NATIONAL minimum standards for the installation and maintenance of medium wind turbines are being drawn up for the first time.

Julian Martin, chief executive of Northallerton-based ICE Renewables, is chairing the body setting the standards.

At present there are no defined rules or medium wind standards for installers or maintenance companies to work to and, consequently, the quality of services varies across the UK.

There have been nightmare stories of customers being left with turbines not working, no proper operations and maintenance contracts, a lack of turbine parts, installers who have walked away and manufacturers not set up to deal with the maintenance of their fleets of turbines.

RenewableUK, the trade body, has recognised this and is working with its small and medium wind strategy group, chaired by Mr Martin, to introduce a national MCS approved medium wind standard by 2014.

It wants an international IEC medium wind standard later next year for turbine design, site assessment, installation and operations and maintenance across the whole medium wind sector.

ICE Renewables is an established specialist in the small and medium wind sector, and is focused on setting and maintaining the highest standards.

It has launched its own unrivalled “Complete Wind Solutions”

package, extending a specialist operations and maintenance (O&M) service to manufacturers, developers and customers in the medium and megawatt wind sector.

The company was established in 2006 and has become a sector leader but, in its early years, it had first-hand experience with the issues of subcontracting to an external (O&M) firm.

“We were not happy with the level of service we received for our customers and soon realised the turbines were not being well looked after and our customers were unhappy,”

said Mr Martin.

“Because of this, we took the decision to bring the service inhouse.

We haven’t looked back and currently operate and maintain 12 Vergnet medium wind turbines with our last quarter availability rate being an average of 99.6 per cent.”

With a fleet that extends from Edinburgh to Cornwall and from Suffolk to Newark, ICE has a proven record for the delivery of these specialised services, Mr Martin said: “Our customers want good communication, fast response time to minimise their turbine’s down time, well trained engineers, a good relationship with the manufacturer, and a set of complementary added-value services such as high-voltage maintenance work and blade repair, so that they do not have gaps in the service of their turbine.”

He said a good O&M strategy was increasingly a priority for manufacturers, developers and customers as it can extend the turbine’s lifetime, reduce costs and increase availability.

Mr Martin advised potential wind turbine owners to think carefully about who they choose to construct their turbine and ensure they work with reputable companies with a local presence who are dedicated to the long-term support of their wind project.