Understanding Virtual Reality Applications for the Renewable Energy Industry
Wind turbines are one of the largest moving structure made by man and because of technological advancements, they are continuously getting bigger and bigger in size. While this is a good thing, interest in studying them is negatively affected. Shareholders are afraid to go near them and it is costly for students to study them.
Hybrid Reality Lap
Fortunately, the Fife College Immersive Hybrid Reality lab opened in Scotlond in 2017 and introduced a virtual reality system that teaches students to troubleshoot on the nacelle of a seven-megawatt offshore wind turbine by simply wearing a specialized goggles.
This virtual reality experience lets them to go to a virtual place that mimics wind turbines, allowing them to see, hear, and feel what it is like to be near a wind turbine without necessarily going there physically. They are given tasks and are armed with the tools needed to ficx a wind turbine. Wind turbines are found in remote areas of the North Sea so only a few people can see them personally.
VR Training
Virtual reality immerses people to a world that shuts out the physical world while augmented reality includes digital elements to a live view using a smartphone’s camera.
Because the use of VR and AR are more cost efficient and safer as compared to actually sending trainees on site, the renewable energy sector is now joining the ranks of oil and gas, aerospace, nuclear, and construction industries as primary users of the VR technology for training.
Safety
Aside from the VR being a tool that helps aspiring technicians study, it also proved to be important in the sales industry. MHI Vestas has set up conference stations where their visitors can go on a guided tour around a virtual nacelle while wearing harnesses, protective vests and other safety gears, completing the wind turbine tour. This experience makes them understand and appreciate the renewable energy sector better.
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