Sempra Renewables Transformational Wind Turbine Monitoring at Broken Bow II
The renewable energy sector in the United States is pivotal for sustainable development, with an increasing emphasis on reducing carbon footprints and integrating green power sources like wind and solar. However, maximizing the efficiency and reliability of these renewable resources, particularly wind turbines, remains a significant challenge due to potential equipment failures.
Company Overview: Sempra Renewables
Sempra Renewables, a leading developer of renewable energy in the U.S., is committed to enhancing the operational efficiency and sustainability of its energy projects. The company focuses on integrating innovative solutions to ensure the consistent delivery of clean energy across multiple states.
Project Scope + Objectives
Sempra embarked on a pioneering initiative at its Broken Bow II wind farm in Nebraska, aiming to mitigate the high failure rates of wind turbine pitch assemblies, a crucial factor affecting turbine downtime and operational costs. The objective was to deploy a remote monitoring solution to predict and prevent pitch assembly failures, thereby enhancing overall wind farm efficiency.
Technologies + Solutions Deployed
IoT Gateway Installations
Sempra installed cutting-edge IoT gateways within the turbines’ nosecones to closely monitor the performance of the pitch assemblies and enable real-time data analysis.
Nokia’s Modular Private Wireless (MPW)
The project leveraged Nokia’s Modular Private Wireless (MPW) solution, utilizing the CBRS 3.5 GHz spectrum. This private LTE network ensured reliable, secure connectivity across the wind farm’s vast expanse, facilitating uninterrupted data transmission.
OSIsoft’s PI System Integration
Data captured from the IoT gateways was integrated into OSIsoft’s PI System for comprehensive data management and analytics. This allowed for effective remote monitoring and predictive maintenance strategies.
Benefits + Outcomes
Implementing Nokia’s MPW solution allowed Sempra to achieve reliable connectivity throughout the 40 square miles of its 75 MWh wind farm. This connectivity backbone was crucial for the predictive maintenance of the wind turbines, significantly reducing the risk and costs associated with pitch assembly failures.
The project outcomes were remarkable:
Efficient Early Warning System: Sempra now benefits from an advanced warning system, enabling the company to perform predictive maintenance and avoid costly emergency repairs
Cost Savings: The new system allows for up to 90% savings in efforts related to turbine pitch assembly repairs, translating into significant financial benefits.
Enhanced Operational Transparency: With improved monitoring capabilities, Sempra can offer greater transparency and control over energy production to its stakeholders.
The project was successfully executed by Nokia and Sempra Renewables without channel partner involvement.
Overview of SenseOps
SENSEOPS, partnering in this project, brought its expertise in industrial automation, providing crucial support from sensor data acquisition to cloud integration. Their role ensured that data from the turbines was efficiently captured, standardized, and utilized for optimizing operations and maintenance activities.
Case Summary
Sempra Renewables’ initiative at the Broken Bow II wind farm sets a new standard in renewable energy management. By integrating advanced IoT, private LTE networks by Nokia, and comprehensive data analytics, Sempra not only advances its commitment to sustainable energy but also showcases the potential for technology to revolutionize the renewable power industry. This case study serves as a benchmark for other players in the sector, demonstrating how technological innovation can lead to substantial operational efficiencies and cost savings.
Partnering for Future Success
As companies in the renewable energies sector explore opportunities to modernize their operations and enhance connectivity, Infinity stands ready to offer its expertise and support.
While not involved in this specific project, Infinity’s dedicated engineering teams possess the knowledge and experience to assist similar organizations in deploying Nokia solutions tailored to their unique requirements.
By partnering with Infinity, companies can leverage cutting-edge technologies to optimize their operations and achieve their digital transformation goals.
About Infinity Technology Solutions
Infinity Technology Solutions specializes in broadband and critical communications infrastructure development. We help our channel partners create and deploy private wireless, microwave backhaul, IP/MPLS, and optical networking technologies.
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