On January 16-19, the annual World Future Energy Summit (WFES) will gather in Abu Dhabi for the fifth time key political, business, academic and industry players from different parts of the world committed to satisfy our growing need for sustainable energy.
As this year’s summit program is focusing on Powering Sustainable Innovation, the global wind energy leader Vestas is pleased to present two of its latest technology innovations: the V164-7.0 MW offshore turbine and its new AOM 5000 (Active Output Management) service offering.
V164-7.0 MW: A technological revolution in offshore wind
Since the production of its first turbine about 30 years ago, Vestas has relentlessly committed itself to lower the cost of wind energy by developing products and services that offer the best possible business case certainty.
Having delivered 580 offshore turbines representing a total capacity of 1,407.09 MW to the offshore market worldwide as of 30 June 2011, Vestas has a pioneering expertise to answer offshore challenges (e.g.: large scale projects, distance from shore, depths of installation, safety, etc.) Its new V164-7.0 MW introduces a new generation of turbines 100% dedicated to optimize yield and profitability of offshore wind power plants.
Thanks to a huge rotor diameter of 164 metres and an excellent rotor to generator ratio, the V164-7.0 MW maximises the amount of energy captured. With more than 21,000 square meters, its swept area is equivalent to almost three football pitches. Variables like wind speed, water depth, wind power plant size, grid capacity and foundation type are also taken into account to optimise its yield.
Moreover, the V164-7.0 MW has been designed to require as little maintenance as possible, while offering safe, quick and cost efficient service conditions when maintenance operations are required. For example, an aircraft-inspired ‘redundant component’ policy design avoids unnecessary interventions between schedules servicing and ensures normal output if unexpected issues arise. The turbine also features failure tolerant modes and all equipment and components are evolutions of proving existing technology.
AOM 5000: Move wind from hour to power
To face current environmental and financial challenges, wind power plants developers and owners demand higher flexibility, superior performance and better risk management. In response to these needs and in line with Vestas’ relentless commitment to continuously drive down the cost of energy and ensure customers’ business case certainty, the company launched last year its newest product within the Active Output Management (AOM) series: the AOM 5000, a new service offer that optimizes wind power plant output and minimizes customers’ risk.
AOM 5000 is the result of Vestas’ solid global experience and its industry-leading approach to capture and analyze wind turbine performance data from real-time monitoring of over 21,000 turbines all around the world 24/7 through its seven Performance & Diagnostics centers.
While the traditional service offerings, often referred to as “time-based availability guarantees” provide a guarantee that the turbines in a wind power plant are operational for a defined amount of time on an annual basis, AOM 5000 introduces an “energy-based guarantee” which ensures the turbines are fully operational whenever the wind is blowing.
AOM 5000 is the first energy based service offering in the wind industry available globally, and it represents Vestas commitment to be a better partner to its customers: the new AOM 5000 will provide customers with increased security that their wind assets will deliver as promised. Speaking about an order signed with Vestas last year for the delivery of 150 MW including a five-year service and maintenance agreement with AOM 5000, Ricardo Botelho, CEO of Energisa S.A., declared: “We have opted for the AOM 5000, as it introduces an energy-based guarantee ensuring the turbines are fully operational when the wind is blowing. We believe that this service offering will provide us with a higher certainty of energy production and a higher energy output, leading to a more secure return on investment.”
Since this new service offer was introduced to the market about a year ago, Vestas has already signed 15 AOM 5000 contracts with customers all over the world representing a total capacity of 1,320 MW.
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Offshore WIND staff, January 18, 2012; Image: vestas