Renewable energies such as wind power are an important part of decarbonising our economy and slowing climate change. Despite the short-term shocks to the energy market caused by supply shortages, the long-term trend is towards moving away from fossil fuels to greener alternatives, and demand is increasing rapidly.
With the growing need for wind power and improved technology, wind turbines are getting bigger and more efficient. At more than 300 ft above ground, often in remote locations, the wind flows more freely, with fewer obstructions on the earth’s surface such as trees and buildings. But this presents new safety challenges. To help address this, three Halma companies – Apollo, STI and Firetrace – are playing an important role in keeping wind turbines and workers safe and secure.
Apollo’s high-quality fire detectors help wind turbine operators monitor their assets and provide the exact location of any potential fire, to minimise damage and disruption.
Interlocking systems by STI, part of SPS Group, create safe working conditions for a turbine’s maintenance crew. The safety key system ensures that wherever the workers find themselves within the turbine – in either starting or shutting down operations – they can be reassured that they are protected.
Firetrace manufactures automatic fire detection and suppression systems, stopping small fires where they start. This fast-acting technology limits the damage caused by a fire and reduces the subsequent downtime. By adding this technology to wind turbines, operators can build an extra layer of protection to help extinguish fires at the source before they can
cause serious harm.
Together these Halma companies are helping to ensure the energy transition over the next decade, protecting the infrastructure we need to move away from fossil fuels towards cleaner renewable energy.
