Development of an Operations and Maintenance Cost Model for Wind Power Projects

摘要

Operations and Maintenance (O&M) costs can represent a significant expense for a commercial wind power project. Given the many unknowns associated with wind turbine reliability, these costs are difficult to predict, especially as the equipment ages and the project moves out of the warranty period. Global Energy Concepts has developed a mathematical Model for estimating O&M costs over the life of a wind power project. Based on assumed costs for labor, consumables, equipment, and turbine parts, along with assumed failure rates for turbine components, the Model estimates the annual project O&M cost on a per turbine, per kW, and per kWh basis. This Model includes a database of representative component costs and failure rates for various sizes and types of turbines, along with representative costs for project support activities. Alternatively, the user has the option to change any of the default parameters to suit a particular turbine model or wind power site. An additional feature allows the user to perform sensitivity studies on particular assumptions, for example, the effect of gearbox failure rate on project parts costs. This latter feature is useful for informing research and development efforts to improve aspects of turbine design and manufacture to reduce the overall cost of energy.