The contract includes use of Sentient Science’s DigitalClone Live for turbine monitoring, testing, life prediction, and life extension of critical components in ACCIONA’s full fleet of wind turbines.
Renewable energy company, ACCIONA Energía, and industrial software firm Sentient Science have reached an agreement for life extension and improved efficiency of ACCIONA’s entire fleet of wind turbines.
The agreement, signed at the WindEnergy Hamburg fair, covers the possible use and validation by ACCIONA of Sentient’s DigitalClone Live technology to anticipate possible failures in key components of turbines years before they occur, leading to O&M strategies that will lower the cost of energy.
“We are very proud to be the first major European wind-power operator to use the Sentient Science’s reputed technology in our assets. This represents a big step forward in our Turbine for Life program to obtain the maximum performance from our turbines and be ever more competitive,” said ACCIONA Energía CEO Rafael Mateo.
The main feature of the DigitalClone Live simulation technology is based on research in the field of materials science, and lies in its “always on, smart testing technology.” It is based on software that creates digital clones of each turbine model and is able to predict the risk of current and future failure of the main components and their expected working life, based on operational data provided by the wind-power operator.
“Digitalization of ACCIONA’s fleet with DigitalClone Live will provide life extension and lower their cost of energy,” said Ward Thomas, CEO & President of Sentient Science. “We are excited to be working with ACCIONA Energía and his team to achieve ACCIONA Energía’s business goals to have 50-year life machines through life extension supply chain actions.”
The document signed this week is for a long-term collaboration following the phase I started Q4 2015.
ACCIONA is committed to improving the efficiency of its turbines and extending their working life beyond the 20 to 25 years usually applied in the sector, under optimal conditions of safety and reliability. The company is also involved in a process of digital conversion of a number of its management systems. The contract signed with Sentient Science makes complete sense within this framework.
Filed Under: News, O&M
