Acteon has been commissioned to create a digital twin of the 50MW Kincardine offshore wind farm that will help optimise future inspection and survey activities.
Acteon brand 2H will develop and implement the structural response digital twin based on machine-learning techniques from its base in Aberdeen.
The new approach comes after the operator led by Spain’s Grupo Cobra faced costly repairs last year and the year before when damaged turbines were towed to Rotterdam.
Once integrated with Kincardine’s monitoring systems, the digital twin will provide insight into the asset response during operations, give an early indication of possible anomalies.
Operational data collected during the 18-month project will also be used to enable asset life extension and advance digital twin technology.
The project is part-funded by Spanish government agency, Red.es, through the Spanish Recovery and Resilience Plan, funded by the EU.
2H has worked on similar project in the past, creating a similar digital twin as part of the TetraSpar Innovation Challenge.
© Supplied by ActeonIn addition to 2H’s Kincardine digital twin, Acteon member Pulse will undertake operations and maintenance work.
The company is spearheading the design, supply, and installation of structural health and motion monitoring systems for the floating wind turbines.
The systems will include six-degree-of-freedom motion monitoring and position and heading sensors on the platforms, additional load strain gauges and data-connectivity infrastructure.
The work started in spring 2024 for Grupo Cobra with the scope covering the wind farm’s floating turbines,
The Kincardine offshore wind farm, featuring five V164-9.5 MW turbines mounted on Principle Power WindFloat platforms, is one of the world’s largest operating floating wind farms.
Positioned in water depths ranging from 60–80 metres located 15 km off the coast of Aberdeen, Scotland, these turbines have been successfully generating clean energy since October 2021.
Kincardine digital twin
“With 80% of the world’s offshore wind resources in deep waters, floating turbines open new opportunities to harness clean energy,” said Juan Antonio Lopez, Grupo Cobra O&M manager.
“Scotland is at the leading edge of floating wind developments. Kincardine demonstrates the readiness of floating wind, and Acteon’s work in helping us to understand how the assets respond to real life operating conditions will be invaluable for managing this wind farm and providing the insight we need to improve future floating wind projects.”
Acteon vice-president Tim Eyles added: “Providing an integrated monitoring and digital twin solution is vital,”.
“Our technologies are specifically selected for dynamic floating wind assets. Our extensive long-term experience of structural monitoring and design of dynamic offshore assets will inform the digital twin response modelling and assessment of the floating turbines.”
In April this year, Acteon Group was acquired by private equity investors Buckthorn Partners and One Equity Partners (OEP).
Acteon Group includes more than 15 companies operating in the offshore renewables, oil and gas, and decommissioning sectors.
The windfarm has been producing electricity since 2021 which has been sold in power purchase agreement to Statkraft.
Recommended for you
