Intertek said that the test site, together with Intertek’s nearby Cortland, New York lab, is the only wind testing facility in North America that is operated by an OSHA recognized Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory capable of providing small wind turbine system and electrical component certifications.
Brian Kramak, director of energy services at Intertek, said: “Intertek’s new small wind test center is significant to both buyers and sellers of small wind turbines.
“Buyers of wind turbines have reliable third-party verification of important safety, acoustic and performance data. Sellers of wind turbines are able to demonstrate compliance to regulatory requirements and incentive program requirements.”
Intertek will test and certify small wind turbines for durability and performance according to the new AWEA 9.1 Small Wind Turbine Safety and Performance standard, and also the newly released Canadian standards such as CAN/CSA C61400-2, creating a ‘one stop shop’ for complete US and Canadian wind turbine testing and certification requirements, the company said.
The company will also test for manufacturers that wish to use other certification bodies, such as the Small Wind Certification Council (SWCC).
The facility will support testing of several small wind turbines at the same time. Using remote access monitoring, Intertek will generate 24/7 data to evaluate a range of real world environmental conditions, as required by the AWEA, Canadian and international wind turbine standards.
The test center complements Intertek’s existing capabilities for testing and certification of electrical components and systems including generators, inverters and controls among others.
