Wind Today - Q1 2008 - (Page 20)

T echnical Operating Economics of Wind T urbines What to Consider in Determining T otal Cost of Operations This article is based on a presentation given by Blaine Sundwall, Western Director, Wind Operations & Maintenance, PPM Energy, Portland, OR (360-6661967), during the Operating Economics of Wind Turbines technical session at AWEA’s WINDPOWER 2007 Conference & Exhibition June 3-6, in Los Angeles, CA. Until recently, wind turbines in the megawatt class have primarily been operated by OEMs under warranty. ment, unscheduled maintenance must be expected and prepared for. Higher inventory levels increase capital cost and carrying cost, but improve wind turbine availability. Stocking level decisions should be based on part cost and lead time versus the cost of down time. Boundary conditions such as crane lead time (necessary for gearbox change out) should also be considered. Preventive maintenance can be scheduled and prepared for. Parts What’s included in an O&M budget? Items traditionally considered part of O&M include: • Turbine and Balance of Plant (BOP) preventive maintenance. • Turbine & BOP corrective maintenance. • Plant monitoring via SCADA (operations). • Road maintenance. • Miscellaneous (rolling stock cost, operating “T o key drivers affect the cost of operating w ke drivers affect farm—parts a wind farm—parts and labor “ . — Blaine Sundwall, PPM Energy avian monitoring, weed abatement, rodent control, hazmat, uniforms, PPE, phones, network connectivity, etc.). Some project costs are not This resulting disconnect for wind farm owners from the full involvement in the farm’s daily operation may limit the owner’s awareness of some significant operating costs. Two key drivers affect the cost of operating a wind farm—parts and labor. In determining how to maximize profit as well as power availability, wind farm owners need to know what costs to measure. Parts Failure of major components is the single largest budget item for an O&M system. Predicting failure rates is an inexact science. Several tools exist to aid in projecting failure rates and associated costs, including Mean Time Between Failures analysis (MTBF), historical analysis, Weibull, and experience. Since limited data is available for failure analysis and reliability improve20 needed for preventive maintenance are predictable and available from many sources. Cost and stocking analysis for these parts is primarily driven by the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance cycle. Labor Wind farms tend to require more maintenance and less operations-related work. Typically, staff at a wind farm spend most of their time doing preventive or corrective (unscheduled) maintenance. On the other hand, operations primarily involve resetting tripped turbines and collecting data. Preventive maintenance is predictable with controlled cost since it can be scheduled when workers and equipment are available. Corrective maintenance can make or break an O&M budget. Unscheduled maintenance may require the assistance of a third party. Additional costs of traditionally considered a part of O&M, but need to be accounted. These include: • Lost generation due to time spent on preventive and corrective maintenance. • Crop damage payments due to maintenance. • Land owner payments (lease). • Corporate overhead (accounting, legal, HR, etc.) • Scheduling costs. • Imbalance costs. (As the wind industry grows, utilities will require more scheduling and more precise prediction. They may impose high imbalance charges if actual output varies significantly from that predicted.) WIND TODA Y First Quarter 2008

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Wind Today - Q1 2008

Wind Today - Q1 2008 Contents Windpower 2008 U.S. Energy Map Canada Energy Map Global Report Options and Expectations for O&M Service Providers O&M Safety Issues for Wind Farms Guanting Wind Farm to Power 2008 Olympics Operating Economics of Wind Farms Long-Term Operating Costs Post-Warranty Energy Bill Incentives May Have Another Chance Wind Gears: A Closer Look at the Drive Train Elk River Wind Farm Should Lightning Be A Concern For Wind Farms? Interview: Steve Sawyer Zephyr Powers Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort WT News: United States & Canada Interview: Willett Kempton Centennial Wind Energy WT Transmission: Southwest Power Pool EPA's Top 25 Wind Power Projects 2008 RPS Update Mark Scher, MSE Power Systems Richard Legault, Helimax Second Wind Henkels & McCoy NRG Systems Apterra Technologies, Inc. Wind Resource Maps: Michigan and New York Calendar Glossary Product Surveys Ad Index

Wind Today - Q1 2008

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