The new Wind Collector Optimization Service from GE’s Digital Energy business uses grid intelligence to help utilities, developers and contractors better plan the layout of their wind farm by providing an in-depth look at possible collector cable configurations and the benefits and drawbacks of each.
With this information, system design can be optimized to reduce start-up costs and improve operational efficiency. With GE’s Wind Collector Optimization Service, the optimal route is determined between the turbines and the substation resulting in improved efficiency and a more resilient network. The solution provides a preliminary cable table with the ampacity of each collector circuit outlined in an easy-to-view, mapping file that can be viewed using Google Earth. In addition, the service includes trenching and cable cost estimates and provides insight into how efficiency can be improved through reduced power losses, optimized designs of cable sizes and trenching path configurations. Using this optimization software, GE can reduce the cost of rationally designed collector systems, providing potential savings of greater than 20 per cent while also reducing design cycle times by 60 per cent.
