Large-scale owner-operators typically run diverse wind fleets, requiring a nuanced approach to monitoring and data analytics. As the US wind sector prepares for a potential boom following Biden’s support for green energy, ensuring assets both new and old are run efficiently is key to driving down production costs. Keeping a close eye on turbine health is therefore central to transforming profitability.
Onyx Insight and Clearway have an ongoing Software as a Service (SaaS) deal, in place since 2017, which has now expanded to reach over 2 GW of capacity. Onyx’s fleetMONITOR software has been used by Clearway to analyse assets using four condition monitoring systems (CMS), over five different turbine OEMs, highlighting the importance of dedicated hardware agnostic platforms for mixed fleets.
A key element of the partnership has been driven by Clearway, upgrading its legacy CMS systems to create data-rich assets to unlock enhanced analysis. Almost 75 percent of Clearway’s fleet now uses Onyx Insight’s ecoCMS. As part of the deal, Onyx Insight has provided training to upskill Clearway’s in-house teams, freeing up engineering resource, while providing AI driven data analytics consultancy to deliver greater cost savings from non-drivetrain components such as pitch bearings and generator wye rings.
“The increased complexity of monitoring large wind portfolios demands sophisticated digital tools” said Dr. Zhiwei Zhang, VP of Engineering, Onyx Insight. “Clearway has consolidated its system health data in a single tool, across the entire fleet, regardless of turbine type, condition monitoring system manufacturer, or data output. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Clearway to improve the cost-efficiency of its assets and support its ambitions to lead the clean energy transition in the US.”
Brian LaMay, General Manager – Engineering and Infrastructure, Clearway Energy Group, added that wind energy is a key component of the US energy mix and that as the sector grows, remaining cost competitive is essential to ensure that US customers benefit from affordable, clean energy.
“Onyx Insight has demonstrated a deep understanding of how to optimise a modern wind fleet, and we will continue to build on our collaboration with the business” said Mr LaMay.
The agreement pushes total monitored assets from 850+ to over one thousand.
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