Impact of Innovative Maintenance Technologies on Offshore Wind Farm Performance

Cost reduction within the operations & maintenance (O&M) phase plays a key role in reducing the levelized cost of energy generated by offshore wind farms. While innovative maintenance technologies offer promising solutions, they also present significant financial risks for wind farm operators, as it is challenging to assess the profitability of technology integration. The simulation-based assessment of innovative concepts can facilitate the identification of their potential, support the integration of new technologies, and help prioritize research and development efforts. In this study, we comparatively evaluate the potential of various innovative O&M technologies using the O&M simulation software OffshoreTIMES. Innovations in four different application areas are investigated: (1) novel crew transfer vessel (CTV) designs, (2) crane-less technologies, (3) inspection drones, and (4) rotor blade repair robots. To address diverse technological development stages, each technology is evaluated in a conservative near-present and an optimistic future scenario. Additionally, combined technology scenarios are simulated in order to gain insights into the interactions between technologies. Our findings demonstrate that innovative maintenance concepts can significantly enhance availability and reduce O&M costs. Among the assessed concepts, crane-less technologies emerge as the most promising. The potential of next-generation CTVs varies greatly depending on site conditions, with notable benefits in milder weather environments. While automation of rotor blade maintenance using inspection drones and repair robots improves performance, their impact is smaller, and the transition to autonomous operation offers only marginal additional benefits. Integrated scenarios show that the technologies are not in competition with each other; rather, they are complementary, resulting in a cumulative performance benefit.