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DNV GL has conducted a variety of technical remote inspection services on over twenty wind farm projects around the world. The wind farms are located in the USA, Poland, China, Sweden and the UK, and are all operational projects, with a cumulative capacity of over 500 MW.
Like many global industries, the wind industry has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak and enforced travel restrictions by governments, both internationally and domestically. The coronavirus pandemic has altered timelines for many projects under construction and hindered the access for inspectors to visit operating projects.
Leveraging its global footprint and knowledge of local markets, DNV GL mobilized a multidisciplinary inspections team to develop a technology-based approach in collaboration with the wind farm site manager to ensure that remote wind farm inspections could be undertaken accurately, safely, timely and comply with relevant government legislation on travel restrictions.
These flexible remote inspections approach ensured that customers’ projects could be assessed, continue to operate and maintain project timelines, therefore avoiding delays or loss of revenue.
The inspections differed at each project but included wind turbine inspections, turbine condition/performance reviews, construction monitoring, operational due diligence and wind farm infrastructure reviews.
This innovation will continue to benefit operations after Covid-19, by reducing the carbon footprint of the wind industry and making sites safer, as less travel will be involved with fewer risks.
Prajeev Rasiah, Executive Vice President North Europe, Middle East & Africa at DNV GL Energy said: “Using the global wind turbine inspections expertise combined with our experience in remote services from our Oil & Gas and Maritime Divisions, we are excited to have delivered a flexible and innovative remote inspection approach into the market, helping our customers continue to work without interruption during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our own Energy Transition Outlook forecasts that we’ll need 5 times more wind power by 2030 to limit global warming to well below 2°C and meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. So, supporting the development and operation of wind projects at this time is of paramount importance, not only to the global economy, but also to meet legally binding carbon reduction limits.”
