Dustin Schneider

Welcome to this WindTalk podcast, a series of discussions with wind-industry leaders. In this edition, we talk with Dustin Schneider, a Fall-protection Expert at Capital Safety, a 3M company.

With over 17 years of experience, Dustin works directly with end-users and distributors to provide the best safety resources and training at industrial work sites. Here Dustin speaks to us about the importance of fall protection, proper use of safety products at wind farms, and what’s new in the industry.

This WindTalk podcast is brought to you by ExxonMobil.

The post Ensuring worker safety in the wind industry appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

Blittersdorf also discusses his Vermont-based company and the challenges it faces in regard to anti-wind legislation filtering through the state legislature. Studies show that just 10 to 15% of Vermont residents are opposed to wind energy, Blittersdorf says, yet well-funded and vocal NIMBY groups have put all renewable energy development in the state at risk, despite Vermont having very progressive renewable energy policies.

The CEO also talks about the federal budget cuts known as the sequester, which impact 1603 grants for solar installations. “We’ve decided to not start construction on projects until we have something out of Washington. Right now, everyone is running around saying, ‘Are they going to do anything?’”

Blittersdorf, the former CEO of NRG Systems, a leader in wind measurement devices, also touches on the challenges small wind faces and how it compares to solar. “Wind is sort of the step-child in the small renewables business,” at least in the Northeast, he says.

The post Wind Talk: AllEarth Renewables CEO discusses sequester and NIMBY appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.

In this podcast, David Keith, Professor of Applied Physics at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences discusses his latest research in mesoscale atmospheric modeling that was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters challenging the generating capacity of large-scale wind farms.

The post Wind Talk: Is windpower being overestimated? appeared first on Windpower Engineering & Development.