Richard Skiba

Wind Turbine Fundamentals for Technicians is a hands-on guide to building, operating, and maintaining modern wind turbines. Written for apprentices, cross-skilling trades, and working techs, it translates complex theory into practical steps you can use on the tower tomorrow. Across clear, technician-focused chapters, you'll learn how turbines harvest energy from the wind; how drivetrains, generators, converters, and control systems work together; and how to read power curves, alarms, and SCADA trends with confidence.
The book demystifies hydraulic and pitch systems, yaw alignment, braking, and condition monitoring, then dives into troubleshooting with fault-finding flows for gearboxes, bearings, blades, converters, and sensors. Maintenance is treated as a craft: you'll get detailed guidance on inspections, torque and tensioning, lubrication, performance checks, oil analysis, blade repair (from surface fixes to section replacement), and return-to-service verification.
Offshore operations, marine safety, SOV/CTV transfers, corrosion protection, and salt-water coatings are covered in depth, alongside logistics, weather windows, and emergency response. You'll also gain up-to-date exposure to emerging technologies-digital twins, AI-enabled predictive analytics, drones, and floating wind-as well as hybrid solar-wind systems and grid code essentials. Safety runs through every page with GWO-aligned practices, LOTO, working at height, and electrical hazard control, backed by checklists and field tips.
Finishing with career development, the book outlines training pathways, certifications, leadership skills, and ethical, sustainable practice-so you can grow from trainee to lead tech or site supervisor. Whether you're starting out or sharpening your expertise, Wind Turbine Fundamentals for Technicians gives you the knowledge, procedures, and confidence to keep turbines running safely, efficiently, and profitably-whatever the weather, onshore or offshore.
Packed with illustrations, examples, and real-world case studies, it rewards repeat reading for technicians.