Connected Wind Services Denmark is to deliver full scope service on 32 Siemens 2,3 turbines, owned by Vattenfall, in Denmark.
With more than 30 years of experience and with service agreements on more than 1000 wind turbines in Denmark alone, Connected Wind Services Group is known as one of the largest and most recognized independent service providers in Europe. Now the Danish branch of the group is taking the next step towards further consolidation in the competition with the major manufacturers and service providers within the wind energy business.
In the summer of 2019, the large Swedish-owned energy company Vattenfall submitted a task for service and maintenance of 32 wind turbines in an EU tender, and in fierce competition with several other service providers, Connected Wind Services Denmark won the task.
The super league of service providers
- The contract with Vattenfall really moves us up in the super league among service providers. We have previously collaborated with Vattenfall on some of their smaller wind farms and solved ad hoc tasks, and we are very proud to have signed this agreement with one of the major players in the market, says Kent Hougaard, CEO of the Danish department of Connected Wind Services, Connected Wind Services Denmark A/S.
According to the agreement Connected Wind Services will have full responsibility for the operation of the 32 turbines owned by Vattenfall and distributed on wind farms in Jutland, on Funen and on Zealand.
- Throughout the years, we have used Connected Wind Service as a service provider on some of our turbines, so we have followed their development - both in size and capabilities - closely. With the development of the market for onshore wind and wind service, we see the expansion of the collaboration as a natural step. We look forward to the collaboration, says Lars Buhrkall, who is responsible for the operation of Vattenfall's Danish onshore wind turbines.
Strengthened the organization
According to the agreement Connected Wind Services is responsible for a production corresponding to the optimal production for the turbines in relation to the criteria set by the manufacturer.
- This is the first time we in Denmark enter into an agreement of this kind and of this magnitude, so in many ways it has been a real handful. But fortunately, we already have many skilled technicians in our staff, so technically we are comfortable taking on the big responsibility. In addition, thanks to our large network, we have been able to hire the necessary competencies relatively quickly, so overall, we have been able to lift and strengthen the organization all the way around, so we are ready for this as well as similar tasks, says Kent Hougaard.
In fact, CWS has over the past years stepped up and are today performing services on also latest generations of wind turbines.
Detailed monitoring
The production guarantee involves a constant and very detailed monitoring of the 32 turbines. The massive amount of data coming out of monitoring must be continuously analyzed in order for Connected Wind Services to be proactive in relation to any downtime or other problems.
In addition to monitoring, service and technical support, Connected Wind Services is also responsible for the supply chain in the form of spare parts and of course responsible for complying with all requirements for quality, safety and environmental considerations, all of which is greatly focused upon.
- The turbines are 10 years old, but we have the advantage that we are already strong in late life operations and retrofit solutions, in which we have both the necessary experience and a lot of knowledge. Of the 1000 turbines in Denmark that we have service agreements on, 200 of the turbines are +20 years old, says Kent Hougaard.
Facts
- Connected Wind Services Group is one of the largest independent service providers within repair and maintenance of wind turbines in Europe
- Connected Wind Services was established in 1987, and the Danish branch has always been headquartered at Djursland.
- The Danish business unit has more than 45 skilled service fitters and technicians who supply service to more than 1000 wind turbines in Denmark alone.
- Connected Wind Services Group was acquired in 2016 by the German energy company EnBW and the Danish branch is now one of four business units in resp. Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany.