing east or west. East-facing panels capture the morning sunlight while west-facing panels receive the afternoon sunlight.

If your roof has limited space or shading issues, consider installing panels on east or west-facing roofs to maximise sunlight’s benefits.

However, it’s important to note that while east and west orientations may provide some energy production, they typically generate less energy than a north-facing orientation.

By facing your solar panels north, you can ensure they receive the maximum sunlight throughout the day, increasing their energy production.

Moreover, tilting the panels at a perfect angle plays a significant role. Ideally, this angle should equal your location’s latitude to capture the most sunlight over the year.

North-facing panels tilted at 30 degrees achieve the highest solar energy production throughout the year. This configuration is particularly beneficial for those with a fixed feed-in tariff, as it maximises savings.

West-facing panels in Australia

West-facing panels generate the most solar energy between 1:30 pm and sunset. This orientation is ideal for individuals away from home in the morning and present during the afternoon.

By utilising appliances during these hours, one can lower their electricity bill. Otherwise, they would have to purchase power from electricity retailers at a higher rate during peak demand periods.

East-facing panels in Australia

Conversely, east-facing panels produce the most solar energy in the morning hours. They are well-suited for households with higher electricity consumption during the mornings, providing savings on peak morning electricity rates.

South-facing panels in Australia

South-facing panels generate the least solar energy compared to other directions. However, they become viable when shading or roof direction makes different orientations impractical.

North-facing panels in Australia

In most regions of Australia, north-facing panels achieve at least 99% of their maximum output. But if installing panels in a north-facing direction is physically challenging, the following plausible locations are east or west.

While this may reduce solar output, it is still a better recommendation for maximum energy production.

The Ideal Placement

North-facing roof: North-facing roofs in the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia, receive the most direct sunlight throughout the day. Install your solar panels on a north-facing roof to maximise solar energy production.

Tilt and angle: The optimal tilt angle for solar panels in Australia is generally around 30 to 35 degrees to capture the maximum amount of sunlight. However, this can vary depending on your location. You can consult with a solar installer or use online tools that calculate the ideal tilt and angle based on the site.

Shading: Avoid shading as much as possible. Even a small amount of shading can significantly reduce the efficiency of solar panels. Trim or remove any trees or objects that cast shadows on your panels during peak sunlight hours.

Climate considerations: Australia has diverse climates, ranging from tropical in the north to more temperate in the south. Consider your specific environment when determining the placement of solar panels. In hotter regions, leaving a small gap between the panels and the roof may be beneficial to allow for airflow and prevent overheating.

Mounting options: Solar panels can be installed on various surfaces, including rooftops, ground mounts, or solar carports. Evaluate the available space on your property and choose the mounting option that best suits your needs.

Local regulations and guidelines: Familiarise yourself with local laws, permits, and policies related to solar panel installations in your area. Some neighbourhoods or homeowners’ associations may have specific rules regarding panel placement.

We recommend consulting with Cyanergy, a professional solar installer. Our energy experts can assess your property’s specific nature and provide personalised advice for optimal solar panel placement for your home.

How Technology Has Helped Solar Panel Placement

The location of solar panels is of utmost importance for their efficiency and overall functionality. It is much like the significance of location in the real estate world. Solar technology has seen significant improvements over the years.

It provides homeowners with more flexibility in selecting where to position their panels. In the past, solar panels were most effective when facing true south and installed in regions with consistent, year-round sunlight.

This made it less advisable for homes not oriented towards the south or located in rainy, cloudy areas to invest in solar panels, as the potential savings might not have justified the costs.

However, current solar technology has made the direction and region more open. Nowadays, panels can be placed on roofs or the ground, facing east or west, while still capturing substantial energy. This increased adaptability allows for significant cost savings on monthly electricity bills and an overall reduction in energy consumption.

Why Can’t Everyone Angle Their Panels Toward the North?

Some property owners have their panels facing west due to the direction of their rooftops. Typically, panels align with the roof and largely avoid shade when installed.

If trees or structures shadow one side of a roof, the logical choice would be the unshaded side. These could be east, north, west, or any direction. With the decreasing cost of solar batteries, the optimal solution is to cover the entire roof, regardless of orientation. The idea is to store the necessary energy with reduced energy costs.

How to Decide on A suitable Plan for Your Home?

For owners of solar energy systems, the most precise way to monitor solar performance is through a proactive tracking system. These systems can quickly pay for themselves, depending on the size and dependability of a solar energy system.

An active monitoring system is essential to ensure accurate solar performance tracking. It enables users to monitor energy usage and net electricity transactions. It provides solar panels to function with optimal energy efficiency.

With a smart monitor, you can also compare your system’s projected energy generation with the energy produced on a specific day. Additionally, you can assess whether your solar panels function at peak energy efficiency.

Select Solar Emporium to Get Your Desired Solar Package

Every home and business is unique, so it’s always a good idea to consult a solar installation professional to determine the best setup for your needs. Several cost-effective packages are available at Cyanergy.

Get a free solar quote today! We have created these packages considering your energy needs, location, and budget.

These packages combine tier-1 solar panels, Australian-designed battery systems, and inverters. These will allow you to store excess solar energy and power your home day and night.

Various financing options are now accessible for installing solar panels and solar batteries. You can pay them off gradually over time.

Optimising is a crucial aspect of designing a solar power system. It enables you to maximise your solar system’s potential. The ideal configuration of a solar power system depends on your electricity usage and solar production.

A reputable solar installer like Cyanergy can design a solar system based on property details and electricity consumption habits. It will help you achieve the best return on investment for your solar power system.

Use the sun and enjoy the benefits of sustainable, renewable energy in Australia. Get a free solar quote or talk to an expert today!