Offshore wind turbine operations and maintenance: A state-of-the-art review

Operations and maintenance of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) play an important role in the development of offshore wind farms. Compared with operations, maintenance is a critical element in the levelized cost of energy, given the practical constraints imposed by offshore operations and the relatively high costs. The effects of maintenance on the life cycle of an offshore wind farm are highly complex and uncertain. The selection of maintenance strategies influences the overall efficiency, profit margin, safety, and sustainability of offshore wind farms. For an offshore wind project, after a maintenance strategy is selected, schedule planning will be considered, which is an optimization problem. Onsite maintenance will involve complex marine operations whose efficiency and safety depend on practical factors. Moreover, negative environmental impacts due to offshore maintenance deserve attention. To address these issues, this paper reviews the state-of-the-art research on OWT maintenance, covering strategy selection, schedule optimization, onsite operations, repair, assessment criteria, recycling, and environmental concerns. Many methods are summarized and compared. Limitations in the research and shortcomings in industrial development of OWT operations and maintenance are described. Finally, promising areas are identified with regard to future studies of maintenance strategies.

Automated summary

Operations and maintenance of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) are essential for the development of offshore wind farms. Maintenance, in particular, plays a crucial role in the overall cost of energy due to practical constraints and high costs associated with offshore operations. The impact of maintenance on the life cycle of offshore wind farms is complex and uncertain, with maintenance strategies significantly affecting efficiency, profitability, safety, and sustainability. Onsite maintenance involves intricate marine operations that rely on practical factors for efficiency and safety, while potential negative environmental impacts also need to be considered.