Castine Current
MMA PART OF
WIND TURBINE
TESTING
by Laurie Stone, Editor-in-Chief
OnJune13,2013,aboutpeoplefrom
various industries, the University
of Maine, Cianbro Corp., the US
the tug Pentagoet during the tow and deployment;
sidescan sonar to help determine anchor types
Department of Energy, the National Science
Captain David Gelinas `84, president of
and locations, and Nathan Dublin who welded
Foundation, the Maine Technology Institute, and
Penobscot Bay and River Pilots Association, who
lock plates on the anchors and documented the
the State met on the deck of Maine Maritime
piloted Pentagoet when hauling the turbine to
welds with a dye penetrant test. Captain Willis
Academy's research vessel, RV Ned, to hit the
Castine Harbor; and Peter Vigue `69, chairman
noted that the project came together because of
switch that turned on the first offshore wind
and CEO of Cianbro, who helped make the
the dedicated people at MMA's waterfront, the
turbine to provide electrical power to the US grid.
project happen. Lance Burton '90, owner of
Academy's alumni and students.
MMA, however, did more than just provide an
Mainely Marine Services and engineering
The turbine itself is a 1/8 scale model of the
air-conditioned, attractive vessel for dignitaries to
professor at MMA, provided dive services to
full-size turbines that the University of Maine
make enthusiastic speeches about VolturnUS 1:8,
anchor the turbine. Dana Willis, captain and
intends to locate off Monhegan Island in 2016.
a 65-foot high, floating wind turbine prototype.
director of MMA's waterfront, operated some
While University of Maine builds the large-
The Academy provided skilled alumni, students,
of the boats needed to guide the turbine to the
scale versions, researchers wil test the Castine
and staff for the project: Joseph Cote '82, vice
harbor and then to its test site off Dyce Head. He
prototype for about a year. Dr, Habib J. Dagher,
president of Cianbro's Brewer facility which built
also coordinated al the people working together
an innovative engineer at the University of Maine
the prototype; Captain Timothy Leach '05,
at the waterfront from the University of Maine
renowned for his research into and production
Director of Career Services at MMA, who was
and the academy. Two MMA students were
of composite materials, led the project team and
tow master and prepared the tow plan; Captain
also actively engaged in the engineering side of
continues as the lead researcher in conjunction
John Worth, MMA waterfront staff, who operated
the project: Daris Kenter who worked with the
with DeepCwind Consortium.
MMA SHARES RENEWABLE
ENERGY GRANT
By Laurie Stone, Editor-in-Chief
TheNationalScienceFoundationtapped specificalytotestwave-windrelationshipsunder researchersworkingtoimproveenergy
the University of Maine in partnership
storm conditions.
production methods using natural resources at
with Maine Maritime Academy, Sandia
The University of Maine and Maine Maritime
hand. University of Maine specialists wil work
National Laboratories, and the National
Academy along with another set of partners,
particularly to design and develop materials
Renewable Energy Laboratory to receive a federal
including Cianbro, are already deeply involved
that wil be cost-effective and stress-tolerant
grant of close to $1 million. The grant recipients
in designing and testing offshore deepwater
in ocean environments like the Gulf of Maine.
wil col aborate to design, build and test a
wind energy. In May 2013, they jointly launched
Maine Maritime Academy, led by professor and
"multidirectional Wind-Wave generating system
the first grid-connected test platform called
principal researcher, Dr. Richard Kimbal , wil
called W2" (AP, August 2, 2013). According
VolturnUS 1:8 off Dyce Head, Castine (See the
test the design of the wind machine, provide
to University of Maine's Dr. Krish Thiagarajan,
companion article "MMA Part of Wind Turbine
maritime expertise, and study the effects of
principal investigator for the project, the grant
Testing" above).
renewable energy platforms upon marine ecology.
wil allow the university to build a wind-wave
Both renewable energy projects ­ the
Dr. Thiagarajan foresees future testing of new
tank "30m long by 9m wide by 5m deep in
multidirectional wind-wave generating system
types of oil and gas platforms, ship models, and
which replicas of turbines wil be tested" (MPBN
and the offshore wind turbine ­ position the
coastal engineering situations, al of which wil
Interview, August 1, 2013). The test tank wil
Academy and the University, their faculties and
involve MMA.
be the first of its kind in the world designed
their students to join the ranks of international
mainemaritime.edu
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