Siemens Visualises Walney Extension Work with Houlder’s Software Tool

Houlder’s Advanced Analysis Group has provided Siemens Wind Power with a bespoke 3D-visualisation software tool to model project logistics and optimise the turbine installation process at DONG Energy’s Walney Extension East offshore wind farm.

The value of a forward view of installation is highlighted by the fact that typically 70% of a 25-year wind farm lifetime costs can be attributed to the construction phase, Houlder said.

Robin Odlum, Project Manager of Siemens Wind Power Walney Extension, asked marine consultancy Houlder for help. The company in turn developed a modelling software said to de-risk the logistics share of installation expenditure and identify potential savings.

“Unpredicted delay, for any reason, is incredibly costly. We therefore can’t rely on estimations, however carefully made, to achieve our aggressive schedules and budgets. We need a high degree of confidence in our logistics planning, which is why we turned to statistical modelling, “ Odlum said.

The statistical solution developed in-house by Houlder ”can virtually model the entire process of installing a wind farm from components leaving the factory to final installation and commissioning of the assembled WTG offshore.”

James Russell, Chief Hydrodynamicist for Houlder’s Advanced Analysis Group and the creator of the tool, said: “We mapped the entire project as process gates, with each unit representing a real-world process step. For example, how long it takes to sail the WTG components from Denmark to Northern Ireland, how long it takes for them to be loaded / offloaded from the vessel, what happens at the pre-assembly site, etc.”

The software tool created by Russel allowed Houlder to first test Robin’s original plan, then identify bottlenecks, failure points and opportunities for improvement, the company said.

This is of particular importance for weather-sensitive operations such as crane lifting and marine transport operations.

“We took the last 10 years of hindcast weather data for the site, and applied it to the model. It identified equipment utilisations, downtime durations and ultimately a percentage probability of completing the whole operation in the target time,” Russell said.

The 660MW Walney Extension, located approximately 19 kilometres off the coast of Cumbria, comprises two wind farms, Walney Extension East and Walney Extension West.

Siemens will supply, install and commission 47 of its 7MW wind turbines for the Walney Extension East. MHI Vestas Offshore Wind will supply 40 optimised 8MW turbines for Walney Extension West.

The installation of the wind turbines is expected to start in early 2018. The wind farm is expected to be commissioned in 2019.