Author: Daily Upsider

Offshore wind turbine maintenance is about to improve with the new ‘Jack-up on Jack-up’ concept introduced by Danish naval engineering firm Knud E Hansen. This design creates a “virtual factory” around turbine blades, allowing technicians to work continuously, regardless of weather.

If successful, this concept could greatly enhance the efficiency and reliability of offshore turbine maintenance, pushing the industry towards more operational stability. The design centers around a four-legged platform with a 49.2-foot-wide (15-meter) work area that can be raised to the height of the nacelle (the housing at the top of the turbine). It also features a telescopic weather cover, which provides a controlled environment for technicians to work on blades in almost any weather, day or night.

Knud E Hansen highlights this as a key benefit, noting that traditional methods, reliant on favorable weather for vessel and rope access, often face delays. This new platform allows for a more dependable maintenance schedule, reducing turbine downtime and enabling continuous power production.

A standout feature of the ‘Jack-up on Jack-up’ design is its onboard workshop—a large, air-conditioned workspace at the platform’s rear. This allows technicians to perform complex repairs on-site, eliminating the need to transport damaged blades to shore. The platform also includes a “cherry picker” for easy access to the nacelle, streamlining repairs and reducing logistical challenges. It is designed to handle even the largest turbines, up to 20 megawatts, and operate in water depths of up to 262 feet (80 meters).

Capable of maintaining blades up to 426 feet (130 meters) long and replacing nacelles weighing up to 1,000 tons, this platform is built to meet the demands of current and future offshore turbines.

Ryan Donais, a construction manager from Toronto, started building tiny homes on wheels in July to address the city’s growing homelessness crisis, spurred on after his brother became homeless due to a long struggle with addiction.

Concerned about the rise of tent cities, Donais spent 100 hours developing a prototype and two months completing his first unit. Each home, made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic, includes basic amenities: a bed, desk, sink, and camping toilet.

His project, Tiny Tiny Homes, is now an official nonprofit, and he’s working on a second unit. The homes are insulated, weatherproof, solar-powered, and designed to offer temporary shelter with storage space for personal items. Donais stresses that these homes aren’t meant to be permanent solutions but a step toward permanent housing.

Donais is raising funds through GoFundMe to scale up production, with each unit costing about $5,000 to build. He’s also seeking material donations and a larger workspace to continue the project.

A dad who interviewed his daughter every year on the first day of school has now shared the final video as she starts her last year of high school before heading to college. Ray Petelin began this tradition with his daughter Elizabeth in 2012, when she was five and waiting for the bus to kindergarten. Each year, he asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up, watching her answers shift from doctor to teacher, magician to waitress, and heart surgeon to physical therapist.

Now, after their 13th and final interview, the 47-year-old TV meteorologist shared the video compilation. “I put it together late at night so no one would see me bawling,” Ray admitted. The video, posted on Facebook and Twitter/X, has gained over 50 million views, leading to TV interviews on major networks, including his own station, KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. Many parents have called Ray “Dad of the Year,” and his tradition has inspired others to do the same with their kids.

In Tennessee, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is seeing positive results with equine therapy, a well-established rehabilitation method.

The Department recently shared success stories from the Center for Equine Recovery (CERV) at Middle Tennessee State University. The program connects veterans from the Tennessee Valley VA with horses, helping them understand equine behavior and, in turn, learn more about themselves.

Horses are highly sensitive to their handlers’ emotions, requiring a state of calm to work with them safely. This has proven beneficial for veterans, as one organizer described horses as “big bio-feedback machines.” Joanne Parchetta, a participant in the program, shared how working with horses has helped her overcome challenges related to chronic illness and disability. “This class showed me I can still achieve and dream,” she said.

CERV’s program helps veterans process their emotions by reflecting them through the horses. This feedback allows them to better understand and work through their behaviors. It is the only program of its kind in the nation, though more are likely needed. Veterans, especially those from older generations, face a higher risk of suicide than the general public.