A Model for the Optimization of the Maintenance Support Organization for Offshore Wind Farms

Maintenance of offshore wind power plants is known to be extensive and costly. This paper presents a model for optimizing the maintenance support organization of an offshore wind farm: the location of maintenance accommodation, the number of technicians, the choice of transfer vessels, and the use of a helicopter. The model includes an analysis of a transportation strategy using alternative transportation means, a queuing model of maintenance activities, and an economic model of the maintenance support organization. An example based on a generic 100 wind turbine 5-MW wind farm is used to demonstrate the application of the model. The results show the benefit of the production losses of the different options, which enables the identification of an optimal maintenance support organization based on the reliability, logistic costs, and electricity price. The most cost-efficient maintenance support organization in the case study consists of an offshore accommodation with technicians on service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The solution suggests transportation by use of a crew transfer vessel equipped with a motion compensated access system.