Wind Today - Q1 2008 - (Page 24)

WT TECHNICAL: LONG-TERM OPERA TING COSTS POST -WARRANTY management is for data collectors to determine operational parameters to track. Typical causes of losses include wind turbine availability, icing and cold temperature-related issues, blade soiling, grid problems, and service access disruption. Researchers would then compare actual performance to predicted annual energy performance (AEP) from the initial wind resource assessment (WRA). This comparison requires that the components causing downtime be isolated and the downtime quantified for that parameter. It would also require understanding of the definitions in the warranty contract to ensure proper comparison with the initial prediction. The collected and analyzed data would then be used to adjust long-term benchmarks. Failur ailures Understanding Failures A third component of asset management is to understand failures. In 2006, the Institute for Solar Energy Technology, Kassel, Germany (ISET/+49 561 7294-0), completed a study of failure frequency and downtime of components for the German fleet of wind turbines. The top chart shows the annual failure frequency of the respective components to the left in blue and downtime per failure to the right in red based on 34,582 incident reports. Note that electrical system failures occured most frequently, but resulted in a minimal amount of downtime. Generator failure, which occured infrequently, resulted in the highest amount of downtime. The bottom chart depicts the mean time between failures by component. This analysis indicates that the drive train could be expected to operate for almost 20 years (perhaps the lifetime of the wind turbine) before a failure occurs. 24 This kind of data regarding wind turbine component failures can indicate the frequency of component breakdowns, the cost of repair, the duration of outages by component, and overall fleet availability. If wind farm owners and operators can manage their assets conservatively by analyzing industry data and tracking performance of their wind farm, operating costs can be minimized. The alternative is to pay for longterm repair and maintenance which may be easier, but more expensive. 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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