Day 5
The Circuit Card Lab we were in yesterday solely worked on nuclear parts. However, the Circuit Card Lab we were in today provides parts for solely wind and solar sites. Since nuclear plants present such significant risks compared to wind and solar sites, the parts going to these plants require much more testing. If something were to go wrong in the plant, the liability would be solely on the Technical Services Lab and they would lose all of their credibility—clearly not a good thing. Solar and wind do not have these same risks attached. They obviously need to thoroughly test the parts they produce, but when the nuclear Circuit Card Lab sends hundreds of parts to sites a year, the renewable CCL sends thousands. A wind site is a group of wind turbines that convert wind energy into electricity. Each turbine has large blades connected to a rotor, which spins when the wind blows. This rotation drives a generator inside the turbine that produces electrical power. I mentioned in my post from Day 1 that solar panels need to convert DC to AC in order to use sunlight as usable energy. Wind turbines present a similar challenge. The electricity generated by wind turbines is AC, but it varies in frequency and voltage depending on the wind speed. Because this power isn’t immediately compatible with the stable AC used in homes and on the grid, it’s first converted to DC and then inverted back to standardized AC using an inverter. This process ensures that the electricity produced is reliable and matches the grid’s requirements. The Circuit Card Lab supports these wind sites by repairing and maintaining the electronic components that control and monitor the turbine systems. A common item being the inverter. By diagnosing and repairing faulty parts, rather than replacing entire systems, the CCL helps reduce costs, minimize turbine downtime, and extend the life of key equipment. This support ensures that wind turbines continue operating efficiently and reliably, even in remote or harsh environments where quick part replacements may not be possible.
3D Printing
Despite spending most of the day with the CLL, we also had the chance to look at the Innovation Team’s array of 3D printers. There are always issues to be solved in the renewable sites they deal with, and sometimes it is easiest to just create something completely new to solve the problem. A digital design is first needed to print the product, but truly anything can be created. 3D printers are machines that create three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer based on a digital design. While most 3D printers use plastic filament, more advanced versions can print with metal powders through a process called metal additive manufacturing. These metal 3D printers use lasers or electron beams to fuse fine metal powder into solid parts, allowing for the creation of strong, complex components used in industries like aerospace, automotive, and energy. I found it fascinating that you can print metal.
Special Projects
For the other half of the day we were with the Technical Services Special Projects Team. They handle the entire financial aspect of TS. Using the data presented to them by the analysts from each team at Technical Services, they calculate the total savings for each group and the entire facility. Since TS does not actually earn any profit and just save money for NextEra, Special Projects tracks this savings. They help the company stay on track with their goal. Year to date they have saved over 19 million dollars worth of energy supplies and plan to save over 40 million dollars by the end of the year. Overall, this was such a great experience. I have learned so much about engineering and the different routes you can take—the options are quite literally limitless. While this was my last day interning at the Technical Services Lab, this isn’t the end of my journey at NextEra. I am excited to keep learning and keep sharing the inner workings of this fascinating company in the weeks to come.
