AI to Boost Efficiency of Scotland's First Offshore Wind Farm

UK-based machine learning and applied AI company Cognitive Business has won a contract to provide a complete package of AI and forecasting to RWE’s Robin Rigg wind farm offshore Scotland.

Congitive Business will to provide the wind farm with a suite of AI, Pattern Recognition and Production Forecasting technology that will enable the owner-operator to predict with certainty the direction of maintenance programs and maximize operational performance across its site.

Robin Rigg was the first commercial offshore wind farm to be located in Scottish waters. Comprising 58 turbines the site began full generation in 2010, providing enough electricity to power approximately 117,000 homes and offset around 230,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year.

Head of Monitoring and Diagnostics at Cognitive Business, Lee Beresford said: "We are very much looking forward to demonstrating how, together, the AI, Pattern Recognition and Production Forecasting will drive further efficiencies on this site and support RWE in making Robin Rigg one of the most operationally efficient wind farms operating in the UK.”

Cognitive Business said that it was delivering a range of physics-and machine learning based data modelling to Robin Rigg that will drive "real cost savings" and deliver accurate and cost-effective maintenance programs based on precise data analysis.

This technology includes Cognitive’s WAVES technology which will enable RWE to plot with real time accuracy the operation of maintenance vessels in and out of harbor; Tidal Access Forecasting to predict movement in and out of a port faced with tidal restrictions;  Production Forecasting to pinpoint the most profitable turbines so maintenance programs can be directed elsewhere; Advanced Pattern Recognition comparing previous year’s performance and directing activity to rectify anomalies. 

Gregg McConnell, Operations Co-ordinator at RWE and project lead at Robin Rigg said: “Cognitive’s package of technology enables us to operate our wind farm to the optimum performance levels and to maximise profitability across our site.

“Robin Rigg is a mature windfarm and RWE is an experienced farm operator, but we are still very much engaged with finding the solutions that draw out the remaining opportunities to make additional savings and drive further efficiencies.  Cognitive’s technology enables us to do exactly that.”