WINDEXT, a European wind energy training project coordinated by AEE

The objective of WINDEXT is to standardize the training on the maintenance of wind farm and wind turbines and promote the use of digital tools.
The WINDEXT wind power project, with a budget of one million euros and a duration of 3 years, has as main objective to standardize the training in maintenance of wind turbines and wind farms, as well as reinforce the use of digital tools, both virtual reality and reality increased

The Sapnish Wind Energy Association (AEE) coordinates this initiative, which in turn is part of the current strategy of decarbonization of the economy, at the lowest possible cost to the consumer and in the best operating conditions of renewable facilities.

In addition to the main objective, want to strengthen the integration between training centers, universities and companies, both through the development of different digital tools, as well as in their validation and practical use.

After more than 15 years of experience and 10 years of training in the wind sector, the partners confirm that this situation is characterized by the following elements:

• Market dispersion with a lot of pressure on OPEX and the life of the machines.
• Demanding working conditions, especially in offshore parks.
• The progressive aging of workers, which will be necessary to recycle in the coming years.
• Low level of knowledge of workers who are gradually entering the market.
• Insufficient experience of existing training centers in the use of advanced tools.
• Gap between the qualification needs of the industry and the training offered in the training centers.
• Appearance of new work profiles for new tasks.
• Outdated training content in vocational training schools.
• There are different formative approaches at the professional and university levels:
   – Universities: advanced technologies incorporated in modern wind turbines and advanced training tools.
  – Professional centers: integration of advanced training tools and monitoring of integration in professional activities.
 

The project addresses specific maintenance tasks such as diagnosis of the facilities in operation, integration of predictive models such as condition monitoring with classic preventive maintenance tools, promotion of new metrics based on energy / economic availability and even new monitoring methods to extend The service life beyond the design life.

The project is called WINDEXT because the extension of the operating time brings together all the subjects of the project: advanced maintenance, monitoring and digitalization within the principles of Industry 4.0. This project promotes the creation of training standards that enable the interchangeability of workers, as well as the quality of general asset management and maintenance services. In this sense, the participation of public centers and private entities reinforces the transfer of knowledge and experiences, in a training area that should be practical.

The exchange of knowledge at European level will be essential for a rapid reduction of costs in the wind industry, so wind energy will be able to play a leading role in the European generation mix. This international cooperation will contribute to maintaining European leadership in wind energy.

The project will be developed with the contribution of the eleven members of the consortium, which adhere to the objective of the European Union of a comparative economic vision to create a stronger, competitive and innovative Europe. This should be understood as a critical step towards the skills of creating workers trained in maintenance, operation and monitoring of asset conditions throughout Europe. WINDEXT will consolidate these efforts with the development of an online learning platform and the integration of different educational resources.

The training materials that the partners have agreed to develop are the following:
• Digitization criteria: data collection, functional simulation design, development of the WTG model, tools for digitizing, etc.
• Technological description and critical components: basic concepts of WTG, fault trees, typical failures, metrics, contractual models, etc.
• Maintenance: review and repair of blades, gearboxes, mechanical, electrical transmission, power electronics, foundations. Access to the coast, new business opportunities The objective of WINDEXT is to standardize the training on the maintenance of wind farm wind turbines and promote the use of digital tools.
The WINDEXT project, with a budget of one million euros and a duration of 3 years, has as main objective to standardize the training in maintenance of wind turbines and wind farms, as well as reinforce the use of digital tools, both virtual reality and reality increased

The Wind Business Association (PREPA) coordinates this initiative, which in turn is part of the current strategy of decarbonization of the economy, at the lowest possible cost to the consumer and in the best operating conditions of renewable facilities.

In addition to the main objective, we want to strengthen the integration between training centers, universities and companies, both through the development of different digital tools, as well as in their validation and practical use.

After more than 15 years of experience and 10 years of training in the wind sector, the partners confirm that this situation is characterized by the following elements:

• Market dispersion with a lot of pressure on OPEX and the life of the machines.
• Demanding working conditions, especially in offshore parks.
• The progressive aging of workers, which will be necessary to recycle in the coming years.
• Low level of knowledge of workers who are gradually entering the market.
• Insufficient experience of existing training centers in the use of advanced tools.
• Gap between the qualification needs of the industry and the training offered in the training centers.
• Appearance of new work profiles for new tasks.
• Outdated training content in vocational training schools.
• There are different formative approaches at the professional and university levels:
   – Universities: advanced technologies incorporated in modern wind turbines and advanced training tools.
  – Professional centers: integration of advanced training tools and monitoring of integration in professional activities.
 

The project addresses specific maintenance tasks such as diagnosis of the facilities in operation, integration of predictive models such as condition monitoring with classic preventive maintenance tools, promotion of new metrics based on energy / economic availability and even new monitoring methods to extend The service life beyond the design life.

The project is called WINDEXT because the extension of the operating time brings together all the subjects of the project: advanced maintenance, monitoring and digitalization within the principles of Industry 4.0. This project promotes the creation of training standards that enable the interchangeability of workers, as well as the quality of general asset management and maintenance services. In this sense, the participation of public centers and private entities reinforces the transfer of knowledge and experiences, in a training area that should be practical.

The exchange of knowledge at European level will be essential for a rapid reduction of costs in the wind industry, so wind energy will be able to play a leading role in the European generation mix. This international cooperation will contribute to maintaining European leadership in wind energy.

The project will be developed with the contribution of the eleven members of the consortium, which adhere to the objective of the European Union of a comparative economic vision to create a stronger, competitive and innovative Europe. This should be understood as a critical step towards the skills of creating workers trained in maintenance, operation and monitoring of asset conditions throughout Europe. WINDEXT will consolidate these efforts with the development of an online learning platform and the integration of different educational resources.

The training materials that the partners have agreed to develop are the following:
• Digitization criteria: data collection, functional simulation design, development of the WTG model, tools for digitizing, etc.
• Technological description and critical components: basic concepts of WTG, fault trees, typical failures, metrics, contractual models, etc.
• Maintenance: review and repair of blades, gearboxes, mechanical, electrical transmission, power electronics, foundations. Access to the coast, new business opportunities

• Repowering and dismantling of facilities: procedures and maintenance actions for the extension of life, monitoring conditions, certification procedures, repowering, dismantling of wind farms, component replacement, material recycling, health and safety plans.

The consortium is made up of entities from Spain, France, Germany, Portugal, the Netherlands and Cyprus and Uruguay, designed as a bridge for the internationalization in LATAM of the contents and materials developed in the project.