Imagine if a wind turbine could tell you exactly how much 'life' it has left based on the wear and tear from salty sea air. This system acts like a health tracker for giant turbines, adjusting how they run to prevent damage while still making as much power as possible. It helps operators decide exactly when to fix things so they don't waste money on unnecessary trips out to sea.
Offshore wind turbines suffer from corrosion and fatigue due to harsh environments, leading to premature failure. Current control systems are static and do not account for the trade-off between maximizing immediate power and preserving the long-term health of the structure.
An open-source smart curtailment tool and a Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system. It includes a cybersecurity strategy for IoT devices and industrial control systems.
If you are a Wind Farm Operator dealing with high maintenance costs and unpredictable turbine wear — this project developed a smart curtailment solution and health monitoring system that balances power production against structural wear. This helps extend the life of turbines up to 20 MW beyond 50 years.
If you are a Grid Operator dealing with unstable power supply from fluctuating wind conditions — this project developed a data-driven control system that optimizes power dispatch. This ensures better grid stability while protecting the physical assets of the wind farm.
If you are a hardware provider dealing with the harsh conditions of offshore environments — this project developed a Structural Health Monitoring system using AI and physical models. This allows for high-quality data collection to perform reliable fleet life assessments.
Based on available project data, the system reduces the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) by optimizing maintenance scheduling and extending the operational life of the turbines.
Yes, the project specifically targets the current trend of offshore wind farms with turbines up to 20 MW.
The project aims to provide an open-source, data-driven smart curtailment solution to Wind Farm Operators.
Based on available project data, a cybersecurity strategy has been developed covering Industrial Control Systems, IoT identity management, and software development lifecycles.
The project period runs from 2023-10-01 to 2026-09-30, with initial specifications and cybersecurity guidelines already completed in the first 18 months.
The consortium is heavily industry-weighted with 7 industrial partners (54% ratio), including 8 SMEs. This strong commercial presence, combined with 4 research centers and 1 university across 5 European countries, suggests the project is driven by market needs rather than pure academic curiosity.
Contact ASOCIACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO CEIT in Spain
Contact us to connect with the WILLOW consortium for early adoption of the open-source curtailment tools.
