Installing, maintaining, and servicing wind turbines across Australia and beyond, Cosmic Group has grown into a prominent force in the renewable energy landscape. We speak to Managing Director, Matt Crossan, about the company’s elite culture of safety and the exciting potential of wind power.
COSMIC CAPABILITIES
Renewable energy is an exciting, dynamic industry, and across the globe, wind turbines are rapidly advancing, harnessing new technologies, and growing both in size and in the vital importance they play in the ongoing energy transition.
Globally, wind power is an increasingly important source of intermittent renewable energy, used in many countries to lower energy costs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Cosmic Group has positioned itself at the forefront of the wind energy industry, and while the company continues to adapt to changes in this burgeoning sector, it is also driving them.
With a proven reputation for safe, efficient, and cost-effective service delivery, Cosmic Group’s team of technical experts has delivered large-scale renewable energy projects throughout Australia, New Zealand, and elsewhere overseas.
The company installs wind turbines and provides inspections, maintenance, and repairs to support ongoing productivity in the industry.
“Our technical knowledge of wind turbines is matched by our heavy crane capabilities. With these critical assets at the ready, we ensure the timely delivery of every project,” introduces Matt Crossan, Managing Director.
“We manage every aspect of delivery across the complete project timeline, from inception to installation and commissioning,” he sets out.
“We manage every aspect of delivery across the complete project timeline, from inception to installation and commissioning”
Matt Crossan, Managing Director, Cosmic Group
ENTERING THE ENERGY TRANSITION
Having worked on a multitude of electrical projects across Europe, with an initial grounding in the industry from his native home of Ireland, Crossan turned his attention to Australia after assessing the continent’s growing potential within the wind turbine industry.
“Our company was founded in 2016 by myself and my business partner, and we have since established a reputation for excellence. With head offices in both Australia and Ireland, Cosmic Group is positioned to remain at the forefront of the industry, locally and internationally,” he tells us.
Like Crossan, many of Cosmic Group’s technical experts have worked on projects across the world. As a result, their unrivalled experience and commitment to quality are highly regarded by the company’s numerous clients and industry partners.
Working together, the two factions of the business have consistently delivered projects ahead of schedule and under budget.
“We had been working across Europe and Africa for many years, but when we moved to Australia, we identified a gap in the market. We quickly grew from four technicians on our first wind farm to over 130 more recently.”
Crossan believes the Australian turbine industry to be vastly different to the more mature, developed European sector. Navigating this evolving landscape with a wealth of expertise, the team at Cosmic Group can expertly assess new trends and developments, thus initiating an appropriate response.
Juggling the challenges of environmental and financial approval processes, alongside the ongoing mission of sourcing skilled workers, has seen gradual progress since the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, the company oversees a plethora of exciting new projects, all happening simultaneously.
WIND TURBINE INSTALLATION
Cosmic Group’s expert teams safely install and commission wind turbines in onshore and offshore locations.
“We construct new wind farms, expand existing facilities, and replace turbines that are ready to be decommissioned,” details Crossan.
“Turbines are subjected to ever-changing weather conditions and extreme loads. If blades aren’t checked regularly for damage and wear, a turbine’s yield can be reduced,” he expands.
In this way, timely maintenance allows Cosmic Group to control costs, capitalise on revenue, and mitigate risk.
Today, the company is trusted to provide operational support to wind farms throughout Australia, where its highly qualified technicians ensure that the turbines’ productivity is maximised throughout the life of the asset.
“We also regularly conduct scheduled and emergency inspections, repairs, replacements, and retrofits.”
Heavy cranes are essential to installing and repairing wind turbines, and Cosmic Group’s specialised heavy crane team are skilled in rigging, de-rigging, and transportation.
“We pride ourselves on our ability to efficiently relocate a large-scale crane while maintaining the highest safety standards,” says Crossan.
Projects can easily be delayed if cranes or crane operators aren’t available at precisely the right time. By directly managing these services, the company simplifies communication and project management, aiming to remain safe, efficient, and cost-effective.
Heavy cranes need to be built on-site; therefore, to move the crane onto a new site, it must first be dismantled before being transported piece by piece, then rebuilt and rigged up.
“At Cosmic Group, our crew has expert technical knowledge of all large-scale heavy cranes, including telescopic and lattice boom cranes, as well as all-terrain and crawler cranes. With in-house capabilities to move and maintain each crane, we’re able to deliver projects more efficiently.”
“We’re committed to caring for our people to equip them with the training and resources to do their jobs well, and to keep them safe at work every single day”
Matt Crossan, Managing Director, Cosmic Group
SAFETY AS A PRIORITY
People are undoubtedly the most valuable asset at Cosmic Group, and ensuring their safety is its number one priority.
The company considers this to be key to all its work, and historically, its positive safety culture has been the foundation of the entire business.
“As the renewable energy industry grows rapidly, new risks are likely to emerge alongside new opportunities. We believe it’s our responsibility to remain alert to these risks and lead the way in delivering on our promise of elite service,” Crossan prides.
Cosmic Group aims to achieve an accident-free workplace while providing the highest level of quality and efficiency for its clients. By always remaining alert to opportunities, the company maintains a positive safety culture through meaningful conversations and regular evaluations.
On top of this, a dedicated health and safety manager works closely with all levels of personnel to address hazards and mitigate risks.
“The company’s safety management system incorporates strict procedures to ensure work is carried out to the highest standard. We strive for continuous improvement and the best possible safety culture,” he elaborates.
“Our commitment to safety is embedded in everything we do. We recruit with care to make sure we have the right people in the correct roles, and our rigorous induction takes the form of an introductory course that covers our high expectations, training, and general safety guidelines, including all Cosmic Group policies and procedures.”
All Cosmic Group staff must complete comprehensive safety and professional onboarding, including manual handling, fire awareness, first aid, working at heights, digging, and rigging.
New employees are mentored by experienced staff, ensuring they have all the support they need to produce excellent results. Every technician is Global Wind Organisation (GWO) accredited.
“We’ve got some of the best technical experts in the world working with us. Every day, they’re helping us reach new heights and training those around them to the same standards of workmanship,” details Crossan.
“We’re committed to caring for our people to equip them with the training and resources to do their jobs well, and to keep them safe at work every single day.”
In this way, Cosmic Group hires people who demonstrate and mirror this same steadfast commitment to safety, excellence, and teamwork.
“Moving forward, our ambition is to provide the best service we possibly can. This is such a high-risk business, especially when you’re operating large machinery, cranes, and components, often in very difficult locations that are extremely hard to navigate. We want to consistently maintain the highest safety standards,” he concludes proudly.
COSMIC GROUP PARTNER
