Ecofys Netherlands B.V. / Ecofys Wind Turbine Test Site
Lelystad, Flevoland, Netherlands
Project
Owning and operating the largest wind turbine test site in Europe, Test Site Lelystad, Ecofys embraced, for the first time in the history of wind energy, asset lifecycle information management to help make wind power cheaper, safer, and more efficient. The project required Ecofys to address the role of information technology, to address both the physical and financial risks associated with poor performance, and the inefficiencies with projects caused by not having the right information at the right time. Ecofys used Bentley solutions at Test Site Lelystad to demonstrate that by taking a lifecycle approach to asset management wind can be competitive with other energy sources.
Facts
- Ecofys’ implementation of AssetWise at Test Site Lelystad represents an historic approach to managing information for wind energy projects.
- Using AssetWise, Ecofys demonstrated that asset lifecycle information management can reduce costs, and improve safety and efficiency of wind farms.
- Based on a hypothetical offshore wind farm with 30×3 megawatt turbines, Ecofys estimated a potential total cost savings of USD 4.3 million over a 20-year lifecycle.
Solution
Ecofys implemented and configured AssetWise software at the test site to show the benefits of technology for managing all asset information associated with the test site over its lifecycle, and how the same methods could be applied to larger onshore and major offshore wind farms. For its new information system, Ecofys used AssetWise to model procedures for identifying and relating assets, contextualizing asset information, streamlining workflows, managing collaboration among multiple disciplines and stakeholders, and ensuring tight control of the many interdependencies necessary for the success of wind energy projects.
Outcome
Bentley’s AssetWise produced direct time savings by synchronizing asset information, streamlining workflows, and reducing delays and other consequential effects of poor asset information. The implementation of automated workflows reduced risk of non-compliance. Effectively modeling relationships between important data points eliminates costs associated with fluctuating projects and personnel. Based on the results at the test site, Ecofys estimated a significant potential cost savings for future wind farm projects using asset lifecycle information management.
Software
AssetWise
Using AssetWise represents a paradigm shift in the way information is managed for a wind energy project. Configuring Bentley Geo Web Publisher for the front end on AssetWise improved visualization and control of assets at Test Site Lelystad. Bentley’s integrated AssetWise software provided a cohesive platform for managing asset portfolios of different types and for multiple disciplines and stakeholders to collaborate effectively. AssetWise is the first asset lifecycle information management software used in the history of wind energy.
