Impact of reliability parameters on O&M cost and greenhouse gas emissions of offshore wind farms

This study examines the impact of reliability parameters of critical turbine components on offshore wind farm operation and maintenance (O&M) costs and related greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions. Employing a simulation-based sensitivity analysis, we assess how variations in reliability parameters influence key O&M metrics, including total costs, component-specific breakdowns, availability, intervention frequency, and vessel usage. The associated climate impact is quantified based on vessel fuel consumption and spare part usage. The analysis uses data from the offshore wind farm Lillgrund, incorporating extensive SCADA data and real environmental conditions. For a variation of the reliability parameters by ±50%, results indicate a total variation of up to ±15% in operational expenditures in absolute terms and per MWh of produced electricity. The impact of failure rates on CO₂-equivalent emissions is observed to be around ±50% relative to the baseline case for individual components, highlighting the significant influence of reliability on both costs and emissions. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating O&M processes in assessing the GhG footprint of wind energy and establishing a link between turbine reliability and emissions. Additionally, research gaps are identified in understanding the relationship between load conditions and component failure behavior, particularly in the context of wind farm control strategies.