Wind turbine commissioning is the final check before a wind turbine or wind farm is handed over to the client for operation and is switched on to generate power.
The commissioning test involves a strict set of activities, including dynamic testing, which proves the turbine’s systems operate and perform efficiently and checks that it meets the system’s design intent and specification. Commissioning occurs once a turbine has been connected to the grid or when the wind farm substation is ready, although a separate commissioning process is required for the latter.
Commissioning tests are extensive and include standard electrical tests for the system and the turbine, inspecting the turbine’s mechanics, reviewing the civil engineering quality records and carrying out various other mechanical tests.
Availability testing
The most crucial check during the commissioning of a wind turbine relates to its overall performance. Availability testing refers to how often the turbine can operate successfully. Client contracts usually call for 95-97% availability however, this cannot be achieved during commissioning. Peak availability and full commercial operating capacity can take approximately six months. At the point of commissioning, it’s typical for 80-90% availability to be achieveed.
Running without fault
Commissioning is the first step in ensuring the healthy ongoing operation of a wind turbine. While commissioning an individual turbine can take several days, an average onshore wind farm the size of Whitelee in Glasgow, which has 215 turbines, could take close to 18 months.
Successful commissioning is subject to sufficient wind to conclude the tests, as a turbine needs to run without fault for 200 hours as part of the process. This stage establishes whether the system works efficiently without overheating or abnormal losses.
Significantly, when there is insufficient wind during the decommissioning process, it can lead to project delays. Each day a turbine is out of service is costly, which can have serious financial consequences for wind farm operators keen to get their assets in operation.
Devising a plan
At AIS Wind Energy, we regularly conduct wind turbine commissioning for our onshore wind farm clients and know that meticulous planning is crucial for a successful wind turbine commissioning project. This is where our work begins.
A wind turbine commissioning plan provides a critical path for wind farm operators and our commissioning team to follow and set out the safety and equipment requirements of the job. It also outlines the implications of delays if there is insufficient wind.
Each wind turbine commissioning plan we develop is tailored to the individual wind farm so that it reflects the site’s unique conditions (including factors such as site access or weather conditions), sets out how commissioning will be achieved in sequence and identifies and mitigates all associated risks.
By considering all factors up front and removing surprises from the project, we can devise an efficient and effective wind turbine commissioning plan, which includes a complete method statement and risk assessment, a health and safety overview, a mechanical and electrical review and details of all regulatory checks. This plan will also be developed and shared with suppliers and electrical contractors to ensure a smooth commissioning and successful handover to the operations and maintenance team.
Once the commissioning plan is approved, our highly skilled wind energy technicians can turn their attention to deploying our specialist fleet of lifting equipment on-site and conducting the various system checks and availability tests required to make the turbine or farm operational.
Commissioning is a critical milestone in a new wind turbine’s life and an essential first step in ensuring its reliable and efficient operation for years to come.
Get in touch to find out how AIS Wind Energy’s team of sector experts can help you with your next onshore wind farm commissioning project.
