Data-driven turbine operations

Factry helps VLEEMO to optimize electricity output from wind turbines by enabling optimal adaptation to varying environmental conditions.

About Vleemo

VLEEMO has a wealth of experience and know-how in the field of financing, development, construction and operation of wind turbine parks in the port area. The company operates 34 wind turbines on the Right Bank of the Port of Antwerp, with more turbines under construction.

Challenge

To solve their business challenges, VLEEMO needed real-time insight into the status of all their turbines.

VLEEMO faced a lack of central management of the wind turbines. Incomplete information resulted in unplanned downtime. When faced with the need for manual intervention, the lack of easily accessible and interpretable data prevented VLEEMO to analyse with required depth. This resulted in lost opportunities to learn from incidents and problems. Their current systems did not suffice, mainly because they were not centrally available.

Approach

Factry’s solution for VLEEMO underwent five iterations in which value was added at every stage. First point of business was the data collection from the turbines and aggregating that into a dashboard with Factry Historian. Then additional sensors and weather forecasts were added. A custom algorithm delivers more detailed insight. Finally, the processed data was delivered back to the turbine control system through the cloud platform of Factry, enabling more informed decision making.

Related use case

Factry’s Historian software helps us to remotely monitor our instrumentations, schedule preventive maintenance and extend the lifespan of the installations

Results

Factry’s solution for VLEEMO achieved quantifiable and qualitative business value:

1. VLEEMO is now able to quantify the amount and source of lost revenue as input for operational improvement.

2. VLEEMO intervenes more quickly and qualitatively, by leveraging a more profound and accurate turbine status analysis.

Based on all the data now available, Factry can interpret the turbine status in more detail than the turbine manufacturer.