CEE Group presents innovative software for its wind turbine components

CEE operates wind turbines in Germany and France with a total capacity of about 370 megawatts. Frank Grafe, Director, explains: “Our goal as asset manager is to minimise risk and optimise yields. With a track record stretching back more than 15 years, we have a broad based portfolio of more than 130 turbines. Each make has its own special features which it is well worth becoming acquainted with.”

Faults determined in expert reports and by sight inspections and maintenance work, for example, are documented automatically in the database. As a result, the lifetime file can be updated and maintained without any further effort. The component database also enables CEE to draw up optimised, customised service plans for each turbine. The benefits are a reduction in turbine downtimes and longer lifetimes.

The innovative approach of systematically classifying all turbine components under the control of CEE in order to link and evaluate the information and offer options for action took further shape in the autumn of 2018 when it entered into a cooperation agreement with softEnergy GmbH, 8.2 Obst und Ziehmann GmbH and windexperts Prüfgesellschaft mbH.

Moreover, according to Frank Grafe this step fully reflects CEE’s values. “As a long-term investor and operator of renewable energy plants, we always work closely with our cooperation partners.”

The centralised recording of component defects by all parties is essential for the efficient operation of turbines. Initially, it was necessary to automate and harmonise the recording of all information from expert reports, sight inspections and maintenance work. “Using the wind energy information system, we were able to make significant savings in documenting defects and thus create the basis for further component evaluations,” adds Thomas Niestaedt, Managing Director of softEnergy GmbH. 

As a long-standing partner of CEE, windexperts carries out technical assessments of wind turbines. The results are recorded in the company’s own reporting structure and represent a solid basis for the further digital processing of the results in a lifetime file. Sascha Schnabel, Managing Director of windexperts Prüfgesellschaft mbH, says: “We are very pleased that both the quality of our tests and our reporting structure directly address the needs of our clients.”

8.2 and CEE have also collaborated for many years in solar PV and wind energy. Since this year, the inspections of the turbines have been performed with a new testing and documentation tool which enables the experts to generate digital input for CEE’s database on the wind turbines themselves.

“To enable wind and solar PV installations to operate as efficiently and securely as long as possible, we work as technical consultants and experts to offer a range of solutions. This approach initiated by CEE is a new and good step forward and we look forward to continuing along this path with CEE,” explains Lauritz Hamm, head of the Wind Department, 8.2 Obst & Ziehmann GmbH.

Date of presentation of the CEE components database at the Linstow Wind Energy Days:
Wednesday, 07.11.2018, 13:45h, “Forum 8 “IT & Digitalisation”
Title: Services 4.0 – Digital defect management from start to finish

softEnergy GmbH

Based in Rostock, softEnergy GmbH has been a partner for individual software solutions for wind turbines since 2004. The wind energy information system (WIS) supports the commercial and technical management of wind turbines and is modelled on traditional operating systems for quick and easy learning. More than 50 customers place their trust in customised software solutions of softEnergy GmbH and use WIS to monitor and evaluate more than 9,000 wind turbines and maximise their performance and lifetime.

windexperts Prüfgesellschaft mbH

Since 2002, windexperts Prüfgesellschaft has been the core of a network of independent experts for wind turbines. From more than 21,000 tests, the windexperts network has acquired a wealth of experience from technical inspections of wind turbines, both onshore and offshore. The windexperts network can draw on the services of 21 specialists. Besides regular inspections such as commissioning, end-of-warranty and recurring tests as well as gearbox video endoscopies, lifetime extension assessments and vibration analysis of the drivetrain, windexperts network also performs technical inspections in accordance with customer needs.

8.2 Obst & Ziehmann GmbH

8.2 Obst & Ziehmann GmbH is part of the 8.2 Group, a network of technical experts which was established in Germany in 1995. In the wind energy segment, the group’s expertise is based in particular on the technical inspection of over 40,000 wind turbines worldwide. The practical experience gained from those inspections enables the 8.2 Group to provide very practical advice on many aspects. The main areas of focus are technical support for operators and investors in feasibility studies, technical due diligence, negotiating support, monitoring of construction work, acceptance tests, optimisation of operational management, technical inspections, HSE advice and determination of the remaining service life (arranged according to the project cycle).

With more than 5,000 customers in 40 countries, the track record of the 8.2 Group covers about 15.2GW TDD wind, 5.3 GW condition monitoring (4.0 GW offline, 1.3 GW online) and more than 4.2 GWp PV.