Digital twin applied to the operation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines: proposal of guidelines for implementation
Offshore wind energy. Digital twin. Operation and maintenance.
The demand for renewable energy is growing, with offshore wind energy considered as one of the options with high potential for utilization. Due to its location in the maritime environment, an offshore wind farm presents restrictions, which tends to increase operations and maintenance (O&M) complexity. To address these challenges, it is important to leverage tools that assist in O&M activities and decisions, such as the digital twin (DT). DT technology seeks to integrate physical means and connection systems to create a digital model that allows real-time monitoring. The objective of the research is to develop a framework with guidelines for implementing DT in the operation and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. This study is characterized as descriptive, applied, qualitative and inductive. The research was developed in four stages: (1) construction of the theoretical foundation, where a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was carried out, with analysis of 54 articles, (2) analysis of eigth case studies on DT, (3) development of the conceptual model, (4) validation of the conceptual model based on experts’ opinion – focus group. As a result, a framework was developed that includes guidelines for implementing the digital twin in offshore wind turbines, describing tools, applications, and systems that can be used for this purpose, enabling the optimization of operation and maintenance activities, leading to greater efficiency, competitiveness, and cost reduction.