- 2018-11-16
- Source: GOLDWIND
Wu Kai, Executive Vice President of Goldwind, delivered a keynote speech on Continuous Innovation, Value Creation and Optimization of Ecosystem at China Offshore Wind Power Conference and Wind Power Electrical Equipment Summit Forum on November 14th. He shared Goldwind’s practices and ideas on the reduction of levelized cost of energy (LCOE), digital transformation and lean innovation with the participants.
Wu Kai pointed out that the wind power industry is facing an important challenge to shift its focus from IRR to LCOE. The LCOE can be reduced in three aspects: energy production, construction cost, and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost. To increase energy production, we can integrate wind resources that are relatively good, develop high-yield turbine, make forward-looking planning and design, and use power boost technologies. To reduce construction cost, we can develop digital wind farm, refine the design at an early stage, optimize transportation, and improve lifting process and tooling. To reduce O&M cost, we can improve the reliability of equipment (reduce O&M cost by 23%), enhance the smart O&M capability, and build service assurance system.
From his perspective, a good wind farm should have these characteristics: high energy production, low O&M cost, low failure rate of large components, stable operation of turbine, grid code compliance, and environmental friendliness.
To this end, Goldwind has made the following observations on “wind resource, wind turbine, wind farm, grid and environment” in a systematic way.
Wind resource - we should accurately measure the wind, optimize the assessment, and tap the maximum potential of resources.
Wind turbine - the design of turbine should enable reliability, intelligence and flexibility, and support a variety of application scenarios.
Wind farm - we should achieve customized design of wind farm, improve engineering, and ensure lean delivery.
Grid - we should ensure good connection to the grid, enhanced quality, and superior compliance with demanding grid code requirements.
Environment - we should achieve environmental friendliness and adaptation, and lead the higher standards of environmental protection.
How to think and plan in a systematic way? Wu Kai believed that the fundamental way is to be customer-oriented. Meanwhile, for the main control system of wind turbine, it is efficient and reliable to develop control software based on the model. The unit testing, model in the loop, hardware in the loop and power hardware in the loop are integrated into a closed-loop simulation environment. With technologies and systems related to reliability, verification and validation, we will continue to improve this process.
“Focusing on the system and technological innovation, and showing the value” are the key words that Wu Kai repeatedly emphasized at the conference. In his view, it is necessary to realize the data management, analysis and control optimization of “wind turbine → wind farm → cloud”. “It aims to increase energy production, environmental friendliness, grid adaptability and turbine operating stability, implement PHM, and optimize OPEX.”
Wu Kai believed that digitization throughout the lifecycle is an important way to achieve grid parity. New technologies constantly drive the self-improvement and iteration of the wind power industry. One example is the Smart Manufacturing driven by automation and intelligence. How to define intelligence? It can be defined from the following four aspects: optimized delivery plan based on smart algorithms; automatic order allocation, automatic component configuration; dynamic inventory optimization; material tracking and process traceability. Automation refers to the optimization of factory layout, automation of assembly line, and smart tooling.
In addition, digital wind farm is an important achievement in the continuous development of new technologies. Goldwind always keeps up with the trend of the times and grasps the trend of the industry. With 20 years of hard work in wind power, Goldwind actively promotes Made in China 2025 strategy, Internet Plus action plan, and internet and digital transformation of wind power. At present, Goldwind has established an advanced digital platform where we can make the digital wind farm solution. The solution integrates Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge technologies to provide digital support for wind farm macro-siting, refined wind measurement, wind resource assessment, wind farm planning and design, construction management, asset management and optimization, etc.
Goldwind's digital wind farm solutions includes self-developed, customized and smart direct-drive turbines, New Freemeso, GoldFarm, SOAMTM, EFarm, POWERNESTTM, Resmart and other digital systems and technologies, covering whole chain from wind farm planning and design to wind farm construction. It has integrated a series of IT tools such as centralized power forecast, smart diagnostics, health alert, optimization of turbine operation, etc. With more intensive sensing, higher connectivity, and more advanced smart technologies, we will ultimately improve energy production and equipment reliability, reduce cost, and continuously improve the competitiveness of wind energy.
