Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaleditions.com/i/142338
energyspecial Service in the sky They appear as giant futuristic windmills and they seem to be growing in number – but what are wind turbines achieving, and who maintains them? Siemens introduces one of its service technicians, charged with keeping wind turbines spinning. Perched 80 metres in the air, looking out across some of the most remote and spectacular scenery in Australia, Brian Taylor isn't a skydiver or a rock climber; he's not in a hot air balloon and he's not paragliding. He's actually a service technician for Siemens – doing one of the company's most important and interesting jobs, helping to harness the wind for everyday Australians' energy needs. Brian is part of Siemens' specialist team of wind drives technicians. With the growing investment in renewable energy, wind is becoming one of the most important power sources in the mix. With this growth comes a greater need for reliability, responsiveness and competence in ensuring that wind turbines operate effectively, with minimal downtime. Taylor's daily job requires him to scale 80-metre-high towers, performing intricate onsite diagnosis and repairs on wind drives and gearboxes within the confined spaces of wind turbine nacelles for some of Australia's largest wind farms. Gearing for the long term Gearboxes get little credit for the tedious but crucial work they do, but they make it possible for wind turbine generators to operate and, in turn, create electrical energy. Although these gearboxes are modestly positioned compared to the majestic towers of wind turbines, they are literally the driving force behind the success of any wind farm. "With the investment in renewable energy, wind is becoming one of the most important power sources in the mix." 27