Analyses and Research Findings: Icing, Operations and Maintenance, and Climate Change

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Winterwind, the largest event focused on wind energy in cold climates, was held from February 3 to 5 in Åre, Sweden.

As an expert in this field, our colleague Charles Godreau He represented Canada on “Task 19,” the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) working group on this important issue. In addition to serving on the event’s program committee, Charles gave three presentations on topics of interest to operators in cold-weather regions.

Anti-icing Systems: Performance and Experience

Anti-icing systems are one of the options available on the market to prevent ice from forming on wind turbine blades. But how well do they work? Following a literature review of 11 studies published on the subject between 2011 and 2019, the Nergica team concluded that the following observation : There is no standardized evaluation method in the industry that allows for a comparison of the performance of different de-icing systems.

A survey (non-probabilistic, conducted online) carried out by Task 19 also provided insight into the industry’s views on anti-icing systems. Nearly 20 respondents from nine countries were surveyed. Of these, 42% indicated that the performance of these systems did not meet their expectations, particularly due to their inconsistent performance.

According to respondents, the following factors should be priorities for manufacturers of anti-icing systems in order to improve their performance:

• reliability and durability
• earlier detection of frost
• improved oversight
• increased system power
• lower purchase and installation costs

To meet the industry’s needs, Task 19 has made these issues a priority for 2020. An update Guidelines for Performance Guarantees for Anti-Icing Systems will be carried out over the coming months. This tool will enable the industry to better define performance evaluation and bridge the gap between the expectations of wind farm operators and the observed performance of anti-icing systems. Nergica will actively participate in this work.

Highlights from the 2020 CanWEA Operations and Maintenance Summit

With a focus on operations and maintenance (O&M) practices in Canada, Charles Godreau presented—at the request of the Winterwind organizers—the highlights of the CanWEA's 2020 Operations and Maintenance Summit held last January in Toronto.

So Charles presented the different perspectives between Europe and Canada in operations and maintenance, primarily in the areas of worker health and safety, cybersecurity, innovation, and human resources management.

CHow might climate change affect the retrofitting of wind farms?

Charles presented the preliminary results from the study on the impact of climate change on wind power being conducted by Nergica in collaboration with Ouranos and Hydro-Québec. These preliminary results suggest a decrease in the duration of icing in areas where wind farms are located. For more information and documents on this study, Click here.