The scene: northwest Germany. A quiet farm. Enter a university student with a question that would shape her future. “Hey, when are you getting a wind turbine?”
It was a casual moment, but for Julia Vey, then an apprentice at GE Vernova in nearby Salzbergen, it planted a seed. Back in the early 2000s, wind power was still small-scale, and large turbines were rare. But Julia was fascinated — and determined to be part of what she sensed was coming.
Two decades later, her uncle’s farm tells a new story. Rising above the fields of corn and wheat is a 6-megawatt GE Vernova wind turbine, one of three owned and operated by a cooperative he’s formed with his neighbors. For Vey, now GE Vernova’s global leader for planning and logistics in Onshore Wind, it was a full-circle moment.
“The best moment for me was taking my cousin and my uncle’s neighbors up the turbine after it was installed,” she says with a smile. “My uncle stayed down below — heights aren’t really his thing.”
The Evolution of Wind
When Vey started her career, wind turbines were smaller, simpler, and less powerful. “Back then, blades were around 30 meters long,” she recalls. “Today we are installing more than 80 meters — longer than the wingspan of a Boeing 747.”
This dramatic leap has transformed not only the power output but also how and where wind farms can operate. Taller turbines capture stronger winds, opening up new geographies and possibilities. But bigger turbines also create bigger logistical puzzles — and solving those puzzles is the task of Vey and her team.
Moving Giants Across the Globe
Transporting turbine blades, towers, and nacelles isn’t your typical shipping job. Vey and her team are responsible for ensuring that these massive components — some longer than a football field — reach project sites across Europe, North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia, safely and on schedule. It’s a high-stakes balancing act. Different countries, different rules, different terrains — and zero room for error.
“Sometimes the challenge is getting oversize permits or securing police escorts,” Vey explains. “For example, in Romania, trucks can only move at night, and drivers have to hand off to police escorts at every county line. Every country has its own playbook, so we have to constantly adapt.”
There are spreadsheets, calls, negotiations, and contingency plans. Every morning, Vey reviews complex schedules and sets daily priorities. Her mantra is simple and direct: “Let’s get it done.” And when the work is complete? She reviews data, tracks performance, and looks for better ways forward. “Every project teaches us something new,” she says. “That’s what makes this role exciting.”
Built on Data, Driven by Curiosity
Vey’s knack for solving complex problems didn’t happen by accident. It’s been part of her journey from the start. Raised in Metelen, Germany, she says she was competitive from an early age, excelling in swimming, tennis, and academics.
After high school, she entered Germany’s dual studies program, earning a bachelor’s degree while gaining hands-on experience at GE Vernova. Her first big leap came when she moved to Aberystwyth, Wales, spending three years as an Onshore Wind field services agent, supporting the company’s growing U.K. and Ireland operations.
Back in Salzbergen, she earned her Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, leading continuous improvement initiatives and teaching data-driven problem-solving techniques across the company. “One of the biggest things I learned was how to work with large datasets and extract the few key insights that really matter,” she notes. That skill served her well as she moved on to roles in project planning and operations and quality control. Her approach to leadership reflects that discipline.
“If I needed to ship 40 units last week, I start with the facts: Did we deliver? Where did we miss? Why did we miss? Lean methodology gives us structure and clarity — and it helps us move faster.”
“Wind Girl”
On LinkedIn, Vey calls herself Wind Girl, a nickname that speaks to both her passion and her consistency. “Many people change businesses during their careers,” she says. “But since starting when I was 19, I have been consistent. I have always worked in onshore wind.”
Her commitment runs deep. She sees her work not just as logistics, but as contributing to a global mission — using wind, one of the earth’s most abundant resources, to help the world electrify and decarbonize. It’s also personal. She’s spent her career at GE Vernova because she’s felt supported by the company — including when she took maternity leave to have her children, now ages 11 and 7 — and because she loves her colleagues and the culture.
“The people here are open, energetic, and passionate,” Vey says. “There’s less formality, less hierarchy, and a shared sense of purpose. It’s a place where you can grow and where your work matters.”
On Top of the World
For Vey, the magic of wind power isn’t just in the numbers or the logistics — it’s in the experience.
Last year, while visiting the SunZia project near Albuquerque, New Mexico — the largest wind project in U.S. history — she met Mike Meyer, a trucking partner who’d been hauling turbine components for more than 20 years. To her surprise, he had never seen the inside of a turbine. So she took him up to the top.
“It’s super cool; there’s so much adrenaline on the way up,” she says, describing a climb that can involve elevators, ladders, and sometimes a self-assisted platform lift. “And when I come down? I feel fully refreshed and empowered.”
