How often do the turbines need maintenance?
| Direct drive machines like the GE design being used for our project typically require maintenance once per year. |
Do turbines need more maintenance due to the harsh winters?
| No, turbines to be deployed in cold winter sites like ours are designed and provisioned with cold weather packages.
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What about safety considerations for maintenance crews?
| Safety is the number one consideration for LEEDCo and its development/implementation partners. We can take advantage of the fact that offshore wind turbines have been deployed for twenty years in Europe, and a strong body of safety practices has been developed from this experience.
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How will maintenance crews reach the turbines? During freezing periods?
| The wind farms in Lake Erie will not routinely utilize helicopters for maintenance but rather small vessels or tugs that are already rated for ice-breaking . The Coast Guard has in its charter the responsibility to send ice-breakers out for commercial purposes, including servicing of offshore wind turbines. |
