NEWS

Christian Berndsen is the new Director of Operations & Engineering at WindNOW! GmbH. The wind technology expert provides a boost to the young, independent full-service company in the operational organization and will also expand the service engineering division.

Christian Berndsen most recently worked for wind turbine manufacturer Vestas, where, in his role as Senior Manager in Service Lifecycle Engineering, he was responsible for a global engineering team. He knows the industry from the perspective of global players and independent, smaller companies alike.
WindNOW! Managing Director Ingo Völkerink welcomes the addition of this specialist with many years of experience: “Christian has acquired technical expertise and management experience in various companies and positions. He is familiar with a wide variety of wind turbine types and understands what is important in a full-service offering. With Christian on board, WindNOW! will be taking a big step forward.”
 
Interview with Christian Berndsen:
What motivated you to switch from a global player to a young, independent service company?

This is the second time in my professional life that I have moved from a global player, GE Wind Energy, to a smaller independent service company, Availon. Working at Availon was formative and among the best periods of my professional career. Availon was then taken over by Vestas, with whom I continued to expand my skillset. With this background, I have now decided to contribute my knowhow once again to the establishment of a young provider. What I find especially appealing is the opportunity to assume a position of responsibility where I can make decisions and have a direct impact.

What tasks will you be taking on at WindNOW!?

In the operational area, I will focus on building efficient structures as well as connecting teams and ensuring that they are fit for new tasks. One focus will also be on setting up our own database in Service Engineering – that is, creating documentation for the various wind turbine types under contract. As an example, the turbines are getting older, components are no longer available, but upgrades are essential. In Service Engineering, we focus on finding alternatives for turbines of different types and adapting components to keep the wind turbines of different manufacturers running optimally. This includes everything from small motor protection switches to entire systems such as main components.

You have been with WindNOW! since the beginning of the year. What are your first impressions?

I was very warmly welcomed and quickly realized that everyone here is extremely motivated and keen to make a difference. I was pleased that new contracts have recently been signed and that we successfully recruited skilled technicians for our service stations in Sweden and Germany.

You have been working in the wind industry since 1999 and are a qualified industry master electrician. You must be quite passionate about the industry.

I have always been fascinated by wind technology. It was during my training that I first had the opportunity to climb up onto a turbine. I was totally thrilled, and the experience has stayed with me to this day. And if you look in my office, you will see wind turbine artwork, an entire model wind farm comprising 30 turbines and a range of other items that I have collected over my years in this exciting industry. I have many colleagues, former colleagues and friends who share this passion with me.

What were your most important career milestones?

Seeing an independent company grow from 0 to 400 employees. That’s what happened at Availon. But I also learned a lot at Vestas. I was really impressed by the Danish corporate culture – the togetherness, the international atmosphere. I love working within and alongside different cultures.

The interview was conducted by Anke Kuckuck