Belden provides a complete WLAN solution for wind turbines, and will be presenting this solution at the O&M trade fair in Manchester. This high-availability WLAN solution allows secure transmission of data, video and speech inside or outside turbines via the existing network. For wind farm operators and the companies manufacturing, servicing or maintaining the equipment, Belden's solution can bring cost advantages of up 200,000 euros over the entire operational lifetime of a wind turbine. This means that the comparatively low investment costs pay for themselves after as little as three months.

With an expected operational lifetime of 40 years, Belden's industry-grade communication solutions are already widely used throughout the wind energy sector, and can be seamlessly integrated into existing networks. The WLAN solution is preconfigured and easy to install. It is supplied in a control cabinet containing several access points plus antennas and cable. The WLAN solution has been optimized to cater for all IT requirements. These include access control, Quality of Service for existing applications, and the integrity of the control network.

The key customer benefits are as follows:

Reduction in the time required for maintenance work also enhances the service quality:

• Faster maintenance
• Ordering of spare parts and preparatory work are speeded up
• Use of workflow management software
• Online access to services and data
• More efficient resource planning

WLAN access with no usage restrictions brings significant savings:

• Flexible communication options
• Reduction in overall monthly costs
• Lower costs for additional communications infrastructure

Significant improvements in health and safety:

• Faster response in cases of on-site injuries
• Lower risk of accidents
• Potentially lower insurance costs
• Site-specific services in realtime
• Immediate response in case of accidents and other health-threatening events