Wind

Wind Design Services (Multiple States)

For more than 20 years, GAI has been a shortlisted consultant to support dozens of wind and solar projects across the U.S. We have participated in the early-stage development, the preliminary design phase (10% and 30%), and the final design (60%, 90%, and 100%). GAI continues to perform this work under a framework agreement with our confidential client. Services have been provided in Colorado, Illinois, and South Dakota.

wind

Owner’s Engineer Services for Wind Projects (Multiple States)

As Owner’s Engineer, GAI has reviewed civil, electrical, mechanical, piping, and structural engineering designs, as well as transportation studies and bridge analysis for several wind farm projects. The work has spanned from the 60% design level to issued for construction through reclamation. Services have been provided in Colorado, Illinois, Oregon, South Dakota, and Texas.

Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC) for Wind Projects (Multiple States)

In 2019, GAI provided CAD support to update As-Built drawings for completed wind farm projects. GAI has worked on 21 projects and developed hundreds of drawings to reflect APLIC guidelines and final As-Built conditions for projects in Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Oregon, South Dakota, and Washington.

Wind Farm Environmental Support Services (Pennsylvania)

GAI supported the client with engineering design, environmental permitting, architectural and historical cultural resources investigations, Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping support, and noise monitoring to measure ambient leaf-off sound conditions for this project, which consisted of 40 wind turbines.

Environmental field review for this project included wetland delineation and stream identification and presence/absence botanical surveys in support of species of concern. GAI also prepared an E&S control plan for the re-establishment and maintenance of an existing 2.1-mile strip mine access roadway that will be utilized as access to the northern Meteorological Evaluation Tower (MET) location.

Wind Farm Environmental Services (Ohio)

GAI provided a Phase I ESA in addition to environmental monitoring and inspection for this wind farm project. Environmental monitoring included documentation of the vegetative establishment at each restoration planting location. The project involved the construction of two substations, an interconnect site, wind farm, underground collection units, overhead transmission, and post-construction restoration.  GAI was responsible for the construction oversight, monitoring, and reporting of all construction and restoration including approximately 60 stream/wetland channels, approximately 140 Horizontal Directional Drilling operations relating to underground electrical collection lines, and access roads associated with construction.

Wind Farm GIS Siting Studies (North Carolina)

GAI assisted our client with collecting Geographic Information System (GIS) data to develop an ArcGIS (.mxd) and ArcPublisher (.pmf) database to assist in wind farm siting. The database included wind speed data, elevation, transmission lines, conservation lands (including Indian reserves, important bird areas, park lands, and trails), select parcel data, and jurisdictional boundaries. During site selection, GAI assisted with geologic and geotechnical reviews and the mapping of the turbine layouts.

Wind Project Cultural Resources Survey and Assessment (Maryland)

GAI performed an architectural and historical resources survey and assessment for this project. GAI’s responsibilities included photographing buildings not previously recorded on Maryland Inventory of Historic Properties (MIHP) forms that would be physically affected by the project (proposed turbines or access road traversing property); consultation with adjacent property owners and local groups; completing MIHP addenda forms for any resources previously recorded on MIHP forms within the direct or indirect Area of Potential Effect (APE) that are no longer extant; and completion of Determination of Eligibility forms for extant resources previously recorded on MIHP forms located within the direct or indirect APE that have not been formally evaluated for National Register of Historic Places eligibility, as well as properties within the direct APE identified by Maryland Historical Trust as warranting additional studies, and properties identified by consultation with adjacent property owners and local historical groups.

P&C and Relay Settings Project (Massachusetts)

GAI is providing the protection and controls (P&C) engineering design services for an onshore 230/115kV substation to support a wind farm off the Atlantic coast capable of generating 800MW from approximately 44 wind turbines. Design included P&C for synchronous condensers, shunt reactors, GSU transformers, circuit breakers, and incoming offshore and outgoing onshore transmission feeders.

  • Relay Specification and Model Selection
  • Relay Settings for over 70 Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED’s) in AcSELerator
  • Preparation of all AC/DC Schematics
  • Preparation of all Panel Front Drawings and Wiring Diagrams
  • SCADA/Automation Design
  • Preparation of Protection Philosophy Document