Improving the availability of offshore wind turbines

Two key factors for offshore wind installations are: 1. Durability of large lifetime components, and 2. Possibility of exchange of large components in a safe and economic way. GE is adressing these challenges in the project "Improving the availability of offshore wind turbines". The main objective of the project is to develop new and more effective methods for the removal and refitting of large parts in offshore wind turbines. In other words: How to change major components in a safe and economical way. T he focus areas include nacelle components - i.e. blades, hubs, generator parts and major bearings (pitch, yaw, shaft). GE Wind Energy Norway has successfully demonstrated exchange of blades and segments from the generator onshore. These methods need to b e further developed and fitted to an offshore environment. The company has no record of exchange of the other large components. The project is divided into three phases (overlapping in time): PHASE 1 - DECRIPTION OF EXISTING AND EVALUATION OF NEW METHOD S ONSHORE: - Documentation, systematization and evaluation of onshore methods - Updating lifetime estimates and failure rates of components based on historical data and operational experiences from GE and other sources. - Evaluation of cost of maintenance vs exchange PHASE 2 - DESCRIPTION OF OFFSHORE OPERATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS: - Documentation of wessel availability and requirements - Documentation of marine operations and costs - Documentation of lifetime change due to offshore conditions PHASE 3 - DE VELOPMENT, DOCUMENTATION AND TESTING OF METHODS OFFSHORE: - Development of methods, procedures and routines for exchange - Evaluation of costs offshore vs onshore - EHS documentation and implementation - Recommendations for upgrade of technical design of nacelle and components - Testing of methods The project is stipulated to 2 years (8 quarters), totalling 18.000 hours.