2021 - RWE – SOFIA Offshore Wind Farm, UK
Summary
The SOFIA Offshore Wind Farm is a 1.4 GW project located in the North Sea, making it one of the largest wind farms under development in the UK. The project involves the design, construction, and operation of high-capacity offshore substations and interconnection systems to deliver clean energy to the UK grid.
Challanges
Ensuring high system availability of the HVDC transmission system to maximize power export to the grid. Addressing failure modes in offshore electrical equipment, including HVDC converter stations and transmission cables. Developing a reliable maintenance strategy to minimize costly offshore interventions and improve long-term performance.
Solution
Conducted RAM analysis to assess the impact of component failures on power export efficiency and system reliability.
Developed predictive maintenance strategies using real-time monitoring and diagnostics to minimize unexpected failures.
Applied failure mode analysis (FMECA) and risk-based inspection (RBI) to prioritize maintenance efforts and optimize spare parts management.
Facilitated HAZID and SIL assessments, ensuring compliance with safety regulations for offshore wind power transmission.
