Energetica India 89 - May 2020

WIND POWER Winds of change: Powering India’s renewable energy revolution Operators, OEMs are relying increasingly on advanced lubrication solutions to maximise wind farm productivity Chasing a target to install 175GW capac- ity by 2022, India is in the midst of a re- newable energy revolution. While 100GW of this capacity will come from solar power, wind energy is tipped to contrib- ute 60GW to the national grid. Already the world’s fourth largest wind producer with an installed capacity of 35GW, the country is on course to emerge as a wind energy powerhouse over the next few years. Turning the turbine As much as the windmills are integral to generating wind energy, their efficiency and efficacy is defined by the turbines which are at the core of the wind-har- nessing operations. And when it comes to smooth functioning of turbines, lubricants play a fundamental role in ensuring max- imum output with minimum downtime. With wind equipment manufacturers in- troducing new-age technologies, it takes an equally advanced lubricant to ensure the equipment’s maximum performance. These long-lasting new-generation lubri- cants are loaded with tailor-made proper- ties for the wind turbines – from excellent oxidation and shear stability, to protect- ing turbine components like gears from micro pitting and the main bearings from operational failure. To optimise the wind turbine performance,these advanced lu- Rupinder Paintal Director of Market Development, ExxonMobil Lubricants Private Limited 59 energetica INDIA- May_2020 bricants and related services have been developed to help wind farm operators. High Performance Synthetic Lubricants By selecting advanced oils and greas- es, and adopting a proactive approach to maintenance, wind farm operators can significantly improve the productiv - ity of their operations and significantly reduce costs.For instance, take the main gearbox, a key component of a wind tur- bine. To help maximise productivity and reduce unscheduled downtime,the gear oil needs to offer high levels of perfor- mance in all the critical areas required to keep a gearbox working efficiently. This includes outstanding oxidative stability and water tolerance, excellent long-term filterability and superior gear and bear - ing protection.It is critical that the gear oil has acarefully balanced formulation to provide all round protection and perfor- mance. Mobil SHC Gear™ 320 WT, the most-pre- ferred advanced wind turbine gear lubri- cant, is ideal for protecting wind turbine gearboxes operating under extreme conditions, be it extreme temperatures or corrosive environments. This synthet- ic wind turbine gearbox oil is formulated to provide excellent protection against conventional wear modes such as scuff- ing, while providing a high level of resis- tance against micro-pitting fatigue. Mobil SHC Gear 320 WT wind turbine lubrica- tion maximizes equipment productivity by minimizing unscheduled downtime and maintenance, extending gear and bearing life and delivering superb per- formance under high-stress operating conditions. Mobil edge to make a difference in wind energy industry Minimising unscheduled downtime is a particularly important factor for those wind farms currently under construc- tion more than 100 miles into the sea off the country’s west coast. In addition to the high costs associated with replace- ment of parts and labour, the logistics of reaching the wind turbines far out at sea with chartered specialist ships to carry out the maintenance itself can run into six-figure sums. With so much at stake in case of offshore wind farms, the per- formance of the lubricants comes into sharper focus and Mobil’s advanced lu- brication solutions have been designed to deliver in such demanding condi- tions.