Industrial and Renewable Energy

Rimkus has extensive experience related to solar energy issues and losses on both new and existing installations, ranging from design deficiencies to workmanship problems, and equipment degradation and failures, to storm damage assessment. Wind loading and oscillation effects on single-axis tracker systems present unique challenges, many of which have only recently started to be addressed.

We have been involved in the failures of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) and thermal facilities, as well as smaller commercial and residential photovoltaic (PV) systems, which are becoming increasingly common. Utilizing advanced technology, such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD), finite element analysis (FEA), and electroluminescence (EL) testing, Rimkus can determine what happened, how it happened, who was responsible, what it costs to repair, and how to get the system repaired.

Rimkus is also involved with the construction management of new solar installations as well as related installation of “green building” heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), and lighting systems. Rooftop installations may require pre-construction inspections of the building envelope, and we can perform these using both traditional “in-person” roof inspections or from drones. Once these solar systems are installed, Rimkus can perform periodic thermography scans of the installed PV modules to assess for degradation of the system over time, and can also perform electrical testing and inspection of the systems. Similarly, where solar assets form part of a property purchase, Rimkus can provide due diligence services for the renewables assets as part of its larger property due diligence services.

Wind turbines produce a significant proportion of the world’s renewable energy. Rimkus has in-depth experience in the analysis and evaluation of wind turbine losses resulting from a wide variety of causes. Wind turbine problems are becoming more prevalent as turbines increase in size and as turbine farms age. The use of new materials technologies and the construction of offshore turbine farms provide many new opportunities and some unique challenges. Rimkus has extensive experience in the evaluation of claims and disputes arising during the construction phase for wind farms and provides cost and delay monitoring, as well as cause and origin analysis of turbine fires, electrical faults and arc-flash injuries, and failures of blades, gearboxes, towers, foundations, and access roads. Services provided in the wind sector include:

• Foundation and tower evaluation
• Materials testing and analysis
• Evaluation of gearbox and blade pitch control bearing failures
• Blade failures and erosion of blade coatings
• Electrical damage evaluation
• Fire damage evaluation
• Meteorological assessment
• Shipping damage evaluation
• Transport and construction accident investigations including crane failures
• Electrical injury accident analyses
• Power transmission infrastructure evaluations
• Analysis of noise from wind turbines
• Assessment of site infrastructure and environmental remediation
• Construction schedule and cost monitoring
• Forensic delay analysis

Rimkus has been involved in investigating some of the largest hydroelectric facilities in the world, evaluating and advising on dam failures, soil failures, storm-damaged generators and transmission lines, and failures of turbine and electrical equipment. Significant industry experience becomes invaluable in developing solutions when analyzing issues at similar facilities. Rimkus experts arrive on-site with the expertise necessary to address complex matters and provide answers to the difficult questions that inevitably arise in these situations. Rimkus has experts who have been responsible for the preparation of project schedules for the construction of large hydroelectric dam projects, coordination of detailed civil, mechanical, and electrical design packages, construction management, and commissioning of powerhouses. Rimkus also has experience investigating complex matters involving the deterioration and failures of dams, spillways, machinery lifting beams, turbines, and related equipment.

Rimkus engineers have assisted clients in numerous ethanol plant disputes between owners and contractors on new construction projects with performance issues. Our consultant teams have analyzed first-of-a-kind biodiesel plants, fires at conventional biodiesel facilities, and equipment failures at waste-to-energy facilities.

Rimkus provides expert advice relating to geothermal power systems, heat pumps, and the use of the latest green technologies in buildings, and continues to expand its expertise in this ever-changing sector.

Drilling operations present challenges unique to the oil and gas industry. From drilling rig accidents to blowouts and fires, the oil patch is no place for the faint of heart. Rimkus engineers have hands-on experience in all aspects of drilling. We are experienced in onshore and offshore drilling, as well as high-pressure hydraulic fracturing (fracking). The complex task of uncovering the origin and cause of a blowout or a rig fire can be performed only by highly experienced professionals. Thanks to our petroleum engineers, mechanical engineers, and fire investigators, Rimkus has traced the origin and cause of thousands of fires and explosions. Rimkus experts have investigated oilfield accidents throughout the history of our firm. With petroleum engineers, certified safety professionals, and industrial hygienists, Rimkus experts understand what is required for the safe operation of an oilfield.

The transportation of oil and gas is a critical step in connecting production to the market. From pipelines to rail cars to trucking, Rimkus experts provide unique capabilities in assessing problems that might occur as well as their potential economic impacts. Drilling, producing, and selling oil and gas are only part of the equation. Pipeline systems are an equally important piece of the puzzle. Incidents regularly occur that result in lost volume, injuries to personnel, equipment problems, delays in the business process, and damage to the environment. Rimkus experts are knowledgeable about pipelines located both onshore and offshore. We can assist in evaluating aging pipeline networks and help guide you to the resumption of normal operations. Vast quantities of hydrocarbons are stored along the petroleum supply chain, both above and below ground. When incidents occur at these facilities, the consequences can be severe. The frequent connect and disconnect operations required in loading and unloading hydrocarbons have a high probability of loss if not properly performed. Complex piping systems at the sites also increase the chances of mistakes. Rimkus has expertise in dealing with unforeseen terminal and storage incidents.

Rimkus engineers and consultants have considerable experience in the processing, storage, and logistics of natural gas and oil handling after its extraction and production at the wellhead. Their collective experience encompasses process design and engineering, construction, operations, maintenance, environmental, economics, and safety. Knowledge gained from their prior industry employment with engineering and energy companies has been augmented by their forensic experience at Rimkus analyzing accidents, incidents, failures, and claims, and providing expert testimony when needed. Rimkus staff members have analyzed numerous petroleum refinery property damage and business losses ranging from fires and explosions to mechanical issues, material failures, spills and releases, and safety problems. Refinery operations can be dangerous, and many accidents result in significant injury or death. It is important to assess the causes of those accidents, and the extent of both physical and economic damages to workers and facilities. Rimkus understands complex and sophisticated equipment such as reformers, cracking units, and heavy oil processing. Our staff possesses significant knowledge of refinery economics, optimization models, and instrumentation and control systems in these plants.

Today's modern power generation plants are more sophisticated than ever. When something goes wrong, it is critical to be able to rely on a company with the experience to determine what went wrong and why, who can develop damage mitigation plans, and who can determine what is needed to repair the facility as quickly as possible. Rimkus offers the necessary capabilities and experience in all aspects of power generation plants and can deliver answers and solutions to assist in bringing the facility back online quickly and cost effectively. The breakdown of any one component at a power generation plant can bring the entire operation to a halt until the problem is identified, a solution found, and repairs or changes made. The problem may arise from any number of sources. Rimkus engineers are frequently retained to determine why a particular piece of equipment is not meeting the manufacturer's performance specification or why a process system is not producing the anticipated product output. On-site testing is commonly performed, with the results compared to specifications. Damages incurred in industrial facilities bring a host of items to the table for evaluation: property damage, repair-or-replace decisions, repair cost analyses, mitigation efforts, third-party liability issues, and possible subrogation opportunities. We routinely address all of these components, including estimating the cost of repair and the time element of the loss.

Rimkus offers a highly specialized team of forensic construction experts to serve you in all aspects of construction management, construction claims, construction accidents, and construction dispute resolution. Our depth and breadth of construction experience from design and constructability reviews, through in-project issues and claims, to final close-out and turnover is a direct result of assignments handled in every state and more than 70 foreign countries. Rimkus also provides advice and support personnel for construction management. Our services range from plan review and management of new construction projects to providing a “clerk of the works” to monitor reconstruction efforts. We offer a wide range of services to help resolve problems and get projects back on the road to successful completion. Throughout the life of a project, Rimkus construction experts can provide assistance in formulating, developing, and executing the project plan. We offer service offerings including negotiation support and cash flow projections as well as the development of execution plans and evaluation of insurance plans. During the execution of the project, our services range from reviewing contractor plans to construction management, engineering, and architectural oversight, and clerk of the works monitoring. Should problems develop in alternative dispute resolution activities, support is readily available.

During the lifespan of a manufacturing plant, the routine operation of the plant may be disrupted, which can result in significant and costly problems. Our forensic engineers and plant operations experts can help you understand how and why these events occur. More importantly, we can help you prevent them from recurring. Sometimes, access to part of a facility can be dangerous or impractical. Rimkus has expanded its drone and track-mounted robot capabilities to help access these areas.

• Process and Optimization Consulting

Rimkus consultants have worked in the manufacturing industry and are familiar with the cost structures associated with production/manufacturing processes. We can evaluate existing operations and recommend procedural and capital improvements to make operations safer and more efficient. Rimkus investigates and values losses caused by operational errors, equipment failures, and natural occurrences. Rimkus can analyze a batch or continuous manufacturing process and determine how to improve the cost, capacity, quality, safety, and environmental impact of that process. Using our extensive failure analysis experience, we know where to look to find problems or areas of improvement within the processes. We have experience with a wide variety of processes and state-of-the-art methodologies for improvement. We can also research patent literature and recommend improved licensed technologies that are available.