The impact of LIDAR-assisted pitch control on floating offshore wind
operational expenditure
Abstract
Floating offshore wind (FOW) is a renewable energy source that is set to
play an essential role in addressing climate change and the need for
sustainable development. However, due to the increasing threat of
climate emergency, more wind turbines are required to be deployed in
deep water locations, further offshore. This presents heightened
challenges for accessing the turbines and performing maintenance,
leading to increased costs. Naturally, methods to reduce operational
expenditure (OpEx) are highly desirable. One method that shows potential
for reducing OpEx of FOW is LIDAR-assisted pitch control. This approach
uses wind velocity measurements from a nacelle-mounted LIDAR to enable
feedforward control of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWTs), and can
result in reductions to the variations of structural loads. Results
obtained from a previous study of combined feedforward collective and
individual pitch control (FFCPC+FFIPC) are translated to OpEx reductions
via reduced component failure rates for future FOW developments, namely
in locations awarded in the recent ScotWind leasing round. The results
indicate that LIDAR-assisted pitch control may allow for an up to 5%
reduction in OpEx, increasing up to 11% with workability constraints
included. The results varied across the three ScotWind sites considered,
with sites furthest from shore reaping the greatest benefit from
LIDAR-assisted control. This work highlights the potential savings and
reduction in the overall levelised cost of energy for future offshore
wind turbine projects deliverable through the implementation of
LIDAR-assisted pitch control.