ABB’s New Remote Services to Enable Wind Parks Operators

Enabling Wind Park Operators

ABB launched new remote support services that enable wind park operators to increase wind turbine uptime, lower operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and reduce the levelized cost of energy. ABB Ability Condition Monitoring with data visualization is available immediately.

The new services are based on analysis of real-time data collected by the electrical drivetrain in wind turbines, consisting of the generator, frequency converter, and transformer. As a major supplier of components for the electrical drivetrain, ABB is working closely with customers to lead the digital transformation of wind turbines.

With ABB’s new remote support systems, digital electrical drivetrains are connected via the internet to the cloud. Data from the converter and from sensors mounted on the generator and transformer will be stored in the ABB Ability cloud. The data will be processed in real-time using smart algorithms and analytics, and used to perform diagnostics on drivetrain components. Key performance indicators relating to the components will be continuously monitored, providing visibility of the components to the wind park operator and enabling ABB to supply remote support.

Later releases of the service offering will add 24/7 remote assistance and predictive maintenance. Predictive maintenance can dramatically improve overall wind park performance. If a turbine starts to develop a defect, changes in the data coming from the turbine are detected by the ABB Ability algorithms and the system immediately sends an alert to the wind park operator. The operator can protect the turbine by operating it in a reduced run mode, and at the same time maintain the wind park’s output by balancing active and reactive power. The wind park can continue to meet grid code requirements and generate revenue, while maintenance is planned to repair the defective turbine with minimum downtime and maximum safety.