Smart Operations & Maintenance Planning for Offshore Wind Farms
Offshore wind energy is expanding rapidly but rising costs and operational complexity are putting pressure on maintenance efficiency. ORTEC provides smart, data-driven maintenance planning solutions that improve efficiency, reduce costs, and support the energy transition.
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Industry:
Energy
Why Should Offshore Wind Companies Act Now?
The offshore wind sector is facing a perfect storm of challenges:
- geopolitical uncertainty
- larger and more remote wind turbines
- rising operational costs
- and increasing investor scrutiny
With ambitious targets like 21 Gigawatt in the Netherlands by 2030 and 300 GW across Europe by 2050, efficient wind turbine maintenance is no longer optional - it’s essential. Inflation, grid congestion, and reduced subsidies are weakening the business case, making cost-effective operations and planning systems a strategic priority.
Why is Offshore Wind Farm Maintenance Planning complex?
Maintenance is split into planned and urgent tasks. Planned activities aim to minimize downtime, while unexpected failures require immediate response under tough conditions. Logistics are complex: technicians must travel offshore, often using expensive vessels like jack-up ships (€50,000/day). Weather, resource availability, and task complexity (from bolt tightening to gearbox replacement) all add layers of difficulty. Poor planning leads to inefficiencies, higher emissions, and lost revenue.
Floris van den Broek, Specialist in Data Science & Consulting at ORTEC
"Maintenance has become a puzzle involving weather conditions, scarce technicians, and high costs. The ambition is there, but financial and operational realities demand a new approach."
What is ORTEC's approach to Offshore Wind O&M?
ORTEC leverages its deep expertise in logistics and energy to deliver tailored planning and optimization solutions. By integrating turbine sensor data, weather forecasts, and technician availability, ORTEC enables smarter strategic, tactical, and operational planning.
The result:
- Reduced Downtime
- More Profitable Uptime
- Lower Costs
- Improved Reliability
Additionally, ORTEC provides state-of-the-art workforce planning and forecasting to address technician shortages and future demand.
How Can Smart Planning Make Offshore Wind Investments More Viable?
Despite financial headwinds, major players like RWE, Orsted, and Vattenfall continue investing in offshore wind farms. However, recent tenders failed due to unviable business cases. ORTEC’s smart planning tools help bridge the gap between ambition and execution. By combining data on maintenance, weather, and vessel movements with, AI, intelligent algorithms, and data science, ORTEC enables efficiency gains that make offshore wind investments more attractive and sustainable.
