Second Wind's mission is to advance the use of wind data to make wind energy profitable for the businesses and investors who create wind energy plants, painless for the operators who work with wind energy equipment and practical for the businesses, consumers and utilities that benefit from wind energy as a low-cost and environmentally desirable source of power.
Second Wind prides itself on technology innovation with its in-house hardware development and software engineering talent. The company continues to develop ground breaking products related to wind data.
Thirty four employees staff Second Wind's headquarters and manufacturing facility. The company has an industry-wide reputation for innovative, reliable technology and excellent customer support. Inc. magazine recently ranked Second Wind on its first-ever Inc. 5,000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country. The company's ranking was based on its 27% revenue growth from 2003-2006 and was the only business-to-business wind organization in the energy industry category. In December 2007, Second Wind secured $4 million in second round financing from Good Energies, a leading global investor in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry.
Second Wind has been growing steadily, with annual sales of about $7M in 2008. Their clients include the largest developers and operators in an industry with a 30% annual growth rate.
History
Second Wind was founded in 1980 by Walter Sass and Kenneth Cohn. Engineers who have been friends since grade school, they decided the emerging field of wind energy provided an opportunity to leverage their engineering skills to benefit the environment. They recognized that, to succeed, the industry needed more than wind turbines. Wind developers also needed software and hardware to measure wind accurately at prospective sites and to monitor turbine performance at established wind farms. The company's first headquarters was the spare bedroom in Sass's home.
Second Wind established a presence in wind resource assessment in 1981 by introducing the first data logger designed specifically for wind energy prospecting. In 1985, the company introduced their first wind farm monitoring system. In 2007, Second Wind launched the TritonTM sonic wind profiler, designed to re-invent sodar for wind profiling.
Market Opportunity
Wind energy is growing at 20-30% annually. The market is global, with 17 countries having attained over 1,000 MW via wind. Of the $37B invested in wind energy in 2007, 2% was for wind resource assessment instrumentation and services, or $735MM. 8,000 met towers were installed for prospecting, power performance and operations. Target markets for wind assessment include large, medium and small developers as well as services firms.
The pressing need for viable alternative energy sources that do more than just supplement coal fired power-stations is driving advances in the development of wind energy. A major hurdle in establishing successful wind farms is the difficulty of attaining accurate site evaluation data. The Triton Sonic Wind Profiler addresses this challenge. Designed to measure wind-speed at heights of up to 200m without the need for erecting costly and less effective masts, the wind profiler utilizes a technique known as Sodar (sound detection and ranging) that measures sound wave echoes in the atmosphere. The technique is not dissimilar to Sonar detection used by submarines underwater.
In evaluating a suitable site to establish a wind farm, measurements need to be taken over a period of at least a year. This has been achieved, until now, by using a meteorological mast or met mast - a tower equipped with anemometers and other weather instruments. These masts are limited to a height restriction of 60m; any taller tower requires aircraft warning lights, which complicates assessment of a site for a turbine 75-80m high. Another complicating issue is the masts' high visibility, which can raise public concerns before the site has been properly evaluated.
Relying on precise measurements of frequency and time delay from sound pulses that are bounced back to the transmission unit by wind turbulence, Sodar technology provides a virtually invisible tool which measures wind speed and direction at heights up to 200 meters. The Triton system also overcomes some of the problems associated with existing Sodar technology by remaining effective even in poor weather and delivering easy to interpret wind data without an on-site presence.
Triton also boasts innovations such as a hexagonal transducer array and a tri-lobed acoustic enclosure that increase accuracy by improving signal-to-noise ratios and beam focus, rugged construction making the unit effective in all weather conditions and able to correct measurements when used on uneven ground.
The Products and Customers
TritonTM Sonic Wind Profiler re-invents sodar technology for wind assessment. It captures accurate wind data from any height, in any weather, at any location, without being attended. Readings look like anemometry results, with no expert analysis required.
SODAR (Sonic Detection And Ranging), or sodar, is a meteorological instrument which measures the scattering of sound waves by atmospheric turbulence. SODAR systems are used to measure wind speed at various heights above the ground, and the thermodynamic structure of the lower layer of the atmosphere.
Sodar systems are like radar (radio detection and ranging) systems except that sound waves rather than radio waves are used for detection.
Sodar sends an audible "chirp" up through the air, and wind turbulence sends a portion of the sound back toward the ground. By precisely measuring the frequency and time delay of the chirp's echo, the sodar device measures the wind speed and direction at various heights.
Sodar technology is commonly used for "site profiling" at the end of the prospecting process for potential wind farm locations. It measures above the 60-meter height of most meteorological masts, assessing wind at actual turbine heights. In addition, sodar is more portable than masts and can be moved to determine ideal turbine placement.
Current sodar products have multiple limitations for wind profiling. They require on-site support to
operate, and deliver wind data in formats that require expert interpretation. Readings must be carefully analyzed to filter out "side lobes," or sound artifacts from nearby trees and buildings that can produce inaccurate results. Most current sodar products also must be covered in rain or snow to avoid damage to the sensitive microphones and speakers.
Benefits of the Triton Sonic Wind Profiler
Numerous Triton innovations address the shortcomings of existing sodar products for wind profi
- More accurate data. A hexagonal speaker array (patent applied for) focuses sound beams more
effectively than previous designs, which improves signal-to-noise ratio accuracy and decreases
disruption. The array is housed in a tri-lobed acoustic enclosure, which reduces the chance of
sound artifacts disrupting data.
- Unattended use in any location. A solar array and battery can provide adequate power for the
Triton unit to operate for prolonged periods of time, depending on available sunlight and amount
of use. Bundled with new Skyserve satellite wind data service, the Triton profiler delivers
accurate wind data to any computer from any location in North America.
- Ready-to-read data. Unlike other sodar products, the Second Wind sodar delivers easy-to-read
data that is similar to data read outs from conventional meteorological towers.
- Works in any weather. The unit is made of rugged plastic with stainless steel components and
sound absorbing material that functions when wet, unlike foam. Internal temperature sensors and
a propane heater also allow Triton to operate in icy conditions.
- More portable and less obtrusive. At six feet tall, Triton can easily be towed by a pick-up truck.
The unit has internal controls to compensate for uneven ground, and a built-in GPS and compass
identify the time and location of data as it's captured. Because of better acoustics, it is also less noisy than other sodar products.
The Position
Reporting to the VP Global Sales Peter Gibson, the Director Eastern European Sales will be responsible for the planning and execution of sales activities for Second Wind in Eastern and Central Europe. The Sales Director be focused on direct sales of the company's Triton SODAR device and services.
With the introduction of the Triton, Second Wind is slated for considerable growth. The company currently has over thirty Tritons in commercial operation in Europe, with more than 20 customers.
This role will have responsibility for sales of Second Wind's Triton Wind Profiler to customers based in Eastern Europe, primarily comprising the countries of Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. The Triton Sales Director will operate from an office located within Eastern Europe, preferably in Poland or Romania, with 75% expected travel within the sales territory.
Attributes
- Strong business executor/bias for action - very high level of self motivation
- Excellent teaming/share resource skills
- Excellent communications skills, both verbal and written
- Aptitude for very rapid marketplace and technology mastery
- Low self and high performance ego
Background
- Strong understanding of the regional markets, technologies, and key players within the Eastern European wind energy industry. An appreciation of renewable energy markets, especially experience in developing wind projects, would be a distinct advantage.
- Track record of closing sales, operating successfully at all levels of customers' organizations, from executive level to functional specialists.
- Proven ability to deliver high sales growth numbers.
- The candidate will ideally have familiarity with or connection to associations, companies and/or governing bodies that represent partners and markets for the Triton Wind Profiler.
- An engineering degree with at least 2 years experience within the Eastern European energy supply industry is a minimum requirement.
- Experience with the hands-on nature of early stage companies would be an advantage.
Responsibilities
Successful candidate will be responsible for developing and rapidly growing a highly profitable Triton business with customers in Eastern Europe.
Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to:
- Development of new and existing sales accounts, cultivating Triton advocates within customers' organizations and identifying opportunities where Triton deployments will add value to customers' operations.
- Secure business from a range of customers including Wind Project Developers, Investor-Owned Utilities (including their Non-Regulated Subsidiaries), Federally-Owned Utilities, and Wind Industry Services Providers.
- Represent the Company at conferences and trade shows within Eastern Europe.
Coordination of activities with the Company's Triton sales team, especially in respect to customers with business interests beyond Eastern Europe.
Financial Backing
In 2007 and 2009, Second Wind secured $5+ million in second round financing from Good Energies, a leading global investor in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry.
Compensation
Compensation is competitive with the position's requirements. In a performance-based environment, this will include base salary, and sales incentive bonus structure.
Location
European-based. Preference for location in Poland/Eastern Europe.
