Visiting 8.2 Consulting AG in Hamburg

OilDoc in-house seminar ‘Lubrication and oil/grease monitoring for wind turbines’ at 8.2 Consulting AG in Hamburg: Expert knowledge on lubrication in the energy transition.

on the 3rd and 4 September 2025, OilDoc held a two-day, customised in-house seminar entitled ‘Lubrication and Oil/Grease Monitoring for Wind Turbines’ at 8.2 Consulting AG in Hamburg.

Under the guidance of OilDoc Managing Director @Rüdiger Krethe, participants were provided with practical, in-depth knowledge on the fundamentals of bearing lubrication, lubricants, gear lubrication, oil/grease monitoring and the evaluation of lubricant analyses – specifically tailored to the requirements of renewable energies.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to the team at 8.2 Consulting for organising the event and to 8.2 Obst & Hamm for the warm welcome and excellent support during the seminar.

Our hosts

8.2 is an independent network of over 40 engineering and expert offices worldwide that specialise in testing, expert reports and technical consulting for renewable energies. Each office operates independently, but all are part of the 8.2 Group, which is united by shared values, knowledge transfer and a strong understanding of quality. The network brings together expertise in the fields of wind energy, photovoltaics, energy storage, grid integration and green hydrogen. Sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a way of life that involves taking responsibility for future generations. Together with partners and customers such as OilDoc, 8.2 is shaping a future that is worth living and conserves resources.

Seminar contents at a glance

The seminar provided in-depth knowledge on the subject of lubrication – a key factor in the reliability and service life of technical equipment, particularly in the field of wind energy. The main areas of focus were:

• Fundamentals of bearing lubrication with oil, including physical principles such as hydrodynamics, hydrostatics and elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHD)
• Influence of speed, load and temperature on lubrication, as well as important characteristics of lubricating oils such as viscosity and temperature behaviour
• Differences and similarities between plain bearings and roller bearings
• Comparison of mineral oils and synthetic oils, as well as their advantages and disadvantages
• Significance and function of additives in lubricants
• Gear lubrication: tasks, requirements of different gear types, minimum requirements, manufacturer approvals and special features of synthetic oils
• Hydraulic fluids as pressure fluids, selection criteria and areas of application, including mineral and biological oils
• Oil ageing, oil oxidation, degradation of additives, causes and consequences of contamination, and practical problems
• Sampling of oil and grease: methods, timing, frequency and importance of documentation
• Basics of lubricating greases: composition, advantages and disadvantages, and their use in comparison to oil lubrication
• Lubrication of roller bearings with oil or grease and selection criteria for suitable lubricants
• Test methods for analysing lubricating oils and greases, including wear metals, oil condition and contaminants
• Evaluation of analysis results based on limit values and trend analyses with practical examples from the wind energy industry, including discussion and interpretation of the results

Sustainability and responsibility

The seminar at 8.2 Consulting focused on sustainability and responsibility for future generations. Through in-depth expertise and targeted knowledge transfer, OilDoc contributed to making technical facilities more efficient, durable and environmentally friendly. In this way, both partners made an important contribution to the energy transition and to the conservation of valuable resources.