Offshore wind farms are an important part of the future sustainability of our environment and the way we produce energy to power our cities and lives around the globe. Over the course of the past few decades the importance of wind farms has grown with governments and large energy companies, and with that has come projects that look to build large offshore wind farms that can create energy through wind power. During the building phase of a wind turbine, and multiple wind turbines to create a farm, there are many different processes to consider, large materials in place, infrastructure to set up, as well as multiple contractors and vessels to manage, all within a tight and secure framework of health and safety. Having the ability to keep track of all items, and manage documentation of all assets and contractors is vital for the smooth running of the operation.
Once the construction phase is complete there is a need to continue the effective and streamlined operations of document management and asset tracking due to the need for regular and thorough maintenance and occasional repair where necessary. If your processes and systems of management are not secure and robust to begin with, you could be hit with problems further down the line in terms of hazards and potential accidents, damage to the wind farms and assets, delays in construction and maintenance, poor functionality and effectiveness, and higher costs and loss of profits as a results of all of this.
As with any large infrastructure projects it is important that the on-going maintenance of an offshore wind farm is looked at as a vital process from day one. The longer any mechanical item is used, the more it will begin to suffer from wear and tear. For a large wind turbine, located in a challenging location, this makes for a more difficult task than a building located in the middle of a city for instance.
It is vital that during routine maintenance that there is the scope for highly trained technicians with knowledge of the specific mechanisms in place can have access to the wind turbines if required. These technicians can either be available on site or readily available in the local area, depending on where the wind farm is located and the amount of regular maintenance required.
Constant monitoring of the wind turbines should also be complemented with a thorough analysis and investigation to ensure that everything is in full working order, with testing procedures put in place and a details checklist fully ticked before the session is marked as complete and ready to go.
By producing a regular and thorough maintenance of offshore wind farms and specific wind turbines you can ensure that the long-term profitability and effectiveness of the project remains intact. Utilising skilled contractors, sticking to clear schedules and managing everything from a streamlined site management tool will help you to be as effective as possible when managing the maintenance and repair of an offshore wind farm for a long period of time.
