At WindEnergy Hamburg 2014, TÜV SÜD will showcase its complete suite of services for the offshore and onshore wind energy industry. The technical services company supports designers, suppliers, manufacturers and owners with testing, certification and inspection services(Hall A1, Stand 335).

Today, wind energy turbines and their components are manufactured and sold throughout the world. "Quality assurance along the supply chain increasingly involves keeping an eye on technical specifications and conformity with national regulations", says Alexander Trunz, Head of Wind Energy Installations at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. Third-party testing and certification can verify the presence of the requested product characteristics, thus ensuring secure investments.

"Where entire wind farms are concerned, this plays a particularly important role", says Peter Herbert Meier, Head of Wind Cert Services at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service. "After all, hidden risks may significantly burden cash flows and portfolios." Within the scope of due diligence reviews, the experts identify the risks and opportunities that are associated with each individual phase of wind farm acquisition. In a due diligence review, the experts inspect both the turbines and the site but also analyse the contracts and the possible liability risks.

Many offshore wind farms may still offer opportunities for cost reduction. "By adjusting the equipment that is used for lifting and material handling more precisely to the prevailing rough climate conditions, we can improve the transport processes on site at offshore wind farms", says Alexander Heitmann, Head of Offshore Wind Energy at TÜV SÜD Industrie Service in Hamburg. This is also of interest not least for the field of occupational health and safety, as people and material – sometimes involving very heavy loads – must transfer safely from the service boat to the nacelle during maintenance processes.