Optimal scheduling of the next preventive maintenance activity for a wind farm

Abstract. A large part of the operational cost for a wind farm is due to equipment maintenance, especially offshore farms. How reduce maintenance cost, and hence increase profitability, this article's focus. It presents binary linear optimization model whose solution may inform turbine owners about which components, when, should undergo next preventive (PM) replacements. The suggested short-term scheduling strategy takes into account eventual failure events multi-component system – in that after failed repaired, previously scheduled PM plan be updated, assuming restored components are as good new. algorithm paper, NextPM, tested through numerical case studies applied four-component turbine. first study addresses important single component system, used parameter calibration purposes. second analyses seasonal variations mobilization costs, compared constant setting. Among other things, analysis reveals 35 % reduction achieved by NextPM model, pure corrective (CM) strategy. third compares with another problem interval costs (PMSPIC), was major source inspiration article. This comparison demonstrates accurate much faster terms computational time.