Vestas and Danish Ministries Launch Drone Partnership to Automate Offshore Wind Ops

Denmark’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, the Ministry of Transport, and wind turbine manufacturer Vestas have partnered to reduce operational emissions and costs by enabling the use of autonomous drones for inspection and maintenance at offshore wind farms.

The new partnership seeks to pave the way for Denmark’s first automated offshore wind farm.

According to the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities, the operation of offshore wind farms is currently associated with high costs and high fuel consumption for diesel-powered vessels and helicopters.

The new partnership explores how drones could help tackle these challenges by performing inspection and maintenance tasks at offshore wind farms without manual control.

“Denmark must use new technology to maintain its strong position in green energy. When drones can replace diesel ships and helicopters, it not only lowers CO₂ emissions over time, it also leads to cheaper green electricity in households across the country,” said Lars Aagaard, Denmark’s Minister for Climate, Energy and Utilities.

Estimates from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) show that drones can reduce the cost of inspecting wind turbine blades by up to 50 per cent. Over the lifetime of a wind turbine, this could lower the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from offshore wind by 2-3 per cent.

The joint initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens and test technical solutions that will enable the safe use of drones, which should remove some of the barriers currently limiting the use of drones at sea, according to the Ministry of Climate, Energy, and Utilities.

Denmark is preparing to relaunch the 3 GW offshore wind tender this autumn. A few months ago, the Danish Energy Agency (DEA) invited potential bidders to participate in the market dialogue on procurement procedures.

The CfD-based tender will cover three areas, two in the Danish North Sea, Nordsøen Midt and Nordsøen Syd, and the Hesselø area between Denmark and Sweden. 

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