Uniform quality in the supervision of wind farm construction is Welado's method of choice

05.06.2023

The wind power market is hot right now – productisation of wind power services and multiplication of expertise ensure uniform service quality

Wind power projects are growing larger and experts are in short supply. One does not graduate as an expert straight from university, but an expert must garner experience through actual work. Many consultants have practical work experience as a contractor, for example, which provides a solid foundation for the work of a developer consultant.

“At Welado, all new developer consultants are familiarised with the company’s methodology where the work is guided by clear operating models and goals. Young specialists are enrolled in a mentor programme where an experienced consultant familiarises them with the work,” says project engineer and supervisor Henri Hanhirova from Welado

Developer consultants are commissioned to provide various kinds of expertise, including:

specialist work in the project development stage
design contracting of the project and putting contracts to tender
project management services
safety coordination
third-party inspections
supervision of infrastructure, foundation and electrical work as well as installations
documentation management.

Uniform quality is the expected default in the work of a specialist – clarity in reporting and communication help the project succeed

We interviewed operators in the sector, and they often brought up the personification of quality. In addition to clear reporting and documentation, developer consultants are expected to be active and provide a vision. All kinds of things happen on construction sites, and the ability to anticipate matters and solve challenges with an open-minded and active attitude are characteristics of a good consultant. On site visits, the hope is that consultants focus on the everyday work and react to the observations made on the site. It is not enough that they simply write up a report and send it to the customer and the contractor. Observations made in supervisory work should be discussed face to face with the person(s) involved together with the contractor and customer, and the situations should be solved together.

Best practice sharing – comprehensive supervision plans and supporting documentation are behind the success of the OX2 Niinimäki wind farm project

Together with OX2, Welado has produced comprehensive supervision plans for the supervision work of the Niinimäki wind farm project that are used in the monitoring of the various work stages. The supervision plans completely align with the contractors’ quality assurance plan. This has allowed us to confirm and document the most crucial matters throughout the supply chain. With the help of this documentation model that guides construction contracting, the contractors receive clear listings of what the contract demands, and as the customer we are able to easily monitor the implementation of the project. This is a major factor for the success of the project.

Productisation of wind power services is Welado’s answer to the equation of expert shortage and uniform quality

“We at Welado wish to always deliver our customers the same high-quality service regardless of the consultant delivering it. Productisation clarifies and standardises the content of the service,” describes Henri Hanhirova.

The core of productisation and expertise multiplication is formed by:

Well-defined processes that guide the work. This enables quick learning. Familiarising new employees with their tasks is easy, and our customers know how we operate.
Standardised methods. “Replication of the same” can be ensured regardless of person. The customer can trust that our specialists know the operating models and work according to the most appropriate models.
Detailed quality criteria and indicators are agreed upon together with the customer. Through this transparency we are able to ensure the desired quality of construction to all parties. The customer sees the realisation as agreed.
Expertise teams. Specialists in our expertise teams are flexibly available for projects. At Welado we have expertise in the following fields, for example: electrical power engineering, bridge and harbour projects, environmental design and communications.