Short description

Essential for a life cycle cost reduction of offshore wind energy is the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) phase. Especially offshore wind projects with a distance >40sm are associated with a high level of uncertainties in combination with little experience. During the O&M phase, changes are aligned with high costs and only small conceptual modifications are feasible. A reduction of the O&M costs, and thus life cycle costs, requires robust cost estimations already in an early project stage. By analyzing different O&M scenarios and concepts, considering corresponding risk profiles, the life cycle costs can be optimized.

Fraunhofer IWES developed the concept „Offshore TIMES” – Offshore Transport, Inspection and Maintenance Software. Offshore TIMES is capable of estimating O&M costs effectively by means of a ‘realistic’ simulation of the O&M strategies over the O&M phase in an early project stage. Thus, particular strategies can be tested and optimized. Our Fraunhofer IWES comprehensive experience and project knowledge, for example Offshore WMEP (reliability of offshore wind energy converters) or COAST[1], will be facilitated in this project.

The goal of this project is the development of a software tool, which analyzes, evaluates and optimizes O&M strategies for offshore wind farms.

The Offshore TIMES concept is based on four basic principles:

• Holistic approach, e.g. Wind Farm Components, Project Life cycle, Financial Engineering
• Interdisciplinary, along the supply chain
• Time series based (40…50 years weather and sea state time series)
• Modular structure

Within the O&M phase activities, procedures and assignment of vessels / personnel for a wind farm are depending on various aspects (for example: reliability, energy yield, weather conditions, available personnel and cost of material, etc.) with sometimes opposing effects on availability and costs. Due to the high complexity of the maintenance strategies (e.g. planned or condition based maintenance), resources (personnel, vessels, spare parts) and environmental conditions (e.g. wind and waves) the O&M costs are associated with a high risk profile for offshore wind farm planners and operators. This is the starting point for Offshore TIMES. It simulates the maintenance activities for an offshore wind farm in a realistic way using a time step based approach.

As result of the simulated execution of the analyzed O&M concept, information regarding activity dates, durations, costs, vessel usage, degree of utilization and other factors, including their spectra (risk profile), will be provided.

Main technical features

- Simulation software for the O&M phase of the entire offshore wind farm in 1h steps

- Featuring: wind turbine/component reliability, wind farm logistics, spare part storage, maintenance staff deployment, weather and sea state conditions, simulated operation planning

- Based on long weather and sea state time series (e.g. 50 years)

- Innovative reliability module (including weather/load dependencies)

- Actor based simulation

- Local strategy analysis, comparison and optimization, e.g. in-situ vessel vs. helicopter decision 

- Cost and financial modelling

Related documents

•  160928_Project-Profile-Offshore-TIMES-v3.pdf

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Type of partner sought

Tasks to be performed by the partner you are looking for.

- Support and consultation in the development process
- Application and use of the OFFSHORE TIMES software