Operational reliability in the wind industry as a prerequisite for reliable energy projects

In recent years, the importance of wind energy has steadily increased. Around a third of electricity in Germany is now produced in wind turbines. The larger this share of electricity generation, the more important the entire infrastructure around wind power production becomes. The operators bear a great responsibility. Economically, a lot depends on electricity production. In order for prices to remain as stable and calculable as possible, everything must function smoothly and reliably on a physical level so that the power grid remains stable and energy projects can run successfully. Operators must ensure operational safety across the board.

It is in the nature of wind farms that they require a lot of space. This makes it all the more important to implement a comprehensive security concept that ensures security throughout. For a long time, this was a difficult undertaking. In the meantime, modern technology helps immensely. Thanks to today's IP cameras , for example, the entire wind farm can be monitored around the clock and suspicious processes can be detected immediately. The surveillance cameras automatically evaluate the recordings in real time and can independently sound the alarm in the event of a problem. This means that no valuable time is lost in an emergency, so that the security personnel can act directly.

A lot is gained with such a security system. Problems can be located and rectified immediately, so that failures in the power generation of one or more plants can be prevented or at least rectified as quickly as possible. Operators of wind farms are interested in sustainable electricity and therefore also have an interest in keeping their own electricity consumption as low as possible. This is not only economically worthwhile, but also increases competitiveness.

A shutdown is the worst thing that can happen in a wind farm and quickly leads to an economic catastrophe. Accordingly, it is indispensable that the entire technology and mechanics function reliably and run smoothly. Therefore, the operators of the wind farms pay great attention to technical maintenance and the prevention of failures.

Here, artificial intelligence is already proving to be an important milestone in recent decades. This is because AI solutions can ensure longer service lives for wind farms . This is achieved by automatically analyzing all operating processes and evaluating the data by artificial intelligence. In this way, the ideal sequence is recognized. If there are changes in the collected data, the system recognizes where this change occurs and whether there is a situation that could lead to problems in the future. If this is the case, immediate intervention can be taken and preventive action can be taken so that a failure of the technology is not risked in the first place. Especially in the case of somewhat older and aging wind turbines, the performance can be optimized and high repair sums can be avoided under certain circumstances. What starts as a small and supposedly inconspicuous problem can become a problem in the long run, which affects various technical components of the system. You shouldn't let it get that far with your energy project. Compared to classic maintenance cycles, these so-called "predictive maintenance" solutions offer the advantage that they can be controlled individually and flexibly. Damage is not detected at the next maintenance appointment, but at an early stage, which is good for both sustainability and the profitability of the system.

For an energy project to function effectively in the long term, safety must be ensured in all areas. This starts with burglary protection, which denies access to unauthorized persons and thus prevents vandalism and theft. Apart from that, however, it is also important to ensure safety and smooth functionality within the devices, in the technology – not only temporarily, but sustainably. By using innovative monitoring solutions and smart management tools, operators not only secure their turbines, but also make an essential contribution to the stability of Europe's energy supply, in which the share of wind power is constantly increasing.