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- Category: Articles
How the Wind Industry Can Accelerate Construction and DeploymentAs demand for carbon-neutral energy production increases around the world, wind generation has gone from strength to strength. Global power output by these means grew by a record 273 TWh in 2021, according to an IEA report (1) – 55 % higher growth than was achieved in 2020. Much of this capacity was driven by new onshore capacity, which is now present in 115 countries around the world. But offshore, the picture is very different. Just 19 countries currently have these kinds of deployments showing the progress we still need to make.
By Peter Richards, Chief Engineer, Fugro, UK
- Category: Articles
Reducing Installation Costs by Leaving Blades Unattended?iWind Renewables has provided technical consulting services addressing the assessment of aeroelastic instabilities on incomplete wind turbines (with one or two blades assembled) during installation or maintenance. A wide list of wind turbine configurations of rated power spanning from 2 to 6+MW was analysed, with short or tall, steel or concrete towers. Both mechanisms that potentially trigger aeroelastic instabilities were examined, i.e. stall- and vortex-induced vibrations, at all relevant rotor and tower modes. It was concluded that single- and two-bladed setups may be left unattended for a reasonable time (in the order of weeks) if properly designed and analysed, allowing for a reduction in installation costs. The methodology applied, demonstrative results and key parameters that affect stability are presented and discussed in this article.
By Dimitris Manolas and Panagiotis Chaviaropoulos, iWind Renewables, Greece
- Category: Articles
Bringing the Robot to the JobInrotech, based in Odense in Denmark, is a provider of robotic welding solutions that break with traditional methods of manufacturing. Inrotech has a history of providing welding automation since the mid-1990s, developing its first product for the shipbuilding industry. Nowadays, it provides automated welding solutions for other heavy industries and the offshore wind industry, where the correct technology is essential for the welding of large and complex structures.
By Philip Toft Halskov, Marketing Manager, Inrotech, Denmark
- Category: Articles
Offering Benefits Compared with Conventional HVDC Copper Cables in Offshore Grids
Subsea superconducting transmission cables, a new innovative cable technology, were shown to offer greater economic benefits to the energy system than conventional high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) copper technology in a 2050 offshore grid. The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, UK, and SuperNode, Ireland, have conducted technical and techno-economic studies analysing the potential benefits of high-temperature superconductor subsea transmission cables compared with conventional copper 525kV HVDC cable technology.By Maria O’Neill, Technology Analyst, SuperNode, Ireland
- Category: Articles
Wind Power Performance Data Exchange – WiPPeX
Data-supported operation and maintenance optimisation can help operators of wind turbines reduce possible downtime and identify production increases. This requires continuous monitoring or analysis of the sensor data provided. This data is key to understanding turbine performance, managing expectations of operational assets and identifying opportunities for optimising performance. Databases provide the ability to access a large heterogeneous pool of data, allowing for much more accurate identification of, for example, trends in age or deviations in plant performance. Depending on the operator’s preference, different key performance indicators can be created and benchmarks for competitors established.By Robert Rogotzki and Mario Bachhiesl, vgbe energy, Germany
- Category: Articles
Techno-Economic Tool for the Optimisation of Offshore Wind Farms Using a Genetic AlgorithmThe offshore wind industry has developed rapidly during recent years and is expected to continue expanding over the coming decades. The industry is moving forward, and bigger wind farms are being installed all over the world. Despite the increase in the number of wind farms, the initial investments and operation costs are still relatively high. Reducing the total costs associated with offshore wind farms is crucial to limit economic risks and attract new investors. One of the most notable parts of the total cost is associated with electricity exportation, which is highly influenced by the strategy defined to interconnect the turbines. With the objective of reducing these costs, this article presents a genetic-algorithm-based techno-economic tool that optimises the electric layout considering the loss of revenue due to electric losses inside the wind farm and the purchasing cost of electric cables.
By Mikel Rosell Diez, Engineer, IDOM Consulting, Engineering, Architecture, Spain
- Category: Articles
Achieving High Data Availability from Wind and Solar AssetsAs the cumulative deployment of renewable energy grows, digital solutions for renewable asset management and analytics are becoming increasingly popular. Data accessibility and data quality serve as system cornerstones.
By Feng Zhang and Gopi Maniachari, Utopus Insights, USA
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