THE FORTUNE IN SERVICING WIND

O&M Segment of Wind Industry Evolving Fast: Report
Carl Levesque, January 7, 2011 (Wind Energy Weekly)

"According to a new report…the operation and maintenance (O&M) segment of the wind industry will evolve at a rapid pace in the next few years.

"…Growth Opportunities in Wind Operation and Maintenance Service Market: 2011-2016 analyzes global and regional O&M market trends…[It indicates] the key opportunities for wind energy O&M market growth will be in the U.S. and China, where installation capacity is expected to continue to grow at a strong pace over the next five years…[and in Europe where] aging turbines…will require additional upkeep…"

Lonely at the top, doing maintenance, getting ready for big paydays (click to enlarge)

"…[T]he global wind O&M market is estimated to reach $10.6 billion in 2016, growing 16.6% each of the next five years. Today, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) typically dominate this market segment…[but] as the O&M market matures and the demand for services outpaces supply, a strong shift towards third-party contracting will occur along with the growth of the Independent Service Providers (ISP) market.

"As the report illustrates, the O&M market is not only important to the continued growth of the wind energy industry, but it also is a profitable and expanding sector…[The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) Wind Project Performance & Reliability Workshop in San Deigo, Calif., on January 12 and 13, will have offer insight on best practices in O&M]…"