V. Hywind – the world first full scale floating wind turbine

Source: Statoil

First operation and maintenance manager, full scale floating wind turbine Hywind (2.3 MW) outside Karmøy. This was a technology Project

  • However a lot of challenges, to mention a few:
    • First mover in Statoil, culture challenges from O&G to lean renewables
    • Access to the turbine; especially during commissioning. One need low wind and waves in order to enter the turbine by boat, when entered one need wind in order to perform the commissioning procedures.
    • HSE investigations (although Hazid and Hazop’s)
    • Challenging contract negotiations as this was not a standard O&G project, but a technology project
    • “Baby sitting” during the first phase of operation with new patented turbine controller; no problem to break the turbine down within a week and spend millions on repair work.
    •  The turbine is still in operation, and has been one of the most producing Siemens Wind Power Turbine 2.3 MW
    • Much time spent on establishing a good “Hywind-culture;” w.r.t. from HSE and near miss reporting actually to happen to ownership and continuity, aiming for dedicated teams.
    • It is important to be hands on –   “the devils are in the details” (real risks.)  One need have insight into the turbine controller – R&D’s Mathlab algorithms, condition monitoring system and SCADA system in order to have control of relevant alarms, life time and health contitions of the systems and equipment, and the teams has to be well planned and coordinated across all the diciplines, cultures and suppliers. On the other hand one need to have budget, cost control , following up contract in due time. And not to forget training and making decisions and making actions when you can and not when you are forced to. At the same time the start up and operation shall be safe, as it was.
    • This Hywind demo turbine was a technical sucsess, which later on lead to the Hywind wind demo park with 5x 6 MW Siemens direct drive turbine  in late Autumn 2017. The next step  is commercialisation of large Hywind parks for deep waters (e.g. Japan, USA, UK etc.)

 

 

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