Wind power engineers design, manufacture, and maintain wind power generation sets, collect and analyze geographic and meteorological data, oversee repairs and installations, and work with electrical engineers to connect generated power to the grid. They may also analyze past wind performance to predict future energy generation.
A wind power engineer can perform tasks that encompass the design, manufacture or maintenance of materials for wind power generation sets. He or she can test, repair or install wind power equipment. Another common task for a wind energy engineer is to collect, research and analyze geographic and meteorological data at a wind farm site. Professionals in this field can also work as electrical engineers, who connect the generated wind power to the electrical grid.
The components that make up a wind generator assembly are generally designed by engineers working in the wind power industry. Fabricating these components is another task that an engineer can perform or oversee. The blades, turbines and posts used in a wind power project must meet engineering standards, both for performance and for public safety reasons.
A wind power engineer can also run tests and evaluate the performance of prototype wind power assemblies. Some mechanical engineers can build assemblies to manufacture the often large composite structures that make up the blades. Composite materials engineers are a subgroup of this profession responsible for designing and manufacturing blade assemblies.
The physical forces manipulated in wind power generation exert great physical stress on turbines and assemblies, necessitating repairs. Mechanical or electrical engineers working in the wind power industry also oversee the repair of wind turbines, ensuring that the work done by construction personnel meets safety and performance standards. A wind energy engineer may also oversee the installation of equipment that collects weather data. He or she can evaluate this data to determine the best orientation and placement for the wind turbines. This usually occurs in the site preparation phase, prior to the installation of infrastructure in a wind farm project.
Wind power engineers can work with electrical engineers to configure a proper connection to the electrical grid. This is done to ensure that the electrical current generated can be safely distributed from the generator to the electrical grid without endangering people. A wind energy engineer will also do calculations to determine the amount of energy generated from a wind source. As wind energy is intermittent as it depends on the natural movement of the wind, a wind energy engineer can analyze past wind performance. He or she will do this in an effort to help utility managers predict high and low levels of wind power generation.
In this industry, “wind energy engineer” is a generic term. It often refers to someone who has a degree in aerodynamic engineering, meaning that he understands and manipulates aerodynamic forces. Mechanical and electrical engineers also work in the wind power generation industry, building the support structures for the aerodynamic operation of wind turbines.
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