Leveraging predictive technologies will be crucial for offshore wind's long-term success
Editor's note: This feature first appeared within the 2024 Offshore Wind Special Report and published within the July/August issue of Offshore magazine.
By Dr. Evgenia Golysheva, ONYX Insight
The offshore wind sector has grown exponentially in recent years, with the industry set to account for 11% of the global primary energy mix in 2050. While this expansion is significantly contributing to energy transition objectives, the rapid rate of this growth has led to challenges, particularly around operating and maintaining turbines.
Traditionally, wind asset owners and operators outsourced future turbine reliability risk to turbine OEMs. However, OEMs face their own challenges, such as achieving profitability, navigating supply chain challenges, and balancing new and existing projects. As they navigate these obstacles, there is growing recognition that independent third-party providers can deliver significant value in operations and maintenance strategies.
A recent report published by ONYX Insight, a predictive analytics solution provider, highlighted the significant cost savings in identifying wind turbine equipment failures in advance. This activity enables operators to maximize the remaining useful life of components through independent health data, rather than solely relying on OEM reporting.
Findings demonstrated that operators could save more than £1 million (US$1.2 million) on operations and maintenance costs per jackup vessel campaign using independent data and intelligently planning maintenance schedules more efficiently.
Analysis of a subset of UK offshore wind farms utilizing 4-MW turbine technology showed 1.4 jackup deployment campaigns per year. This number is likely to increase for newer, larger turbines due to the higher failure rates of major components. There is a growing need for offshore asset owners to aim for a single major maintenance campaign per year enabled by predictive maintenance digital technologies, unlocking multi-million-pound savings across the sector and lessening the pressure from vessels’ availability. Leveraging the advancements in failure detection technologies is not just about upholding operational efficiency; it is vital for mitigating the risks of catastrophic failures and extending the useful life of turbine components in offshore wind farms.
Although the wind industry has embraced condition monitoring technologies, especially those targeting drivetrains, challenges persist. Monitoring reduces the risk of undetected failures that can escalate into situations that, in severe cases, can lead to prolonged downtime and big losses. Shifting from OEM-provided condition monitoring to one-off health assessments or shadow monitoring offers a strategic move toward greater autonomy and improved asset management. In addition to cost savings, advanced failure detection also enables an increase in power production and greater reuse of components—resulting in an 85% reduction in CO2 impact.
There is significant opportunity for the industry to seize the opportunity to lower overheads and improve margins as the offshore wind market tightens. Although the industry’s standard approach of using OEMs for condition monitoring is well utilized due to perceived lower cost, the ONYX report makes it clear that this short-term thinking limits the ability for operators to act strategically and that data and in-depth analysis will maximize offshore wind farm’s performance and longevity.
There is no denying that the industry needs to improve its operations and address inefficiencies, which have been masked by an increase in turbine size in recent years. The next 12-24 months present a pivotal opportunity for the industry to strengthen its fundamentals, revise its approaches and establish a robust pathway for the future. As the industry continues its upward trajectory, embracing innovative maintenance strategies and leveraging advanced predictive technologies will be crucial for long-term success.
By shifting reliance from OEMs to independent, data-driven maintenance approaches, operators can not only enhance turbine reliability and reduce operational costs, but also significantly reduce CO2 emissions. The coming years present a pivotal moment for the sector to optimize its operations, ensuring not just immediate gains but a sustainable and efficient future. Adapting to these evolving strategies will enable the wind industry to meet its ambitious energy transition goals while maintaining robust performance and profitability.
