Gary, S.D.-based Energy Maintenance Service LLC (EMS) has completed upgrades to its wind turbine blade refurbishment facilities in Abilene, Texas. The company's service center now allows EMS, an operating company of Broadwind Energy Inc., to fully overhaul rotor blades of any size or type.
EMS opened the Abilene facility in June 2008, began setting up for the repair of megawatt-size blades and started repairing blades for two original equipment manufacturers in August 2008. Meanwhile, EMS has been refurbishing portions of the plant and installing specialized equipment to accommodate future blade repair. The upgrades were completed in May.
With 300,000 square feet of work space under roof and more than five acres of outside storage for nacelles, blades and other wind turbine components, the Abilene facility is the largest wind energy equipment service center and blade repair plant on the continent, according to EMS. It also includes a megawatt-size sandblasting building for rotor blade surface preparation. The facility also serves as a hub for EMS field service operations in the region.
EMS plans to expand the down-tower work currently being performed at the Abilene facility to include full uptower blade repairs. Several wind energy original equipment manufacturers have already started to use the facility, according to the company.
SOURCE: Energy Maintenance Service LLC