Ice accumulating on the blades of wind turbines is a major headache for operators of wind farms in the winter, particularly in countries where low temperatures in that season are the norm. An ice-detection system being tested in Greece is giving promising results. This is important because ice can be dangerous. Blocks of ice falling from turbine blades pose a significant hazard to workers who happen to be present at the site. Ice also increases the rate of wear of the turbines, with evident implications for maintenance and replacement costs, as well as for safety if a part of a blade should fall to the ground. Then there is lost production – as soon as ice is detected, or is thought to be present, the turbines have to be stopped. Integrating icing and de-icing Another issue is that it’s tough to accurately detect ice forming on a blade that’s roughly 40 meters long rotating on a hub 80 meters overhead. In Greece, Enel Green Power is testing an innovative fiber-optic ice detection system at its Zoodochos Pigi wind farm, seeking cutting-edge solutions to the problems posed by icing and de-icing. The ideal result would be a system that give precise and accurate results that could be integrated with one that melted the ice, avoiding the need for lengthy halts to production. The sensor-based techniques under examination are known as advanced systems, respect with the standard methodology, which involves comparing a turbine’s actual power curve to the nominal power curve. This latter gives result that are not particularly precise or accurate, as shown by the Greek experience, in which the standard methodology in some cases failed to show ice forming and in others gave false positives. Collect data to compare and contrast The advanced system currently under consideration monitors functions including blade load and vibration, and was installed experimentally on three turbines at Zoodochos Pigi during the winter of 2019-2020. The aim was to collect data for comparison with data collected through the turbine control system. The experiment, which was a success in terms of reliability and accuracy, will continue this coming winter. Another four systems using different technologies will be tested in the coming months with the goal of finding the best one and then integrating it into the turbine control system. In parallel with these tests, Enel Green Power is also looking at trying out a de-icing system. The over-arching aim is to avoid loss of production and damage to blades, as well as reducing the safety risks ice on them can cause, factors that are growing in importance given the increasing centrality of renewable power in combating climate change. Tracking problems caused by the weather Ice on wind turbine blades is not the only weather-related issue that hampers renewable energy generation, and it is not the only factor that requires innovative solutions. Leaving aside the risks posed by extreme weather conditions such as high winds, hail or flooding, there are routine problems that are susceptible to innovative fixes. Winter snow or summer dust on a photovoltaic array will limit a solar park’s power generation. Enel Green Power businesses use innovative solutions such as drones for the smart tracking of components such as solar panels and the associated kit, as well as advanced software solutions to monitor and support construction activities. Spurring E&C with “E&C Revolution” Three years ago, Innovation and Engineering & Construction in Enel Green Power launched a program called E&C Revolution, with the aim of spurring E&C with new ideas and innovative solutions. That first program involved re-imagining plant construction as the product of a factory process. This meant using 3D and digital modeling in plant construction to save time, costs and resources in the installation phase and to improve quality, health, safety and sustainability. The targets set in that program have been hit and a new goal has been set. This has been dubbed E&C Revolution 2.0 and focuses on using drones, robots and software to help design, develop and build the Group's plants. The plan was announced during a meeting in Rome earlier this year and some of the innovations are already taking place, including using a virtual model to completely build a structure before actual construction occurs. That is now the backbone of the construction revolution. It permits the real-time interactive monitoring of every phase of the value chain, reducing cost, time and risk in construction, and boosting standards including health, safety and sustainability. Enel Open Innovation Platform The identification of most of the above described new solutions leveraged on Enel’s open-innovation model and a network of Enel innovation hubs spread worldwide. According to such a model the process involved a large number of partners including start-up companies, big enterprises.
