WindEnergy Hamburg: Artificial intelligence at the highest level

Rather simple and inconspicuous on the outside, high-tech on the inside: Whether intelligent networking, efficient control systems, digital remote monitoring or fault predictions based on artificial intelligence (AI), wind turbines contain more digital innovations and state-of-the-art technology than it seems at first glance. Above all, the use of AI and big data analyses is becoming increasingly relevant in the green energy business. Maintenance cycles are planned with foresight, performance data is precisely evaluated and operating strategies are continuously optimized. In a separate expo area on the topic of AI in Hall A3, WindEnergy Hamburg will be showing exhibitors on the topic of digitization and artificial intelligence. "Companies will present software applications and smart technologies here that manufacturers can use to leverage additional potential and thus get the most out of their plants," says Andreas Arnheim, Director WindEnergy Hamburg and WindEnergy Asia-Pacific powered by RECHARGE.

Wind forecasts play a central role in this. The more precise the forecasts, the more precisely operators can plan the power generation of their plants – and thus increase grid stability. A particularly innovative solution comes from the Japanese exhibitor BlueWX. "Based on our patented method, which has already proven itself in aviation, we are developing a site-specific and highly precise wind forecast based on deep learning," says Chief Executive Officer, Kaz Watanabe. "We are very much looking forward to presenting our product at the trade fair and exchanging ideas with interested parties."

The RegViento Controller from the Stuttgart-based company MesH Engineering , on the other hand, enables a higher wind yield. With the help of AI, the operation of wind farms is optimized through intelligent and coordinated control of the wind turbines. "At WindEnergy Hamburg, operators can use our 'RegViento Explorer' tool to test the potential of the controller live and immediately see the yield potential of an optimized wind farm control system," says Dr.-Ing. Matthias Kretschmer, RegViento Project Manager at MesH Engineering. "For example, it can make sense to slightly reduce the output of the front turbines or to optimize their orientation in a targeted manner in order to reduce flow losses of the downstream turbines and thus increase the efficiency of the entire park."

A clever software solution specially tailored to the complex requirements of the industry is also offered by the AI specialist Octonomy. The platform captures all plant-relevant documents (manuals, diagrams, circuit diagrams, etc.) and solves queries in a few seconds with 96 percent accuracy. One of the customers of the Cologne-based software company is Prokon, one of Germany's largest energy cooperatives. The company operates wind farms throughout Germany and also takes care of the service of the turbines. The software helps the service teams to make more precise diagnoses and plan their operations more efficiently. "With Octonomy, we reduce our journeys by 50 percent. The system gives us the security we need in critical infrastructure," says Dr. Yousef Farschtschi, Head of IT at Prokon.

A proven industry solution is the Integrated Process Data Management (IPM) from CSP Intelligence. The platform of the Bavarian software company also uses artificial intelligence to evaluate process and quality data, detect deviations at an early stage and improve quality assurance in production. "Our Curve Anomaly AI automatically reports safety-critical screw connections, supplemented by camera-based computer vision methods that verify the correct execution of an assembly step," explains Philipp Gläßer, Product Manager at CSP. For wind turbine manufacturers, this means that highly stressed screw connections on the tower, rotor blade and nacelle are checked during assembly – and thus serious errors during bolting are avoided.

The exhibitors' solutions underline the extent to which data-driven innovations are changing the industry. "Whether manufacturer, supplier, wind farm operator or software specialist, whether established company or innovative start-up – a prerequisite for a successful digital transformation is always the direct exchange between those involved in the industry," says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress. "WindEnergy Hamburg will once again offer a unique opportunity to make new contacts in personal conversations, maintain existing networks and pick up on fresh ideas for your own business."