Profession wind turbine technician

Wind turbine technicians maintain and repair wind turbines by performing diagnostic inspections, analysing faults, and performing repair duties. They ensure the wind turbines operate in compliance with regulations, and assist the wind engineers in the construction of wind turbines. Wind turbine technicians may also test and install hardware and software components of wind turbines.

Personality Type

• Realistic / Investigative
• Enterprising / Conventional
• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Electronics

  The functioning of electronic circuit boards, processors, chips, and computer hardware and software, including programming and applications. Apply this knowledge to ensure electronic equipment runs smoothly.

• Mechanics

  Theoretical and practical applications of the science studying the action of displacements and forces on physical bodies to the development of machinery and mechanical devices.

• Electrical power safety regulations

  The compliance with safety measures which need to be taken during the installation, operation, and maintenance of constructions and equipment which function in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electrical power, such as the appropriate safety gear, equipment handling procedures, and preventive actions.

• Types of wind turbines

  The two main types of wind turbines, namely those which rotate along a horizontal or those which rotate along a vertical axis, and their subtypes. The properties and uses of each.

• Electricity

  Understand the principles of electricity and electrical power circuits, as well as the associated risks.

Skills

• Install electrical and electronic equipment

  Install equipment which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work, or equipment to generate, transfer or measure such currents and fields. This equipment includes switchboards, electric motors, generators or direct current systems.

• Maintain electrical equipment

  Test electrical equipment for malfunctions. Take safety measures, company guidelines, and legislation concerning electrical equipment into account. Clean, repair and replace parts and connections as required.

• Arrange equipment repairs

  Arrange for equipment repairs when necessary.

• Follow safety procedures when working at heights

  Take necessary precautions and follow a set of measures that assess, prevent and tackle risks when working at a high distance from the ground. Prevent endangering people working under these structures and avoid falls from ladders, mobile scaffolding, fixed working bridges, single person lifts etc. since they may cause fatalities or major injuries.

• Inspect wind turbines

  Perform routine inspections on wind turbines by climbing the turbines and carefully inspecting all parts to identify any problems, and to assess whether repairs have to be arranged.

• Maintain electronic equipment

  Check and repair electronic equipment. Detect malfunction, locate faults and take measures to prevent damage.

• Wear appropriate protective gear

  Wear relevant and necessary protective gear, such as protective goggles or other eye protection, hard hats, safety gloves.

• Maintain hydraulic systems

  Perform routine maintenance and repairs on systems which use pressurised fluids to provide power to machines and equipment.

• Ensure equipment maintenance

  Ensure that the equipment required for operations is regularly checked for faults, that routine maintenance tasks are performed, and that repairs are scheduled and performed in the case of damage or flaws.

• Maintain records of maintenance interventions

  Keep written records of all repairs and maintenance interventions undertaken, including information on the parts and materials used, etc.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB