Airspect, a company providing services of equipment and installation quality assurance is a new member of RESC
With more than 30 years of experience, Airspect is a company specialized in quality control of equipment and installations for research, production, transport, processing and storing oil and gas. It is expanding now to the renewable energy sector in which it has already embarked with the project of the first Croatian geothermal power plant in Ciglena, near Benkovac where it inspected the main components of the machine parts of the installation at the site of the producer.
„In the last few years we have been witnessing a great expansion of renewable energy sources as well as the transformation of large world oil and gas companies into energy companies. Naturally, this trend is also present in Croatia, so our services are expanding in line with the activities and needs of our clients. We believe that with our know-how and references we can contribute to the process of effective energy transformation. We are a young company, but as the song says – ‘we are a small circle of great people. Namely, we are a young company but with experienced quality control experts“, as its founder Mario Štambuk and the newest member of RESC, pointed out.
The OIEH association, he underlined, gathers the majority of the companies that are directly involved in the process of developing and generating electric power from renewable sources.
“Through joint work and activities, their experts contribute significantly to the realization of common goals and thereby promote and develop models of cooperation of the industry and energy sectors with the goal of supplying all parts of Croatia with green energy. RESC already has already gained the reputation of being successful in creating an improved and more favorable climate as to the use of renewable energy sources and establishment of well-ordered regulations in the field of energy that will initiate the development of the entire industry and result in the prosperity of Croatian citizens. We believe that in cooperation with other members we can contribute with our quality assurance systems in the implementation of projects and later on inspection in the course of maintenance”, Štambuk underscored.
“Quality control of the functioning of installations is of crucial importance for the long-term continuity and reliability of electric power generation, which is important to every investor in RES. We are particularly pleased to note that in the process, domestic market potentials are increasingly used. Airspect is yet additional proof that the renewable energy market is opening up numerous business possibilities, new industrial branches, and creating business models. Airspect is also the confirmation of what we have always emphasized in the RESC – namely, that we do have domestic know-how, people, expertise, and experience. And that is precisely what we have to use to an even greater degree. We are therefore pleased that we have been recognized once more as the point in which key companies in the RES sector congregate and which can through joint efforts have a positive impact on its development and general enhancement of the business environment”, Maja Pokrovac, RESC director pointed out.
Comprehensive quality assurance service
Airspect provides services of quality assurance (from investment projects to maintenance) to all owners and investors from the RES sector and which include:
– Consulting in the drawing up of technical specifications
– Inspection during production
– Supervision of final tests and handover
– Periodic inspection of installations
Equipment inspection during production is implemented through the supervision of the quality assurance system of the very producer on the basis of conciliated Quality plans and corresponding procedures that have to be aligned with the technical specifications of the buyer. The examination and testing which confirm the characteristics of the delivery product are of great importance in the quality assurance process. The right selection and sampling principle, expertly executed examinations and final issuing of the report are under special supervision which naturally also relates to the implementation of standard non-destructive control methods.
Periodic inspections of installations during operation within the framework of maintenance are necessary in order to establish the existing state and foresee the required activities aimed at preventive maintenance and continued uninterrupted work. The examination of installations through non-destructive checks should also be emphasized (visual, magnetic, penetrating, ultrasound, radiographic, etc.) with a view to verifying the regularity and safety of continued use.
Along with these standard examination methods, a great contribution to the acceleration of the inspection, lowering of costs and safety provision is given by the new technologies of visual control through the use of drones. These methods were developed for the inspection of wind farms, solar power plants, transmission lines, high structures and installations operating with dangerous work media. They relate most of all to inspections of wind farm blades, pillars, gondolas, solar collectors.
As far as plans are concerned, Štambuk pointed out that quality is Airspect’s main mission. “In practice, this means following the development and needs of our clients and offering them a comprehensive quality assurance service. The RES sector offers great possibilities for expanding our business activities. The non-existence of norms and legislative regulations is a special problem that should be resolved as soon as possible. It is also important to mention new quality control technologies which are the result of IT industry development, drone development, photogrammetry, stereography, LIDAR, 3D scanning RTK, thermo-vision, etc, which are at the same time present a great challenge for our young experts. For that reason, Airspect fosters partner relations with similar companies and development centers at various faculties in order to follow the newest trends” said its founder.
