Digitalization is a Necessary Condition for Success in Offshore Wind

BY ELLING RISHOFF, SENIOR VP IN DNV

Our ability to build an efficient digital infrastructure with value-creating digital services will determine whether offshore wind contributes to increased value creation and sustainable societal development. This foundation must be a wise combination of experience (what we have learned from onshore wind, maritime, and offshore industries) and innovation (what we must learn about offshore wind) through collaboration between existing and new industry players.

To achieve digital collaboration, it is essential to combine existing industry standards and platforms with technological innovations in autonomous sensors, distributed processing, and artificial intelligence. A common need across all collaborations is an agreement on shared overarching architecture, principles, structure, and language. A characteristic feature of both digital innovation and standardization is that they transcend industries and follow their own business logic based on customer demand and willingness to pay, independent of the needs or growth of any single industry.

To strengthen Norway’s commitment to offshore wind, it is crucial to establish a unified digital architecture as a structural foundation throughout the entire lifecycle of offshore wind installations. This requires decision-makers at all levels to understand the opportunities in standardizing existing software and processes and recognize the necessity of developing new information structures and models. Such a "Norwegian Digital Reference" would provide the Norwegian cluster with an international competitive advantage, offering solutions and services that ensure cost-effective, reliable, and sustainable energy supply from offshore wind

Some key digital focus areas for Norwegian offshore wind include:

1) Standardization

Offshore wind power production will require a blend of knowledge in the development and operation of turbines, floaters, anchoring systems, substations, control systems, and distribution networks. Cost-effective workflows are essential for producing more electricity faster and more affordably. This demands industrialization and standardization to ensure both scale and quality in the development process. The industry must define (and accept) standardized concepts, workflows, and tools.

A Digital Reference Architecture (Reference Data Model, RDM) associated with a Reference Designation System (RDS) for offshore wind on the Norwegian continental shelf should be developed. It should cover the entire offshore wind farm, necessary land-based infrastructure, and the grid, with specific details about location, turbines, floaters, anchoring, storage, and transmission.

2) System Thinking

To meet the government’s energy production targets, large-scale development both offshore and onshore must happen rapidly and in balance with nature. Offshore wind farms rely on multiple technologies and systems that must be coordinated and integrated to optimize operation. Norwegian offshore wind development should address this by focusing on seamless integration of systems and technologies. Systems engineering is a discipline that can contribute significantly to faster offshore wind development through its methodology, which enables more effective collaboration among essential actors.

The IEC/ISO 81346 series represents an internationally recognized methodology for structuring facilities and reference designations (RDS). The system has been applied in onshore wind and by leading turbine suppliers for years. With the latest edition of the standard published in August 2022, Norway should take a leading position in using this standard in building and implementing a standardized RDS as part of the Digital Reference Architecture.

3) Sensor Data

An offshore wind farm generates large amounts of data from various sensors and systems related to the Digital Reference Architecture. This data can be used to continuously improve the performance and efficiency of the farm, and its value will increase further if relevant authorities, industry players, and research institutions are connected to the Reference Architecture, facilitating continuous learning and improvement. Such "multi-use" of data should be sought in all offshore wind developments.

4) Cybersecurity

With increasingly complex digital systems and growing amounts of data, cybersecurity is a critical factor in maintaining efficiency, supply security, and automation of the energy system. Robust security protocols to protect systems against attacks and unauthorized access must be an integral part of the Reference Architecture.

5) Design and Analysis

Good design and accurate analysis are necessary to ensure sustainable development with acceptable environmental impact and resource use. All design and analysis activities rely on solid software and IT solutions. Current solutions have emerged in existing markets and structures, with applications for Computer-Aided Design (CAD), Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE), and Product Data Management (PDM) — areas where Norway has been a pioneer in developing strength-calculation programs for floating structures. Enhancing functionality and adapting its use should be prioritized to strengthen the green transition through better design and analysis. If not prioritized, the supplier industry's existing software will slow down the green transition.

6) Innovation and Research

Norway is a significant "importer" of digital technologies, such as cloud solutions and handheld devices. It is essential that Norwegian digital R&D builds on major international ICT trends and focuses its efforts where Norway can hold a unique position. Enabling technologies form the building blocks of the digitalization of the energy sector. Our ability to learn quickly depends on how new technology in Artificial Intelligence, Big Data management, sensor technology, autonomy, and the Internet of Things is used in offshore wind. Our ability to adopt new technology effectively will largely depend on having an overarching structure (RDS) to integrate it into.

7) Measurement and Model Testing

For floating wind, Norway has a strong research environment and is uniquely positioned to learn from time-series measurement data (weather and marine environment), model testing in ocean basins (forces and structural responses), risk modeling (normal operations and damage), and data simulations of the grid (both DSO and TSO down to the consumer). All these data can be connected to a digital twin (DT) infrastructure as a valuable numerical tool to establish an understanding of the energy system's complexity and dependencies. For digital twins to support the entire industry, this infrastructure must use the Digital Reference Architecture.

8) Collaboration and Partnerships

The development of offshore wind farms, necessary land-based infrastructure (ports), and the grid will be a major undertaking for Norwegian authorities and the business sector. Digitalization enables efficient interaction and collaboration among all industry players, providing cost-effective solutions for both industry and public administration when implemented securely. One example of successful collaboration that has enabled another major Norwegian industry is the SFI structure, a maritime group system equivalent to the proposed RDS structure for offshore wind. If Norway’s offshore wind industry is to scale effectively, it must draw lessons from experience so that all partners in collaboration are aware of their digital responsibilities.