Nawrocki Alpin was founded in Berlin, with rope access being our roots and foundation. The company specialises in engineering, wind turbine blade inspections, rope access training and work at heights (areas of maintenance & servicing, advertising, PR and marketing) such as transforming the ball of the Berlin television tower into a giant football for the 2006 Soccer World Cup. In 2002, Nawrocki Alpin GmbH started their certified training centre for rope access (FISAT Level 1-3), positioning technology (SZP) and PFPE.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
Nawrocki Alpin: Over the last 6 years, Nawrocki Alpin GmbH, together with the Fraunhofer Institute IOSB, has developed the RomotionCam™, a ground-based camera system, a German invention and patented technology that will be a game-changer in the field of wind turbine blade inspections. The RomotionCam™ enables the automatic tracking of the rotational movement of the blades on a wind turbine and is thus able to produce high-resolution images and damage reports.
E.E: What’s the news about new products?
Nawrocki Alpin: RomotionCam™ provides a solution that the industry needs. Currently, blade inspections are carried out using ground-based camera systems, drones, and rope climbers. All these methods require stopping the wind turbine, which wastes valuable energy. Stopping a wind turbine is a time-consuming process that requires several parties to communicate and arrange downtime, costing everyone valuable time.
With the RomotionCam™, all we need is the geographical location of the WTG and we can carry out the blade inspection without ahead of time arrangements. There is a safety risk in having to enter the turbine to stop it with the RomotionCam™ there are no safety risks as it is deployed at least 100 meters away from the wind turbine. Furthermore, drones have the disadvantage that they cannot be used at high wind speeds and due to legal regulations in certain regions and forbidden to produce images showing the horizon on private or government property. The RomotionCam™ provides a 6-point view of the blades and can inspect 5 to 10 wind turbines per day for any blade length at high wind speeds and rotor speed up to 25 rpm.
The RomotionCam™ camera provides high-resolution images of the front and back sides to optically capture the pressure side, suction side, trailing edges, and leading edges of the rotor blades. Optical data capture can also be performed in low light conditions, such as cloudy or overcast skies, as the RomotionCam™ allows dark images to be brightened. The RomotionCam™ image metadata can be integrated into the client’s software interface if required. The RomotionCam™ report displays and draws attention to damage on individual rotor blades by providing information on the number of damages, the size of the damages and the exact location of the damages.
E.E: What are the ranges of products? What are the most innovative products marketed?
Nawrocki Alpin: The next step in the research and development for Nawrocki Alpin GmbH together with Fraunhofer Institute IOSB:
The RomotionCam™ Offshore will be used for wind turbine blade inspection of offshore wind farms. This will open the offshore market and create a huge opportunity for growth and expansion in Nawrocki Alpin GmbH.
The RomotionCam™ Laser Vibration, which will be able to measure vibrations on wind turbines during operation. This could be the next big technological advance in the wind energy industry. The advantage of being able to detect damage and mechanical defects in advance will avoid significant costs and downtime.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
Nawrocki Alpin: Nawrocki Alpin GmbH launched the RomotionCam™ in late 2021, offering RomotionCam™ blade inspection services and RomotionCam™ rental licenses across the world. Since our launch, we are operating over 4 continents. With a growing emphasis on wind energy due to the world and economic changes, we see a boom in the industry and the need for no downtime.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
Nawrocki Alpin: More than ever blades and blade efficiency is a priority to maintain and establish healthy turbines, blade inspections are a part of ensuring maximum efficiency and avoiding costly damages over time. With Green Hydrogen on the rise and energy storage solutions being tested, Nawrocki Alpin GmbH thinks the demand to keep the wind turbines spinning will increase more and the RomotionCam™ will play a key factor in inspections in the industry.