Even as the wind industry’s crucial production tax credit hangs by a thread after being renewed for just one more year, Siemens is investing here.
Siemens announced plans to build a service and safety-training facility in Orlando, Florida, where engineers and service technicians will be trained to maintain our wind farms.
It will offer a wide variety of qualification and training options that cover every aspect of wind technology and operational reliability so that wind farms can operate over the long-term. The training center will feature two full-size Siemens nacelles, allowing technicians to learn under simulated conditions.
Last year was a record for new wind farms in the US, growing 28% with 13.2 gigawatts (GW) installed. That means skilled wind service technicians are in greater demand to provide long-term service and maintenance.
The 40,000-square-foot building will be added to the global headquarters of Siemens Energy Americas. The company says it will be among the most advanced wind training facilities in the world. Siemens says it will train about 2,400 people a year at the LEED-Gold building, scheduled to open by this summer.
Siemens also has wind service training facilities in Denmark, Germany and the UK. The company has 2400 employees around the world dedicated to servicing wind turbines.
In 2011, competitor Suzlon opened a wind service training center at US headquarters in Chicago.
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