AI exists as an umbrella term that is used to denote all computer programs that can think as humans do. This presentation will describe the taxonomy of AI and the information needed to apply different methodologies and will lay out the problems and limitations for its deployment.  We will discuss some of the major challenges and concerns regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the wind industry.  Applications that use AI like wind forecasting, blade inspection, and maintenance planning will be discussed. Finally, we will discuss what the future of monitoring wind turbine blades may hold, the role of analytics to support decision making, and what is needed for AI to support maintenance planning.

Delegates will learn the latest Key Enabling Technologies (KETs) developed and demonstrated at DTU Wind for identifying, tracking, and evaluating blade damage in near real time. The blade damage is detected and identified with passive thermography automatically when the blade is in normal operation. Computer-version based techniques are used to map the physically detected blade damage onto the blade model for accurate simulation. A fracture-mechanics approach is embedded in a surrogate model to speed up the crack propagation prediction under cyclic loads. All KETs can work independently as well as in collaboration to achieve engineer-friendly Digital Twin of rotor blades for predictive maintenance. The delegates will also learn the demonstration of these KETs applied to the real world

In just 1 hour you will hear from several leading innovators in the blade space to make sure you are up to date with the latest solutions and know what to look out for in the future. After several lightning-fast presentations you will get the chance to put your questions to the experts. 

Confirmed innovators:

Bladena
Thread.ONE
LM Windpower

Ensuring that you are on top of your turbine performance is key to intervening before a full-scale shut-down. What are the most innovative ways to do this? Delve into novel approaches to blade inspection, maintenance, and repair, including automation, drone-based inspections, and predictive maintenance algorithms.

With the increasing blade length within both onshore and offshore wind there is a growing need for improved automated inspection methods of wind turbine blades. The cost of blade repair is increasing and the repair window decreasing for offshore turbines. Equally the damage progression rate and severity of wear and tear seen on longer blades suggest that the blade OPEX budget will be increasing radically in the coming years.

The standard external drone inspections used today, give a limited and static view of the external damages of the blade. What is needed is an in-depth understanding on how damages are evolving within the blade, i.e. sub surface and internal.

Statkraft has done in-situ test of IR imaging, i.e. thermographic inspection on several of our wind sites. Following a three-pronged research strategy we have 1. Tested passive vs. active thermography 2. External, internal vs. thermal thermography 3. Internal inspection with crawler. In addition, we are invited to be partner in the EUDP funded AQUADA-GO project, which are developing an AI for thermographic inspections of wind turbine blades. We will present the above results for improving blade maintenance.

• Explore the complexities of using industrial-grade drones for offshore blade inspections
• Delve into the transformative potential of conducting one-stop inspections led by off-the-shelf drones
• Discover real-life case studies highlighting the effectiveness of NearthWIND Mobile

The PGE Capital Group is Poland’s largest energy sector company. In PGE Energia Odnawialna we have 342 wind turbines operating. PGE is the owner, and the operator, and carries on the maintenance. As we started repairing blades with the dedicated in-house teams the need for a dedicated solution supporting the operations appeared. The solution was required to collect historical data about the damages, and the progress in repairs and to help the technicians report the progress in real time. 

 Together with PGE Systemy we agreed that the best application would be one that we would create together. The result of more than one year of cooperation has already been in use but is still growing, and the new functionalities will appear soon. This case study reveals the main features of the application and how its implementation has improved inspections and repairs in our fleet.

In this presentation, Tomasz Sieradzan, Principal Blade Engineer at SkySpecs, discusses the use of probabilistic analysis to quantify crack forming and progression rates, and how these insights can be leveraged, so that owner operators can mitigate operational risk and optimise blade related maintenance activities.

Take some time at the end of day one to digest what you have heard and get to know your peers in an informal setting.

Icing events and their related auto shutdowns can be devastating to the power output and revenue of wind farms. Operators need to ensure that their turbines are reliable year-round, but how can this be accomplished short of costly ice removal methods? Enter icephobic coatings. Discover the benefits and hard data behind this innovative solution to the challenges winter poses to windfarms around the world.

Exploring lightning strike detection and protection systems for blades, including advanced grounding techniques, surge protection devices, and lightning detection algorithms

How will scaling blade size for multi-megawatt turbines impact on your ability to get the best AEP? What innovations are needed in the design, installation and transport of larger blades? How can you ensure blade lifetime longevity? In what ways will you need to adjust your inspection and repair strategies?

Investigating the use of new materials, such as carbon fibre composites and bio-based polymers, to enhance blade performance and durability.

Networking and content in one package! Take this opportunity to delve into the topics that most impact your day-to-day work and really get to grips with solutions to your challenges. Small group discussions with an expert facilitator; choose your topic and get talking!

Confirmed discussions: 

Standardization of inspection metadata and damage categorization 

With blades being the least green part of a wind turbine, how could circularity be achieved in the future? Are new materials the answer? If so, where are we with that research? Is recycling technology for waste management of traditional blades feasible? How would the LCoE be impacted by measures to make blades circular?