WILLOW

Context

Offshore wind farms are increasingly required to adjust their power output to match real-time grid demand, even when more wind energy is available. Traditional curtailment methods, such as stopping a few turbines or uniformly downregulating all turbines, can accelerate wear and reduce component lifetime. Offshore environments add further challenges, including corrosion, mechanical stress from waves and tides, and increased maintenance complexity.

Objectives and approach

The WILLOW project aims to develop an integrated and open-source digital system to support health aware curtailment in offshore wind farms. By combining physical sensors, virtual sensing, and data-driven analysis, the project enables:

• Structural health monitoring of offshore components, including fatigue, corrosion, and coating degradation

• Prediction of remaining useful lifetime (RUL) using SCADA and SHM data with machine learning and physical modelling

• Decision-making support for smart power dispatch and optimised operation and maintenance scheduling

These tools will allow wind farm operators to reduce operational costs, increase output, extend asset lifetime, and reduce the Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE).

Expected impact

• Up to 50 percent reduction in inspection costs

• 20 percent lifetime extension for offshore wind farms

• Up to 10 percent reduction in LCOE, targeting between 3.5 and 4.5 euros per MWh

• 4 percent reduction in noise pollution

Funding

WILLOW is fully funded by the European Union

EU Grant: ~5.8 M€ (100% funding ratio)

Framework

• Call: HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-03 (Sustainable, secure and competitive energy supply) 

• Topic: HORIZON-CL5-2022-D3-03-04 

• Type of Action: HORIZON-RIA