DNV has launched a joint industry project (JIP) alongside wind farm owners, turbine manufacturers, as well as other sector experts, to increase confidence in wind farm control (WFC) technology.
WFC covers the models and procedures required to control each turbine in a wind farm through approaches such as wake steering and induction control, in a way that optimises the site’s total output or overall performance.
It enables operators to extract additional energy and potentially optimise loading across turbines and allows them to “claw back” some of the wake losses that reduce energy yield.
Companies involved in the JIP include EDF Renewables, Enel Green Power, Engie, Equinor, GE Renewable Energy, Greencoat, Iberdrola/Scottish Power, Pattern, RES, RWE, Shell, Vestas, Windey and Ørsted.
Ditlev Engel, CEO Energy Systems at DNV, said: “DNV launches this joint industry project to demonstrate the value of this promising wind control technology, which may become as common as energy yield assessment and equally necessary to wind projects.
“It’s tremendous to see that many key players in the wind industry unite to further the development of technologies that will have an immense benefit for the sector, and society at large.
“The more we can optimise the output of wind farms, the faster we will achieve our global climate goals.”
Anne Vedel, SVP Product Solutions & Integration at Vestas Power Solutions, said: “Implementing intelligent wind farm control and thereby increasing the efficiency of wind power plants will be one of the key enablers for securing the green energy transition.
“Implementing new technology requires careful validation in order to make sure that we don’t compromise the quality or performance of our products, which is why we join this program.
“Improving existing products through innovation, rather than implementing unproven new technology, is key for us to ensure sustainable and reliable product development.”
WFC can enable operators to optimise their assets’ performances and bring increased revenue from generation, reduction in operational turbine loading and extension of the life of turbines.