Operation and Maintenance of Offshore Wind Farms

Abstract

The operation and maintenance of offshore wind farms represent a significant proportion of the lifetime cost of energy of offshore wind. There are a number of significant differences from maintaining wind turbines in the onshore environment and new methodologies that will be required as wind farms increase in size and distance from shore. Understanding the key cost drivers is therefore vital in order to determine optimal maintenance strategies for existing wind farms and minimising the uncertainty associated with future projects. This study identifies the key issues associated with operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms for this purpose. A review of early operational experiences in the North Sea is also presented and key lessons learned to identify. In addition, a case study based on operating strategies for major maintenance actions is included. This case study demonstrates how different strategies can impact overall costs and the uncertainty of offshore wind.