A process to develop a quantitative FMECA analysis of critical systems in an offshore wind turbine

Wind energy is one of the leading renewable energy sources in the world. Currently, large-scale offshore wind farm projects are being developed. In the very next future significant growth of this technology is expected. However reliability will be one of the greatest challenges and key aspect of its success within electrical generation markets. One of the most important problems to face is the absence of data for the reliability analysis (no enough data sources, no enough data quality, no enough representative time series). As a first step, onshore wind farm, a more mature sector, could be a useful reference, but it doesn´t cover the offshore specific reliability issues. In this sense offshore wind farms present similarities with the rest of offshore utilities. A great level in asset management has been reached by this sector, and today its “good practices” are being adopted by other industrial sector. In this paper we purpose a new methodological approach based on ISO:14224 and OREDA. The aim is apply asset maintenance and management techniques based on the best information available of offshore facilities. The conclusions obtained from this work can help to develop a specific FMECA methodologies and also promote the use of standard databases for managing the reliability of these particular facilities follow the successful OREDA precedent.