Abstract: A maintenance apparatus is provided for use with a wind turbine that has a tower, a hub supported by the tower, and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the hub. The maintenance apparatus has a mounting element that is configured to be secured to the tower and to be selectively movable along the length thereof. A robotic arm is coupled to the mounting element, and a blade-engaging device is coupled to the robotic arm and is configured to engage one of the blades to effect a maintenance task thereon.

Abstract: A wind park comprises a plurality of wind turbines with a least one wind turbine downstream of at least one upstream turbine. The downstream turbine includes a Lidar or other device for sensing characteristics of the wake produced by the upstream turbine and for providing an output to a turbine or wind park controller indicative of the measured wake. The controller controls parameters of the downstream turbine an possibly adjacent turbines in accordance with the wake indicative signals. The control may include overrating the downstream turbine if the wake indicative signal indicates that there is a low risk of fatigue damage to components of the downstream turbine.

Abstract: Method, system, and computer program product for collecting sensor readings from a component of a wind turbine. The system includes a data collection system coupled in communication with a sensor. The data collection unit includes a processor configured to direct the sensor readings from the sensor to a buffer for temporary storage and to identify a triggering event by comparing the sensor readings received from the sensor with a reference value. In response to the identification of the triggering event, the sensor readings are transferred from the buffer to the mass storage device and stored in a non-volatile form by the mass storage device.

Abstract: A maintenance apparatus is provided for use with a wind turbine that has a tower, a hub supported by the tower, and a plurality of blades extending outwardly from the hub. The maintenance apparatus has a mounting element that is configured to be secured to the tower and to be selectively movable along the length thereof. A robotic arm is coupled to the mounting element, and a blade-engaging device is coupled to the robotic arm and is configured to engage one of the blades to effect a maintenance task thereon.