Connect with us

Published

on

Are you thinking of switching to solar but feeling overwhelmed by the wide range of panel options available in the market? 

You’re not alone, as many others feel the same way. 

In a sun-drenched country like Australia, where electricity prices seem to climb every year, more households are turning to solar as a smart, sustainable solution.  

The reason for this energy transition is apparent: harnessing clean, renewable energy gives you energy freedom, saves you costs on electricity bills, and reduces your reliance on fossil fuels, lowering your carbon footprint.   

Moreover, solar panels are not only good for the planet; they’re an investment for your future!  

But with so many types of solar panels, how do you know which one is right for you? 

  • Which panels perform best in Australia’s diverse climate?
  • What type suits your roof, your budget, and your energy needs?
  • And most importantly, are they really worth the cost? 

Well, in this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain the above questions and everything you need to know about solar panels in Australia.  

From solar panel types to benefits and efficiencies, this ultimate guide on all types of solar panels in Australia will help you find the most suitable panels for your home and financial needs. 

So, tag along to learn more details!  

What Are Solar Panels? | Breaking Down the Power of the Sun!

Let’s begin by addressing a very basic question: What is a solar panel, and how does it work? 

A solar panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic (PV) cells. Instead of burning fossil fuel, these different types of solar panels generate clean, renewable energy with Australia’s abundant sunlight.

How Solar Panels Work: A Simple Breakdown!

At the core of every solar panel, there is a set of photovoltaic (PV) cells. These cells are responsible for converting sunlight into usable electricity.  

When sunlight hits these cells, it excites electrons within the silicon-based material, creating an electric current. This current is then captured and converted into alternating current (AC) through an inverter, making it suitable for household or commercial use.  

However, solar panels cannot store energy for later use. Therefore, you might need to add battery storage to keep your home illuminated at night or during low-light hours. 

Are They Worth It for Australians?

Solar panels are generally a smart investment for most Australians due to the country’s high solar exposure, government incentives, and rising electricity costs.  

With abundant sunshine, households in most Australian cities can generate a significant portion of their electricity needs from solar. This energy switch can be a significant key to reducing power bills while enhancing grid stability. 

For example,  a 6.6 kW solar system can save households $1,000–$2,500 per year, depending on usage and feed-in tariffs. They can reduce your power bills by up to 70% 

Moreover, the federal Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES), energy-saving schemes and various state rebates and incentives significantly reduce the upfront cost of solar systems.

So, with all these long-term savings, generous incentives, and positive environmental impact, solar panels offer a sustainable solution, making them a worthwhile financial and environmental investment for all.  

What Are the Most Popular Types of Solar Panels Available in Australia?

types of solar panels

Australia’s strong solar market offers various solar panel options tailored to different needs, budgets, and property types. Homeowners can access high-quality solar technologies from both local and international manufacturers, creating a global bond.  

However, instead of making a blind choice, it’s wise to understand the different types of panels, as each has different efficiency, durability, and cost advantages.  

So, before moving further, let’s have a glimpse at the most popular types of solar panels currently available in Australia:  

Monocrystalline Solar Panels: Premium Efficiency and Longevity

Monocrystalline solar panels are the most efficient type of solar panel. They are made from a single, pure crystal structure, which allows electrons to move more freely, resulting in higher efficiency.   

These panels are easily recognizable by their dark black color and rounded edges. While they are more than other types, their high efficiency and longevity make them a great investment. 

What are the Pros? 

  • High performance in low-light and high-temperature conditions. 
  • Sleek, modern look. 
  • Lower long-term cost per watt. 
  • Best for homeowners with limited roof space.  
  • Incredible longevity and efficiency.  

Talking about Cons: 

  • Monocrystalline panels are expensive. 
  • The manufacturing process results in silicon waste. 

Polycrystalline Solar Panels: Reliable and Cost-Effective

Polycrystalline solar panels are made from multiple crystal structures, which gives them a blue hue with a speckled look.  

They are less efficient than monocrystalline panels but are also less expensive. These panels are great for those with ample roof space and a tighter budget.  

What are the Pros? 

  • More affordable than Monocrystalline panels. 
  • Leaves less waste during production. 
  • Offer decent performance for residential use. 
  • Easier manufacturing process.

Talking about Cons: 

  • Less efficient. 
  • Require more space than Monocrystalline panels. 
  • Lower the aesthetic appeal of homes. 

Thin-Film Solar Panels: Lightweight and Versatile

Thin-film solar panels are the most affordable but least efficient type, with energy efficiency ranging from 7% to 18%. They are made by layering photovoltaic materials onto a surface.  

These panels are flexible, lightweight, and ideal for industrial and commercial use in Australian landscapes. 

The types include: 

  • Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) Panels 

Cadmium telluride is the most common thin-film panel, constituting about 5% of solar panel sales. These panels can achieve an efficiency rating of 9% to 15%. 

They are made from cheaper, toxic materials such as cadmium telluride and cadmium sulphide, which can pose environmental and health risks. 

  • Amorphous Silicon (A-Si) Panels 

Amorphous silicon panels use a different technology that makes them very flexible. Instead of using crystalline silicon wafers, these panels use a thin silicon strip with a rubber-like texture. 

These panels are incredibly lightweight, versatile, non-toxic, and cheap, but have a low efficiency rating of about 7%. 

  • Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) Panels 

CIGS panels are the most efficient thin-film panels available. They are composed of copper, gallium, indium, and selenide layers placed on a base of steel, glass, plastic, and other materials. 

These panels can be installed where standard panels cannot fit. They have a high enough efficiency rating of 12% to 15%.  

Bifacial Solar Panel: Power from Every Angle!

Bifacial solar panels can generate power from both sides, capturing sunlight that hits the front of the panel and light that reflects onto the back. It’s like double the sides, double the Power! 

This can increase energy production by up to 30%. They are ideal for ground-mounted solar systems or buildings with reflective roofing.  

Concentrated PV Cell (CVP)

Concentrated PV cells are the most efficient type of solar panel available today. They use lenses or curved mirrors to focus sunlight onto a small area of high-efficiency solar cells.   

However, they require direct sunlight and a cooling system to function effectively. They are more suitable for large-scale commercial projects in sunny locations.   

Solar Panel Types by Efficiency and Longevity: A Detailed Comparison

Type Efficiency Lifespan Perfect for
Monocrystalline 18–22% 25+ years Homeowners with limited roof space or those prioritizing efficiency and longevity.
Polycrystalline 15–17% 20–25 years Budget-conscious users with ample roof space.
Thin-Film 10–13% 10–20 years Large buildings, factories, and unconventional surfaces like car roofs or windows.

5 Factors to Look for While Installing a Solar Panel in Australia

Choosing the right panel is just half the job, where installation quality and system design play a huge role in overall performance. 

So, here we’ve listed what to consider before installing a solar panel on your property:

1. Sun Exposure and Roof Orientation

Proper sun exposure is a significant factor for maximizing energy production. In Australia, a north-facing roof typically captures the most sunlight.  

Also, ensure your roof is free of large trees, chimneys, or other shading.

2. Solar Panel Efficiency

Higher solar panel efficiency means more power, which ultimately leads to faster return on investment (ROI). This is especially important if your roof area is limited or you live in a rented property.

3. Durability and Warranty

Look for panels that offer 25-year performance warranties and 10–15-year product warranties.  

These warranties can provide long-term peace of mind and potentially save you significant repair or replacement costs.  

4. Installer Credentials

Once you decide to install solar, choose Clean Energy Council (CEC) accredited installers.  

They’ll help make sure your system follows Australian rules and let you know about rebate eligibility criteria.  

5. Proper Installation and Aftercare

Lastly, the installer will mount the solar panels on your roof and connect them to a solar inverter.  

After the installation, the system will need to be inspected by a certified electrician. Then, a monitoring app will track how much electricity your system produces and how much you use.

Some Other Hidden Factors That Might Impact Your Solar Setup!

While planning a solar installation, most people focus on the obvious elements like panel type, system size, and cost.  

However, beyond these core considerations, there are several lesser-known factors that can quietly influence the efficiency, longevity, and overall success of your solar setup.   

This includes: 

  • Hail Rating of the Panel 

This rating indicates how well solar panels can withstand hail impacts. Panels are typically tested by firing ice balls at them to simulate hail.  

A higher hail rating means better durability in hail-prone areas, reducing the risk of cracks and performance loss. Crystalline panels can handle hail hitting speeds up to 50 mph, while thin-film panels are thinner and less resistant. 

  • Temperature Tolerance of the Panel 

Solar panels become less efficient at high temperatures. Temperature tolerance, often measured as a temperature coefficient, tells you how much performance drops per degree above 25°C.  

Lower coefficients mean better performance in hot climates. So, here are the temperature coefficients for different panel types: 

    • Monocrystalline: -0.3% to -0.4% / °C  
    • Polycrystalline:  -0.4% to -0.5% / °C 
    • Thin-film: -0.2% to -0.3% / °C 
  • Fire Rating of the Solar Panel 

Solar panels and mounting systems must meet fire safety standards. The fire rating is usually classified in Class A, B, or C, reflecting the system’s resistance to fire spread and ignition.  

Class A is the most fire-resistant, which is crucial in wildfire-prone regions like Australia. 

  • Light-Induced Degradation (LID) 

LID (Light-Induced Degradation) is a common issue in crystalline solar panels, where they lose about 1–3% of their performance during the first few hours or days of sun exposure.  

It happens when sunlight reacts with tiny amounts of oxygen left in the silicon during manufacturing.  

This reaction slightly disrupts the silicon structure, reducing the panel’s efficiency. 

How to Choose the Right Solar Panels for Your Property?

Every home has different setups, so the solar panel installation process also varies from home to home. Here’s a stepwise checklist to help tailor the perfect setup: 

Step 1: Assess Your Energy Needs 

Before choosing solar panels, look at how much electricity your home uses. Check your electricity bills to calculate your average daily usage in kWh 

If you’re planning to expand or add things like an electric vehicle or a home addition, consider how that might increase your energy needs in the future. 

Step 2: Evaluate Roof Size and Position 

In Australia, your roof’s position and condition matter greatly for solar energy generation. Therefore, while installing the panel, you should consider: 

  • Roof orientation, as south-facing roofs typically capture the most sunlight.
  • Proper tilt and shading for minimal shading from trees, chimneys, or nearby buildings.
  • Larger roofs offer more installation space, while older roofs may need repairs, so check the roof size and condition first. 

However, if you have limited space, go for high-efficiency monocrystalline panels, and Polycrystalline might be a better value for plenty of space. 

Step 3: Set a Budget 

Solar Power System prices vary widely from place to place. But with our 440W Tier-1 Panels and 5kW Wi-Fi Inverter in a 6.6kW Solar Power System, you can enjoy the benefits of solar power without a hefty price tag. 

  • For 6.6 kW System: 

Original Price starts from $3,690.00 

Cyanergy’s VIC Offer Price starts from $890.00 

  • For 10.12kW System 

Original Price starts from $5,770.00 

Cyanergy’s VIC Offer Price starts from $2,970.00 

  • For 13kW System 

Original Price starts from $7,130.00 

Cyanergy’s VIC Offer Price starts from $4,330.00

Step 4: Find a Trustworthy Installer & Factor in Rebates 

Federal STC rebates and various state-based incentives can save you thousands off your upfront cost, so look for a certified, experienced installer who can help you claim them.

So, Which Solar Panel Type Should You Use?

Honestly, there is no specific answer to this question. The panel type and effectiveness depend on several factors, including your installation location, budget, and aesthetic preferences.  

However, here we’ve shared a quick guide based on different situations to make your purchase decision easier:  

Different Scenarios Recommended Type
Limited roof space or rental property Monocrystalline
Tight budget with big roof space Polycrystalline
Flexible portable solutions Thin film
Need long-term high output Monocrystalline
Off-grid or rural installations Thin-Film or Hybrid

Some of the Best Solar Panels in Australia (2025 Edition)

Best Solar Panels in Australia

When choosing the best solar panel brands in Australia, performance, durability, and warranties matter most. 

  1. SunPower
    • Efficiency: Up to 22.8%
    • Warranty: 40 years (industry-best!)
    • Why Choose: Premium performance and extreme durability
  1. REC Solar
    • Efficiency: Up to 21.9% 
    • Warranty: 25 years
    • Why Choose: Excellent value for performance, strong Australian support
  1. Q CELLS
    • Efficiency: Up to 21.4%
    • Warranty: 25 years
    • Why Choose: Robust tech with good performance in varying light conditions
  1. Jinko Solar
    • Efficiency: Up to 21%
    • Warranty: 25 years 
  1. LONGi Solar
    • Efficiency: 20%
    • Warranty: 25 years
    • Why Choose: Solid mid-range performer, good balance of cost and quality 

For any queries, contact Cyanergy. Here, our solar experts will provide the best solution based on your preferences.  

Remember, with the right panel type, a trusted installer, and a bit of planning, you can enjoy decades of clean, affordable electricity. 

Your Solution Is Just a Click Away

The post Ultimate Guide To Understanding Every Type Of Solar Panel appeared first on Cyanergy.

Ultimate Guide To Understanding Every Type Of Solar Panel

Continue Reading

Renewable Energy

India Locks Down Turbine Data, Danish Wind Jobs Dip

Published

on

Weather Guard Lightning Tech

India Locks Down Turbine Data, Danish Wind Jobs Dip

India now requires turbine data, control centers, and R&D to sit inside its borders. Plus a study on reverse flow loads in parked blades, Envision’s spare parts push across Southeast Asia, and Danish wind employment falling to 32,700.

The Uptime Wind Energy Podcast is brought to you by Weather Guard Lightning Tech, creators of the StrikeTape Ultra LPS retrofit. Subscribe to Uptime’s Substack newsletter. And check out Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” Youtube channel. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us!

The Uptime Wind Energy podcast, brought to you by StrikeTape. Protecting thousands of wind turbines from lightning damage worldwide. Visit striketape.com. And now, your hosts

Rosemary Barnes: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Energy podcast. I’m your host, Rosemary Barnes, and I’m filling in for Allen today here with Jolanda Pedron. All right, onto our first story. India is drawing a line around its wind data. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has ordered every turbine maker on the approved list of models and manufacturers to report where its data actually lives.

Data centers inside India, servers inside India, research centers inside India, and no real-time data leaving the country. The order went out last week with status reports due by month-end. And while the government tightens the rules on data, the hardware keeps moving in. Flender has just opened another generator plant in Chennai [00:01:00] Yolanda, I think this is gonna have a large impact on the number of companies who are, you know, there’s a lot of companies around today developing, like, smarts for wind turbines.

There’s a lot of scope to operate turbines better, to improve power output, reduce maintenance costs, et cetera, and y- a lot of companies are taking advantage of that. Even Patlow has some projects going on in that sort of area. What do you think about the impact this will be? Is India planning to develop their entire own ecosystem for that aspect of the industry?

I

Yolanda Padron: mean, it looks like it, right? Which is really, I mean, kind of groundbreaking. I know that we talked a couple weeks ago about Europe sort of being a little bit scared of bringing in, um, different manufacturers from Asia, um, and just the, the idea of cybersecurity being something really prevalent and really important to all of these people.

So just if India starts siloing everything and that works, maybe that’ll translate to Europe.

Rosemary Barnes: Do you think that it, it can work? Has India [00:02:00] got the expertise in place already to, to make this work, or is this gonna be a real, like, handbrake on their, their wind industry continuing to develop as fast as it has been?

Yolanda Padron: I mean, I’m really curious to see it because I don’t know if they’ll bring in a lot more experts to be able to, to do that.

Rosemary Barnes: I know the Indian, um, operating environment is quite different to other locations. I mean, it’s, it’s similar in a way to Australia in its dissimilarity, if that makes sense. I, I think there’s a lot of really India-specific problems, so of course Indian companies are gonna be best placed to take advantage of that.

But what we’ve seen so far is a lot of, uh, companies from Europe or America coming in to y- you know, like tweak the way that they attack similar problems in other markets. They’re, you know, moving in to understand India better and take advantage of that. Now, of course, like not every smart operating method or aerodynamic improvement, they don’t all need [00:03:00] real-time data, and probably most of them don’t actually.

So I think it’s not gonna like s- snip off this entire kind of improvement. But it is really interesting. It’s quite, like it is quite severe, the restrictions, and I haven’t heard of any other market, um, that is doing that. I, I don’t know, do you think it’s warranted or is it maybe like overly paranoid? I know when I heard that in, um, in Europe they’re not allowing Chinese manufacturers of inverters, for example, and I just felt like, “Ugh, is that a bit over the top?”

I’m not sure. Um, yeah, what’s your opinion, Yolanda?

Yolanda Padron: I think it, it might be a little bit over the top. We live in such a globalized world that the idea of one country just siloing completely is, is a little bit strange to me. But- I guess if, if that’s, they have a, a reason for concern, then I guess it might make sense.

But to your earlier point, like, I don’t know if the cost of doing this [00:04:00]would also come into play

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, I think that there’s always a, a, a trade-off. It’s like when you have any kind of l- local content rule, which is similar in a way because it forces, um, yeah, it, it forces your own ecosystem to develop, and that’s, that’s great.

Like, it is a missed opportunity if you just have, you know, like a huge new industry and you just import it all, then that i- is a lost opportunity for your own economy. But I mean, in the past, India has had pretty strong local content rules, and they do have a bunch of wind energy manufacturing, um, within the country.

They are a country known for really great engineering, so it’s for sure not beyond them to, you know, step up. So yeah, I guess time will tell if this is a smart move from that point of view. I don’t think it’s actually the motivation behind this rule. I think it’s more of a, like, a cybersecurity, um, kind of perspective where you don’t want, you know, overseas companies having the ability to shut down your energy system, for example.

Um, [00:05:00] so yeah, but it, it has the potential to have that other effect of, you know, like boosting the local industry or alternatively just slowing down the whole industry because they can’t get anything done. I guess that’s always that balance that you need to, need to look at when you’re looking at local content.

So India is deciding who gets to control the data inside a turbine. Our next story is about something inside that same turbine nobody controls yet, the air moving across a blade that isn’t turning. A parked turbine might look like the safest thing on the site. Blades are locked, the rotor’s still, nothing turning, nothing generating.

But a new study says that stillness is not safety. When the rotor is locked and the wind shifts, air can strike the trailing edge first and travel backwards across the blade. That is reverse flow, and in reverse flow, the models this industry uses to predict blade loads start to fall apart. Field data cited in the study suggests blades on turbines above 15 megawatts can go aerodynamically [00:06:00]unstable at winds as low as eight meters per second.

That is nowhere near a storm. So this is actually already definitely a known issue, and I know that modern wind turbines don’t usually park with locked rotors, right, Yolanda?

Yolanda Padron: Yeah.

Rosemary Barnes: We, we saw that a locked rotor during installation was one of the causes of the Vineyard Wind fiasco, right? Where broken blade pieces washed up on the beach.

So definitely something that’s known about.

Yolanda Padron: And it’s something that even onshore you have a, you have your system so that it tracks sort of where the wind is coming from. So even if it’s stopped, it won’t just be stopped at a specific angle, particularly in case the, the winds shift.

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, and I’ve seen examples of blades failing when, um, there was a storm and there was power lost, so they weren’t able to yaw or pitch a turbine, and that also can cause…

Like, any time that- Wind is going in a different direction than what the turbine desi- was designed for, you’ll get unpredictable stuff happening and often, [00:07:00] like, really bad loads. Like the harshest, um, conditions, loading conditions that a wind turbine blade has to withstand is not in operation. It’s if you’ve got just wind hitting like a bluff body, they call it, where a gust of wind just hits flat on the blade and tries to bend it.

Like that is way, way stronger loading than, um, than anything it would see operationally. If you’re looking at, you know, like a really severe storm, like a one in 50 year kind of, um, wind speeds, and then if you have flow going on weird angles where it’s creating lift, then you can ratchet up those loads even more.

So for sure a known issue. This study, it, it singled out turbines above 15 megawatts, which are huge. That’s a, you know, like a big offshore wind turbine. But I don’t think it’s limited to that. Like what would you think, Yolanda? Is this, is this like purely a big blades thing, or is this something that actually all wind turbines need to take into account?

Yolanda Padron: Oh, this is definitely something that all wind turbines need to take into account. It’s something that we’ve seen a lot in the [00:08:00] US as well, um, onshore and s- wind f- uh, smaller wind farms and wind farms that have, you know, 200 plus, um, wind turbines on them, uh, the, the 1X or 2X turbines. Uh, this is also ver- a, a reason that it’s really important, right, to check your systems constantly, and I know that a lot of the, the owner/operators do that, um, in their regular maintenance checks.

Um, but it’s, it’s, it’s an issue that, uh, if you don’t have the correct systems in place or if you just remotely reset things, uh, because you see an error that maybe you thought, “Oh, that, that must be just a glitch,” uh, then you start having issues like this that can cause catastrophic failures, not just on the blade but on the turbine itself if, if the blade ends up hitting the turbine, um, it, it ends up hitting the, the tower itself.

Uh, and then [00:09:00] a similar issue, um, that can happen too is when you don’t have the correct systems in place for, for an emergency, and so the turbine can just overspin, and that also causes a lot of blade failures, uh, both onshore and, and offshore as well. But I think onshore it’s, it’s just the, the wind farms are so big that it’s It’s easy or, or easier to miss, like, one or two turbines, um, when you’re doing those checks.

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah. And I think another issue with keeping the rotors locked out, and one of the big reasons why they moved to pinwheeling as the, you know, um, turbine off kind of configuration, was with the, the bearings, right? Like, it’s not good for the bearings to be totally stationary. Um, so I think that it’s better to, yeah, pinwheel.

It’s lower loads on the bearings.

Yolanda Padron: Something, um, similar to this as well, right, and, and I think Wind Power posted about it the [00:10:00] other day, um, about just, oh, it’s really common for, for sites to, to think of, of a financial solution to, to negative pricing being just fully stopping turbines that might not be producing at positive pricing.

Um, and then, uh, that can also cause a lot of loading issues because you’re, you’re having a, a turbine at, at full capacity, and then it just stops.

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, that’s true. The braking loads are, are one of the more extreme loads that turbines have to withstand also. I mean, hopefully if they’re curtailing, um, voluntarily, uh, they’re not doing an emergency brake kind of level.

I hope that they’re being a bit more gentle on their turbines, but yeah, for sure, like, the easiest thing for a turbine to do is just operate normally its whole lifetime. That’s exactly what it was designed to do, and anything that deviates from that can reduce the t- life of the turbine, complicate things.

So machines keep getting bigger, and the physics keep [00:11:00] getting harder. Meanwhile, the map keeps getting wider. Next, a Chinese manufacturer planting both turbines and spare parts across Southeast Asia. Stay with us

Speaker: Are you overspending on lightning repairs? Most operators are because solving lightning damage is complicated. Weather Guard Lightning Tech helps operators reduce lightning damage. Our innovative StrikeTape lightning diverter protects over twenty thousand blades worldwide. Now, StrikeTape Ultra installs faster than ever.

StrikeTape Ultra cures uptower in just fifteen minutes, even in cold weather. Visit weatherguardwind.com to schedule a call.

Rosemary Barnes: China’s turbine makers are no longer just shipping machines. They are building the network that keeps those machines running. Envision Energy has secured its largest wind project in Vietnam, 200 megawatts with REE Energy, 25 [00:12:00] turbines, grid connection targeted for October 2027. It is also the company’s largest overseas nearshore project to date.

And Batangas, Philippines, Envision has opened a distribution center holding major components and spare parts close to the projects that need them. Turbines first, then the parts network. Yelena, I’m just wondering if spare parts was a big headache for you when you worked in asset management, and do you think that this plan of, that Envision has is gonna be a successful one for Vietnam?

Yolanda Padron: I think spare parts, having spare parts on site or near a site is always a good strategy. I know that sometimes it can get the, the accounting itself can get a little bit difficult because for at least, you know, in the US for tax purposes, you can’t really sell something from one project to another, so you, you have to be a little bit careful, um, as far as when you hold a part or you’re sending one part that might fit in multiple sites and where you’re technically buying that [00:13:00] from.

Uh, but I think the spare parts that they’re having here I, I think it’s a, it’s a really good idea, right? Because oftentimes you might have a, a big, um, there might be a big queue for a particular component that fails years after, uh, it was produced, and then you– I mean, if you need it now and there’s a big queue now, then you need to wait until it can get to site, until it can be produced, until it’s your turn in line.

Uh, and so just having those components on site or really close to the site I think is a really good idea.

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, it’s really challenging. Like it’s, it, it’s easy to imagine how you could organize a spare parts network or, you know, just l- literally a bunch of warehouses holding spare parts for the kind of, you know, like one-off failures that happen routinely throughout a wind turbine’s life.

But when you start to see a serial issue or if there’s just, you know, like statistically every now and then [00:14:00] you’ll get clusters of failures even if it’s not a serial issue, that’s when it starts to get really hard. So I know in Australia, and I’m sure it’s the case elsewhere, you kind of got to pair your spare parts inventory with the capability to repair and refurbish as well.

Because sometimes it’s like, you know, you might do, like speaking of blades, which is my specialty, you might have a bill of, you know, maybe even a million dollars to do a really big repair on a blade, but that’s better than spending probably, honestly, the similar amount of money on a brand-new blade, but then that comes with a six-month or a 12-month, um, wait time.

You know, like obviously you’re gonna save overall if you can get that turbine up faster. And we also see a lot of, um, in-country capabilities to refurbish, you know, all of the drivetrain components and, and everything like that, and I think that that is such an important complement. Like your spare parts strategy should never just be about having them physically sitting there, ’cause if you were [00:15:00] to have enough to cover any situation, then, you know, most of your components would go unused over the, the lifetime of the wind farm.

And it’s not like they’re just swap in, swap out for any different wind turbine, right? Like they are usually quite turbine specific.

Yolanda Padron: I completely agree with the idea, especially with blades and how trif- tricky some of the new blades and their, their repair processes can be. It’s really important to have a plan and not necessarily just, “Okay, now I’m gonna throw this one out and bring in a new one, and always hold a new one,” because that’s really expensive.

Um, and it’s also really, really important to, uh, that doesn’t matter what particular part it is, that whatever storage facility you’re using, that you’re, you make sure that the environmental factors impacting the spare parts are taken care of, right? So, um, I know I’ve seen spare parts for a battery site or spare parts for a solar site, uh, that just kind of end up degrading even more than the parts that were in [00:16:00] operations because no one was really looking at them.

They were just outside in the elements, and then you just wasted millions and millions of dollars for really nothing. Um, something that you need to take to the landfill eventually or report.

Rosemary Barnes: Hopefully recycle it if it’s electronic waste.

Yolanda Padron: I completely agree that to, to be able to, to have any sort of replacement strategy, you, or any sort of spare parts strategy, you need to make sure that, that the replacement strategy is there and that the refurbishment strategy is there.

If there’s anything that you can recycle in-house and use in-house, that’s a lot better than just landfilling anything or sending anything to be recycled elsewhere where it just piles and piles and piles up.

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah. I think also it’s reassuring if you’re buying wind turbines from maybe a, a less well-known manufacturer or less well-known in your country, I think it is reassuring to have a, like just a stack of spare parts on site, because that will give you the confidence that if [00:17:00] and when things start to go wrong, you know, a few years into the wind farm’s operation, you are gonna have that capability.

‘Cause I think it is, like it’s a big leap to move away from the really, really well-known, uh, manufacturers into some of the less well-known ones and have the confidence that y- you know, you wouldn’t have any- anyone to ask what they’re like for service, uh, for example, and you might also not have confidence that they’re even gonna exist in, you know, 10 years, 20 years, 30 years’ time.

So having the parts on site can give you that confidence. Although, as you say, if those parts aren’t actually functional when you go to use them, that can be worse than not having them in the first place because you thought that you were okay and then you find yourself scrambling. That’s not ideal at all.

Yolanda Padron: Yeah, I completely agree. I did hear about someone who, um, had a, a blade that they They thought they, they didn’t really have the capabilities in-house to, to restore it, and so they sent it to be recycled, [00:18:00] and then later it was sold to them by their OEM, um, on site. And so I think that also speaks to the…

And, and it was just because someone noticed the serial number was exactly the same and kind of noticed. It was, it was really honestly kind of a funny, funny thing in retrospect. But, uh, and it, it just speaks to the idea of you really need to understand if you’re holding spare parts and, and just in general, even if you don’t wanna hold spare parts.

Um, the idea of being able to refurbish or have a plan to be able to refurbish the, the materials that you have on site is really, really, really important because it can save you so much money. I mean, the, I mean, the, for that case, just the, the transportation costs of hauling the blade off, of paying someone to recycle it, of paying for a new blade, um, and everything just to kind of be bamboozled in that way where you could’ve just repaired it on site is, is It’s almost a no-brainer, yeah.

Rosemary Barnes: I gotta say, that’s like a real recycling win, right? Like, you can’t get [00:19:00] better than, than that. Uh, you know, you had a blade, you recycle it into a blade. It’s, you know, performing exactly the same function, better than shredding it and hiding it in a, you know, a footpath, a sidewalk, or something like that.

Stay with China a moment longer, because the product strategy tells you as much as the project map. Mingyang Smart Energy has unveiled the Tianchi MCD 5 MW turbine at its factory in Guizhou. It’s the first machine in the company’s new medium-speed compact drive platform, a semi-direct drive that Mingyang says cuts component count by 60%.

And it is built for sites nobody used to bother with: mountains, plateaus, places where the wind averages four and a half meters per second. Now, Yolanda, 5 MW is pretty big for an onshore turbine in locations. It sounds like, you know, these locations, aside from the, like, less than ideal wind resource, also sounds like places where it’s actually, you know, transport might be a bit of a constraint.

I wonder what their strategy [00:20:00] is gonna be to get those large components and installation equipment in.

Yolanda Padron: Yeah, I mean, it’s, it’s not gonna be the first site, I think, that we’ve seen that where they have to develop some sort of game-changing vessel or crane or something to be able to, to get things, uh, to the site.

Uh, my, my first thought honestly was just kind of like, “Oh goodness, that might be a lightning nightmare depending on, on where they’re located.”

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, that’s true. Like we’ve seen in Japan, they have all their turbines on the ridges where the wind speeds are great, at least. Um, but they have been just absolutely destroyed by lightning, like really, really dealing with extreme situations.

I think also, like these are low wind speed sites. Like what, what did they say? Four and a half meters per second average wind speeds? I mean, that’s like half what you would consider a good, a good site, right? And we know that the power in wind, it goes, like it increases with the cube of wind [00:21:00] speed. So, um, you know, like if you double the wind speed, you get eight times as much power.

So it’s like all of the challenges associated with a high wind speed site in the mountains or, you know, somewhere tricky to get to you know, at least you’ve got eight times the power to make up for the effort of maintaining it. Uh, just it seems like, like a lot of effort to get to a low wind speed site, right?

I think these turbines, the cut-in wind speed is gonna be two and a half meters per second, so you know, again, like you can reduce your, yeah, like the, the wind speed a- again by another factor of eight. It’s almost nothing at that wind speed. It really, yeah, I don’t know that you can make up for a low wind speed site by having a really low cut-in wind speed, right?

Like, you’re still gonna end up with low power across the board.

Yolanda Padron: Yeah, and it’s, it’s strange too, I mean, we said it’s, it’s a mountainous region, right? And so, and the transportation [00:22:00] in itself, I mean, we talked about the idea of bringing them in is gonna be difficult. But I know that a lot of times we see a lot of blades that have issues down the line because of the transportation issues and because of the way that maybe they, they didn’t use the lifting points right, and there might be a lot more transportation issues or damages from transportation on the site if they come in and it’s a completely different terrain that they’re used to.

Uh, and teams have to build in a completely different terrain to- that- than they’re used to, then that might also cause problems down the line. Not to mention the idea that I know sometimes in sites where there’s already roads, uh, it, it, because of the position of the turbines, because of the, the way that things are, are mapped out in development and construction, sometimes it’s a, a hassle for operations to, to get the correct cranes or trucks or everything in there to do any sort of maintenance.

Uh, so [00:23:00] I can’t imagine in a place where it’s just really, really difficult to get to in general.

Rosemary Barnes: Yeah, and especially over the lifetime, you know, maintenance i- is gonna be such a challenge. So I think that it sounds like they’re aware of that because their emphasis with this new platform, dropping the component count by 60%, that’s a claim from Ming Yang that I haven’t seen the details of.

It seems highly implausible but, um, yeah, I would wanna look into that a bit more to believe it. But they also say that their new bearings and gearbox features lift reliability by 10%, so yeah, I think that that is going to make their job a little bit easier, but yeah, I don’t know if it’s enough that would make me wanna invest in a wind farm with a, what was the number?

Four and a half meters per second average wind speed. Seems marginal at best. So new machines for marginal sites built in China and priced to compete. Now let’s move [00:24:00] to Denmark, where the employment numbers show what that competition feels like from the other side. Back in a moment.

Speaker 4: Delamination and bondline failures in blades are difficult problems to detect early. These hidden issues can cost you millions in repairs and lost energy production. CIC NDT are specialists to detect these critical flaws before they become expensive burdens. Their nondestructive test technology penetrates deep into blade materials to find voids and cracks traditional inspections completely miss.

CIC NDT maps every critical defect, delivers actionable reports, and provides support to get your blades back in service. So visit cicndt.com because catching blade problems early will save you millions

Rosemary Barnes: Numbers out of Denmark tell two stories at once. Green Power Denmark counted [00:25:00] just under 110,000 full-time jobs across the Danish energy sector in 2025. That is up 1,526 positions or 1.4%, slightly ahead of Danish employment overall. That is the good news. Inside the wind sector, employment fell to 32,700, a drop of roughly 500.

Green Power Denmark blames international competition and unfavorable market conditions. Its chief economist calls the dip normal You know what, Yolanda? I think that if Denmark’s labor market is weak in the wind industry, there are many countries outside of Denmark that would wanna snap up that talent.

I know that my own company, Pardalote, is included in those numbers of people that would really like to have Danish talent. I’m trying to s- hire someone currently that’s got wind turbine blade expertise, and I tell you what, that is not easy to do in Australia. So I would say if there are any Danes listening or watching who fancy a move to Australia, then please do get in touch [00:26:00]if you have some excellent wind turbine blade experience.

Yolanda Padron: You guys would have a lovely, lovely boss. I’ve- I just gotta say that. The learnings that you have in Denmark and just the, the, the school- not just from the schooling, the, the onsite, I mean, it- it’s just historically Denmark’s been really, really great in, in wind. And there’s just so many bright minds, um, that d- I mean, if, if they can’t find a j- a job in Denmark, then I, I agree that there’s a lot of places in wind that if they’re, they’re okay with moving, they’ll, they’ll find a, a good spot that’ll receive them really happily.

Rosemary Barnes: I know it is a bit of a, like, a cultural blocker. Danes more than other nationalities that I know are, are really, um, I don’t wanna say attached, it makes it sound like not quite the word I’m looking for, but they, they do really appreciate the region that they’re from and, you know, family is so important to Danes, so not the easiest thing [00:27:00] to just say, “Just move to the other side of the world.”

But you know, I did it. It, it can be done and, uh, yeah, Australia is, has got very nice weather, especially at the moment. It’s, um, it’s gonna be… It’s been, like, in the high teens Celsius all this week, and this is, I’m in Canberra in still winter and, uh, yeah, like, on the weekend it’s gonna be 20 degrees. It’s, you know, normally 15 degrees is a really great one-off day in winter.

It was my birthday this week and in Denmark there is a, a saying or a, you know, a belief that if you have good weather on your birthday, then that means that you must have been really good all year. And the weather was just, like, unprecedentedly good for my birthday, um, yeah, for a winter day. So obviously I was very, very good this year.

Yolanda Padron: You’re a great person, and happy belated birthday.

Rosemary Barnes: Thank you. But it is something that I say every time we get another story about another Danish wind energy company that’s, you know, doing layoffs and, you know, I’m honestly surprised that it’s [00:28:00] only 500 fallen in wind energy. If you look at, like, even just the job losses at LM Wind Power alone, um, I think that it would be about that many, right?

And so there are obviously some other companies um, growing to absorb some of the job losses, ’cause for sure we’ve covered more than 500 job losses just on the show. But I know I always feel really sad, um, not just for the people involved who y- you know, probably love wind energy and wanted to work in that field, but I feel sad that, you know, this was such a strength for Denmark, their, their wind industry, that they had been, you know, developing this expertise since the ’70s, honestly.

Uh, really, really world leading and, uh, of course, like, globalization means that you can’t, like, stay siloed forever, and Denmark obviously also took advantage of that globalization to, you know, export. Wind industry was a huge export market for Denmark, and still is. Um, but I do, I, I just feel really bad at the companies that are losing, um, all of that, you know, institutional [00:29:00]knowledge and the really, really deep specialist knowledge.

It’s, um, yeah. Uh, and they’ll go on to, you know, bring new skills to other industries, but it just makes me sad. As a wind energy lover and, um, you know, somebody who has a lot of friends that work in wind industry in Denmark, I do feel, feel sad. And there are some of my old colleagues who are amazing, like, literally the best engineer that I ever worked with, an electrical engineer, it, it was not easy for him to find a new job in wind.

I’m actually not sure if he’s working in that industry now. And plenty of other, like, really, really talented engineers that have gone on to other, um, yeah, other different kinds of industries, and it just makes me a little bit sad.

Yolanda Padron: Yeah. I mean, there are a lot of people too that are com- And I agree, it’s sad.

It’s really sad. But I, there are a lot of people too, some friends that, uh, just, you know, started doing consulting on their own, and it’s, it’s good to see that they’re still in wind, you know? Because they’re, they, they’re so smart and they have so much knowledge of so many years in the industry that they bring to the table, um, [00:30:00] that, I mean, it, it might even work out better for them, right?

Because maybe now they’re not just wor- focusing on Denmark itself, and now they get to, to expand and do what they evidently love to do, uh, the, for clients around the world, which is really exciting.

Rosemary Barnes: Well, that wraps up another episode of the Uptime Wind Energy podcast, and my first as the primary host of the show, so let me know if you think I did a terrible job in the comments.

Comments boost engagement, make me look better. So if today’s discussion sparked any questions or ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us on LinkedIn, and if you found value in today’s conversation, please leave us a review. It really helps other wind energy professionals discover the show. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

For Yolanda, and Matthew and Allen Hall in their absence, I’m Rosemary Barnes, and we’ll see you here next week on the Uptime Wind Energy [00:31:00] podcast.

India Locks Down Turbine Data, Danish Wind Jobs Dip

Continue Reading

Renewable Energy

About Two-Thirds of Americans Will Never Call the Lake North of New York “Lake America”

Published

on

At what point did 30% of the U.S. electorate become so tuned into a criminal sociopath’s wanting to rename places in the Western Hemisphere in an effort towards his own self-aggrandizement?

The only interesting question that remains is what if any trajectory does this nation have to recover some level of dignity once Trump is removed from the presidency.

Some say it will take generations.  No one knows for certain.

About Two-Thirds of Americans Will Never Call the Lake North of New York “Lake America”

Continue Reading

Renewable Energy

Nothing Endures But Change

Published

on

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it’s not the same river and he’s not the same man.” — Heraclitus

One of humankind’s greatest thoughts is tied up in this quote from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus.  It’s right up there with “I think therefore I am,” and “The unexamined life is not worth living.”

But where the last of the three are indisputable, what up with this “persistence of change” stuff?

It’s true that the aspects of people and things change.  The walls of the Grand Canyon are constantly shifting, but no sensible person thinks it’s a different place than it was millions of years ago.

Most of the cells in my body die and are replaced in a matter of a few months, and my attitudes and beliefs change day by day.  But my beloved kindergarten teacher, Alice Adams, will exist in my memories until the day I die.

What Heraclitus left of us is intellectually stimulating, but it doesn’t affect how we function as human beings.

Nothing Endures But Change

Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 BreakingClimateChange.com