FAQ
Answers to frequently asked questions about Ridgeline.
Account & Access
How do I create an account?
Accounts are created by invitation only. Ask your administrator to add you from Admin > Users. You’ll receive an email with a registration link.
How do I reset my password?
Click Forgot password on the login page. Enter your email address and follow the link in the reset email. The link expires after a set period, so use it promptly.
What are the user roles?
| Role | What You Can Do |
|---|---|
| Admin | Everything. Manage users, templates, and all data across all modules. |
| Analyst | Create and edit sites, campaigns, risks, and projections. Cannot manage users or system templates. |
| Viewer | Read-only access to all modules. |
How do I change my role?
Only admins can change roles. Ask your administrator to update your role from the Admin > Users page.
Sites & Turbines
What do the site statuses mean?
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pending | Site created but not yet being onboarded. |
| In Progress | Site is being onboarded. Data entry and validation underway. |
| Integrated | Site has passed all validation checks and is fully operational in the system. |
| Archived | Site is no longer active (sold, decommissioned, etc.). |
More detail — See Sites & Turbines in the User Manual for a full walkthrough.
How do I move a site from “Pending” to “Integrated”?
- Add all turbines with their physical specs and GPS coordinates.
- Register major components for each turbine.
- Link at least one service agreement.
- Use the status workflow on the site detail page to advance the status. The system validates that required data is present before allowing promotion to Integrated.
Can I delete a site?
Sites cannot be deleted to preserve data integrity. Instead, archive the site by changing its status to Archived. Archived sites can be filtered out of the default view.
What component types does Ridgeline track?
Gearbox, generator, main bearing, blades (individual), transformer, converter, pitch system, yaw system, and tower. Each component has its own serial number, install date, and condition history.
Where do turbine type templates come from?
Ridgeline ships with 29 pre-seeded turbine type templates covering GE, Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Suzlon, Nordex, and Enercon models. These include known design issues, IEC class ratings, and fleet population estimates. Admins can manage templates from Admin > Templates.
DD Campaigns
What is a DD Campaign?
A Due Diligence Campaign is a structured evaluation of a wind site before acquisition. It tracks your progress through stages: Template Generated, Data Room Review, Site Visit, Assessment Complete, and Closed.
More detail — See DD Campaigns in the User Manual for a full walkthrough.
What’s the difference between campaign stages?
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Template Generated | Campaign created, initial data structure ready. |
| Data Room Review | Reviewing seller-provided documents and data. |
| Site Visit | Physical inspection of the site and turbines. |
| Assessment Complete | All component assessments scored and reviewed. |
| Closed | Final decision made (Acquired, Passed, or Terminated). |
How do I score a component assessment?
Open a campaign, click on an assessment, and rate each component on:
- Condition Score (1–5): Physical condition based on inspection and data review.
- Remaining Useful Life (RUL): Estimated years before replacement needed.
- Replacement Probability: Likelihood of needing replacement within the planning horizon.
- Risk Rating: Overall risk level (Low, Medium, High, Critical).
What does “Promote to Master Data” do?
When a campaign is closed as Acquired, promoting it transfers DD findings into the operational system. It creates Risk Register entries for every component assessment rated medium or higher. This is a one-way operation; the original campaign is preserved for audit.
Can I re-open a closed campaign?
No. Closed campaigns are final for audit integrity. If you need to revisit findings, create a new campaign referencing the original.
Risk Register
How are risks created?
Two ways:
- Automatically from DD campaign promotion (medium+ risk assessments become risk entries).
- Manually by clicking + New Risk and filling in the details.
More detail — See Risk Register in the User Manual.
What do the risk statuses mean?
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Open | Risk identified, not yet being addressed. |
| Mitigating | Active steps being taken to reduce the risk. |
| Accepted | Risk acknowledged and accepted at current level. |
| Closed | Risk no longer applies (resolved or no longer relevant). |
| Realized | The risk event has occurred. |
How is the risk score calculated?
Risk Score = Probability × Impact, using a 5×5 matrix:
- Probability: Rare (1), Unlikely (2), Possible (3), Likely (4), Almost Certain (5)
- Impact: Negligible (1), Minor (2), Moderate (3), Major (4), Catastrophic (5)
The resulting score maps to a risk level: Low (1–4), Medium (5–9), High (10–16), Critical (17–25).
What is the Heat Map?
A visual 5×5 grid showing risk counts at each probability-impact intersection. It helps you spot concentration areas in your portfolio’s risk profile. Access it from Risks > Heat Map.
O&M Projections
What projection types are available?
| Type | Use |
|---|---|
| Annual Budget | Year-ahead O&M budget for an operating site. |
| DD Pre-Acquisition | Cost modeling during due diligence to inform bid pricing. |
| Long-Term Plan | Multi-year (typically 20-year) lifecycle cost projection. |
More detail — See O&M Projections in the User Manual.
What are industry baselines?
When you create a projection, Ridgeline auto-generates line items with cost estimates based on industry averages for each O&M category. You can override any line item with site-specific data.
What cost basis options are available?
Per turbine, per MW, per site, lump sum, % of revenue, or actuarial (probability-weighted). Each line item also has an escalation rate for inflation modeling.
Can I export a projection?
Yes. Click the Export button on the projection detail page to download an Excel file. This works for offline analysis, board presentations, or integration with financial models.
What is the NPV calculation?
Net Present Value (NPV) discounts all future costs to today’s dollars using the discount rate you set when creating the projection (default: 8%). This lets you compare total lifetime costs across different scenarios.
Data & Admin
How do I export data from Ridgeline?
Admins can export data from Admin > Export. Projections can be individually exported to Excel from their detail pages.
How do I import/manage turbine type templates?
Admins can import and export templates from Admin > Templates. Templates include component baselines, known design issues, and fleet data for each turbine model.
Is my data backed up?
Ridgeline uses PostgreSQL with PostGIS. Backup schedules depend on your deployment configuration. Check with your system administrator for your specific backup policy.
Still Need Help?
- Check the Troubleshooting Guide for common issues.
- Refer to the User Manual for detailed documentation.
- Contact your system administrator for account or deployment issues.