Lifetime extension of Wind turbines
In the interests of the sustainable use of renewable energies and in the context of cost-effectiveness, operators are aiming for the longest possible life time of wind turbines as co-initiators of the energy transition in Germany and world wide.
For economic reasons, it makes sense to design the wind turbine for a finite period of time. The reference life time for a WEA offshore are usually 20 years. Now the question arises about the actual and the maximum life time of a wind turbine.
It is possible to check or recalculate the results of the first proof of stability on the basis of the operating values.
The plants usually have a reserve in terms of durability, which is mainly the result of the fact that the real load is usually well below the stress assumed for the type test.
Due to this an extension of the useful life is possible!
To achieve the climate protection targets, existing and well-accepted wind turbines should be able to continue operating even after the EEG allowances have expired
What are the reasons for continuing to operate wind turbines?
In the interests of sustainable use of renewable energies and against the background of economic efficiency, it makes sense to operate older systems under certain conditions and under strict controls beyond the originally planned operating time. For economic reasons, a service life of 20 years is assumed for German onshore wind turbines. However, most designs have sufficient reserves in terms of durability to reliably supply green electricity beyond this period. This is mainly because the actual load is often significantly lower than the load assumed for the type test.
In order to achieve climate protection goals, existing and well-accepted wind turbines should be able to continue operating even after the EEG subsidies expire. The question now arises as to the actual and maximum service life of a wind turbine. To extend the service life, the results of the initial stability proof can be checked or recalculated on the basis of the operating values.
expert opinion for the continued operation of wind turbines
To prepare a report on the continued operation of a wind turbine, several consecutive inspections are necessary. The inspection of older wind turbines usually includes the following three stages:
- Analytical part: Based on the available documents, a statement is made about the possible continued operation of the entire system.
- Practical part: Checking the technical condition of the entire system and all relevant components with regard to possible continued operation.
- Repair and replacement of safety-relevant components
As experienced engineers and assessors, we are able to reliably assess whether the continued operation of a plant that is more than 20 years old is justifiable and sensible in terms of safety and economic efficiency. While the analytical control of the existing documents can be carried out in our expert office in Wunstorf, the technical condition of the plant is checked at its respective location in Germany or Europe.
Sustainable and economical – the continued operation of older wind turbines
If you would like to know whether your old wind turbine has the potential to continue operating economically, then contact us. We will review all available options for you and organize all further work required to ensure safe continued operation.
We also rely on multi-contracting when repairs and replacements may be necessary in order to achieve the most cost-effective solution possible.
Our offer
We offer the following services on the basis of the "Principles for Conducting an Assessment and Testing on the Continuing Operation of Wind Turbines (BPW) on land:
- On the basis of the existing documents, a statement is made about a possible continuation of operation of the entire system (analytical part)
- An examination of the technical condition of the entire system with regard to a possible further operation (practical part)
