Retrofitting 358 turbines with TCM®

Enel Green Power and KK Wind Solutions have entered an agreement to further expand the collaboration within the field of Condition Monitoring Systems (CMS). It is expected that 358 wind turbines currently operating in the global Enel fleet will be equipped with TCM^® hardware and software for monitoring conditions in the turbines. 

TCM^® (Turbine Condition Monitoring) is a unique solution that maximizes wind turbines’ uptime by early failure detection of costly components such as gearboxes, main bearings and generators. It supports a proactive O&M strategy by providing valuable information on the condition of each wind turbine empowering customers to protect their assets and plan for optimal maintenance, thereby driving down the cost of energy. 

By detecting emerging failures early and planning accordingly, the turbine owners typically achieve a payback time in less than 2 years on the TCM^® retrofit investment. 

The collaboration between Enel and Gram & Juhl (today part of KK Wind Solutions) started back in 2018, initially focused on installing condition monitoring systems on the drivetrain. Since then, several CMS projects have been successfully introduced at Enel wind sites in Spain, Greece and India.

“I would like to thank the TCM^® team at KK Wind Solutions for the great and valuable support, allowing us to effectively complete CMS retrofit projects in some hundreds of wind turbines operating in the Enel fleet today. Their suggestions, guidance and instructions have been key to the success of the projects, and we are pleased to partner up on the new CMS retrofit projects”, says Enrique Huerta Lozano, O&M Wind Central – PdM, Enel Green Power.

Fast installation with TCM^® Retrofit

5 hours is all it takes to install the TCM^® hardware. This means that the turbine is only stopped for a few hours to have a complete retrofit kit installed, consisting of 4-7 accelerometer sensors, 1 RPM sensor, 1 DPU (Data Processing Unit) and cables. Additionally,  we provide an extensive range of software applications and advanced data analytics tools as well as monitoring services.

The advantage for Enel is to gain full control of the overall O&M strategy. Enel has chosen to build up its competencies within condition monitoring by having its own monitoring department in Madrid. Although it is possible to buy monitoring services from KK Wind Solutions, Enel has chosen to insource this as part of their long-term O&M strategy. However, we still serve as a consulting partner and help with training and support where it is needed.

“The best thing about the collaboration between Enel and KK Wind Solutions is the transparency and the passion for solving challenges for our customers 24/7. The team on both sides dedicate themselves to provide support and solutions to the technicians working in turbines on the others side of the world. The COVID-19 situation has forced us to think creatively and smarter about how we support our technicians. In the past, we would send technicians to the site to provide supervision, but today, we can connect via Microsoft Teams, based in Denmark and Spain and provide support for the technicians working inside the turbines in Chile. It is absolutely amazing that it can be done”, says Phi Nguyen, Key Account Manager, KK Wind Solutions. 

Partnering to deliver wind power impact 

Over the next couple of years, we will install the retrofit kits on all the 358 turbines in Mexico, Brazil, Spain and Chile. 

We have currently initiated the first TCM^® retrofit project at the Sierra Gorda site in Chile. Sierra Gorda has a total installed capacity of 112 MW (56 turbines G114 2MW). It generates more than 295 GWh per year, equivalent to the annual consumption needs of some 130,000 Chilean households, thus avoiding the emission of more than 140,000 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere per year. 

“Keeping wind turbines turning is key to ensuring a sustainable power supply to the thousands of households supplied by the Enel fleet, and at KK Wind Solutions, we are proud to be a part of the solution. We provide the digital solutions that help drive new and old wind turbines in a sound and optimal way as we upgrade yesterday’s wind turbine with today’s technology”, says Kim Wichmann-Hansen, Chief Service Officer at KK Wind Solutions. 

Looking to the future, we see many new opportunities in the area of digital solutions, and even though the agreement with Enel is an important step, it only marks the beginning. The technical capabilities and ingenuity possessed by the employees at KK Wind Solutions and the technology advances we are making opens up new opportunities within structural health and tower monitoring as well as applications within blade condition monitoring.

We are looking forward to continuing and advance or partnership with Enel Green Power on this journey in the coming years.