Pending transmission bottlenecks in the United States make an effective maintenance and performance optimization strategy crucial for existing US windfarm operators.

Supporting this, AES Wind Generation, the alternative energy arm of global energy company AES Corporation, states that improving a hypothetical 100 MW wind project’s O&M by 1 percent could be worth as much as US$2 million in a project’s net present value.

Iberdrola Renewables, AES Wind Generation, GE Energy, Vestas Americas, Suzlon and many more leading US wind industry companies will meet this April in Dallas to discuss, debate and appraise the latest O&M strategies to reduce costs, minimize turbine downtime and improve overall revenue.

“The O&M needs that are expressed by owners and operators at this event will serve to define what targeted research is needed to really address the key technical issues that are driving up costs and reliability shortfalls,” says Purdue University’s Doulas Adams, PhD.

Adams will join the above named companies and over 220+ of the world’s leading wind energy professionals on April 20^th-21^st for the 2^nd Wind Energy Operations and Maintenance Summit.

According to a recent AWEA report, nearly 10,000MW was installed in the US, despite a predicted 50 percent reduction in the amount of installed capacity in 2009 compared to 2008.

Steven Richards, Director, Service Sales from Vestas Americas speaker at the O&M summit highlights: “In the current low cost of energy market, wind turbine plant owners are looking for all available ways to maximize WTG production while minimizing operating expenses”.

This O&M critical conference will therefore have a direct focus on the steps to recruiting and training a suitable workforce and the development of successful O&M strategies which will ensure operational excellence and the positive growth of wind farms in North America.

A selected range of operators, developers, wind turbine manufacturers, R&D experts, consultants and service providers are set to debate and discuss these key topics at the 2^nd Wind Energy Update Operations and Maintenance Summit on April 20-21.

For further information regarding this event, view the website: http://www.windenergyupdate.com/info/150

Jon Harman

Director

Wind Energy Update

t. +44 207 375 7577

e. jon@windenergyupdate.com

Wind Energy Update provides news, events and analysis to the wind energy industry