Modern, Wind-specific Technology Provides Optimised Performance, Remote Monitoring and Control
Rapid developments in electronics and control systems over the last 30 years have provided new opportunities for operation of wind turbines. Retrofitting older turbines with a modern control system provides the turbine owner with significant improvements in relation to remote monitoring, control and root cause analysis. Although retrofitting a control system is a technical challenge, the benefits are clear: improved turbine performance both in terms of availability and power production. This article describes the challenges and results of a customer project undertaken by KK Wind Solutions to develop and install retrofit solutions for a Bonus 1.3MW and a Vestas V47 turbine.
By René Balle, Chief Technology Officer, KK Wind Solutions, Denmark
At the beginning of 2014, KK Wind Solutions started a customer project with the aim of developing retrofit solutions for a Vestas V47 and a Bonus 1.3MW turbine. Eight months later, the two solutions, based on a modern, sixth-generation control system, were installed and commissioned at the site in the USA.
