Anyone working in the renewable energy industry ? (Portland, Green: home, maintenance)

[ThomasAn]

Hi,

It seems Portland OR, is home to a number of wind energy company offices (like Vestas, Repower, GE .. etc).

Has anyone here have experience working for any of these ?
Also, are there any wind Technicians among us ? What are your impressions so far in the field ? Like it ? Hate it ?
I've heard they put 70hr weeks (6, 11hr days). Is that true and how does it work for you ?

-T

[kickerofelves]

Originally Posted by ThomasAn

Hi,

It seems Portland OR, is home to a number of wind energy company offices (like Vestas, Repower, GE .. etc).

Has anyone here have experience working for any of these ?
Also, are there any wind Technicians among us ? What are your impressions so far in the field ? Like it ? Hate it ?
I've heard they put 70hr weeks (6, 11hr days). Is that true and how does it work for you ?

-T

My son works for one company that's got a farm in Sherman County near The Dalles. He works 4 ten hour days and a few on-call hours and that's about it unless there's a big job or a lot of turbines go out.

Maybe other companies work more hours or maybe you're thinking of the companies that build the windmills rather than those who own or operate them.

[ThomasAn]

aah, thanks for this clarification. I was thinking (erroneously it seems) that only manufacturers provide service for their product throughout its life time and some of the listings were pretty demanding. For example this one listing from Clipper (and I have seen similar from GE):

http://clipperwind.hodesiq.com/job_d...?JobID=1444939
-Physically performs operation, maintenance and repair activities on wind turbine generators.
-Trouble shoots complicated anomalies within wind turbine generator systems.
-Conducts training lessons as needed to enhance other employees technical knowledge
-Acts as a role model within a field environment to ensure all procedures are followed as required.
-Able to work up to 70 hours per week if needed to meet project and maintenance schedules.
-Performs weekend operations and repair of wind turbine generators as needed.

Would you know how many hours these technicians have to spend driving just to get to the site ? Do they have to relocate just to be close ? ... or do the companies deliberately hire locals from the community nearby just for this reason ?

[BLAZER PROPHET]

No, most of the cow ranchers are gone now.

[ThomasAn]

Originally Posted by BLAZER PROPHET

No, most of the cow ranchers are gone now.

"Cow ranchers" ?

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Originally Posted by ThomasAn

"Cow ranchers" ?

Well, cow manure is a renewable source of energy.

PG&E Gets Energy From Cow Manure · Environmental Leader · Green Business, Sustainable Business, and Green Strategy News for Corporate Sustainability Executives

[kickerofelves]

Originally Posted by ThomasAn

aah, thanks for this clarification. I was thinking (erroneously it seems) that only manufacturers provide service for their product throughout its life time and some of the listings were pretty demanding. For example this one listing from Clipper (and I have seen similar from GE):
Would you know how many hours these technicians have to spend driving just to get to the site ? Do they have to relocate just to be close ? ... or do the companies deliberately hire locals from the community nearby just for this reason ?

This is second hand of course but it's my understanding that most people are fairly local, in other words less than an hour's drive one way to work. It's sparsely populated territory so that's how it works out.

The farmers operate around the turbines--their footprint is fairly small at the base--although it looks like they go on forever in some areas. So the local ranches and farms don't supply much of the workforce.

I think many of the turbines stay under warranty with the seller supplying maintenance for a few years--GE, Siemens, etc--so between the dozen or so companies running the turbine farms, warranty maintenance teams from turbine makers, those who erect the turbines, etc., you've got dozens of companies running around the Gorge over several hundred square miles. I'm thinking it'll consolidate in the next few years.

[PeacePlease]

interesting article in the Trib:

Chasing the wind

[ThomasAn]

Originally Posted by kickerofelves

This is second hand of course but it's my understanding that most people are fairly local, in other words less than an hour's drive one way to work. It's sparsely populated territory so that's how it works out.

The farmers operate around the turbines--their footprint is fairly small at the base--although it looks like they go on forever in some areas. So the local ranches and farms don't supply much of the workforce.

I think many of the turbines stay under warranty with the seller supplying maintenance for a few years--GE, Siemens, etc--so between the dozen or so companies running the turbine farms, warranty maintenance teams from turbine makers, those who erect the turbines, etc., you've got dozens of companies running around the Gorge over several hundred square miles. I'm thinking it'll consolidate in the next few years.

This helps quite a bit, as a primer (a brief mental diagram/chart of the various parties involved), placing this segment of the industry in some context. Thank you my friend

[ThomasAn]

Originally Posted by PeacePlease

interesting article in the Trib:

Chasing the wind

Nice article ! Thanks