SGS Article on In-Service Inspections for Wind Farm Projects Featured in InWind Chronicle

Online, July 29, 2011 (Newswire.com) - The April-May 2011 issue of the InWind Chronicle magazine, a leading wind-energy publication, features an SGS article entitled the "Importance of In-Service Inspections for Wind Farm Projects," written by Olaf Robenek and Nils Dreischerf, Wind Turbine Inspectors at SGS Industrial Services. The article explains the significance of regular In-Service Inspections conducted by a reliable third-party company, to minimize the risks of costly downtime and repair periods and to ensure successful functioning of a wind farm.

In the article, Olaf Robenek and Nils Dreischerf explore the necessity of regular In-Service Inspections for wind farm projects conducted by a reliable third-party company. In-Service Inspections are the most effective way to guarantee the successful performance of a wind farm, because they can detect the imminent failure of critical components at an early stage, thus minimizing the risk of costly repair periods. With regular In-Service Inspections, the downtime of a wind turbine can be considerably reduced, which in turn facilitates the profitable operation of a wind farm with sustainable operational costs and the anticipated return on investment.

The necessity of In-Service Inspections should not be underestimated with an increasing number of installed wind turbines and the potential for major failure of critical components. Nevertheless, In-Service inspections only represent a value-added service to the customer when they are conducted by a reliable third-party company.

In-Service Inspections, including Vibration Measurement of the Drive Train, Thermographic Inspection and Oil Analysis, Endoscope Inspection, Blade Inspection, Rotor Imbalance, Blade Pitch, Angle Measurement and Rope Access, involve a series of activities in which the various components of a wind turbine are regularly inspected and monitored throughout its entire operational lifetime. Using a range of diverse inspection methods and analyses ensures that any unexpected degradation from normal conditions is detected at the earliest stage, in order to prevent consequential damage to the wind turbine.

SGS, the world's leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, is well-positioned to provide a comprehensive portfolio of In-Service Inspections for wind farm projects on a regular basis. Having an international presence with more than 64,000 employees and over 1,250 laboratories in 140 countries, SGS is familiar with the local environment, circumstances, languages, laws and regulations.

About SGS Industrial Services

Industrial Services is one of the major business lines of the SGS Group, a global service provider for technical verification, inspection, testing and conformity assessment. SGS Industrial Services ensures that the customer's installations, material, equipment, facilities and projects meet all quality and performance requirements, whether they are regulatory, voluntary or customer based. Industrial Services has decades' worth of experience and some remarkable references in serving key industries, such as Construction, Industrial Manufacturing & Trade, the Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industry, Power Generation and Transmission, Banks and Financial Institutions, as well as Renewable Energy.

For further information, please contact:

SGS Industrial Services

Olaf Robenek
Senior Wind Turbine Inspector

Nils Dreischerf
Wind Turbine Inspector

SGS Germany GmbH
Global Renewable Support Office
Raboisen 28
20095 Hamburg
Germany

t: +49 40 30101 562 / 565
f: +49 89 12 504 068 565
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sgs.com/industrial