The reliability of BoP operations during the lifetime of an offshore wind project is key to support and maximize the revenue stream for our customers. The BoP availability plays an important role in the overall evaluation of project attractiveness, and James Fisher Renewables plays a vital role given our extensive track record in supporting and enabling value appropriation through reliable operations and maintenance, supporting high availability and a healthy revenue stream. Having supported more than 14 GW offshore wind and having long-term BoP O&M contracts enables JF Renewables to bring valuable lessons to the novel BoP O&M segment in APAC. We combine experience and local content solutions, contributing to local economies while maximizing value for our clients.
______ Maida Zahirovic, Head of James Fisher Renewables Maida Maida
Editing by Ru-Wei Chen, Xin-En Wu, Sharon Wu
Following the commissioning of an offshore wind farm, the seemingly daunting task of ensuring the operational integrity and reliability of the entire site begins through stringent operations and maintenance (O&M) regimes. The better maintained the entire wind farm, the better the energy generation and transmission availability – all of which can be made possible through Balance of Plant (BoP).
What is balance of plant (BoP)?
Balance of Plant (BoP) is the term used to describe all the infrastructure and facilities of a wind turbine farm, excluding the wind turbine and nacelle. It is the most important link for delivering power produced by a wind farm to the market.
Statutory BoP O&M campaigns are required to satisfy various manufacturing guarantees as well as optimizing the safe operation and output of wind farms.
By undertaking appropriate BoP inspections, wind farm operators can ensure the safe and profitable operation of their wind farm by ensuring any issues are identified and addressed before potential downtime of the asset.
What's the issue?
｜Wind farm downtime
Mandatory O&M campaigns are planned throughout the year, including inspections of all associated topside assets, subsea foundations, high voltage systems and onshore assets. Albeit planned in advance, having multiple contracts and contractors to carry out these maintenance regimes often results in additional asset downtime – costing time and money. The more contracts to manage, the more expensive it is for the customer.
｜Delayed and reactive maintenance
Slow response times to maintenance and repairs, due to reactive contracts, can mean downtime is longer than anticipated. For example, it is similar to sending your car to a particular garage for a specific check (e.g. the engine) and then to another garage for another inspection (e.g. the tyres) and repeating the process for multiple car components. In comparison to an MOT, where you can send your car to the one garage for all its checks to take place at the same time. The same principal applies to offshore wind maintenance.
｜Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) pressures
Decreasing LCOE is a key focus across the industry. O&M costs have a significant impact on the calculation of LCOE. According to ORE Catapult, LCOE reduction can come from reduced costs, increased energy production or changes in financing and lifetime of the project. Reduced costs can be from process or technology changes during the manufacturing, installation or operations phase. Increased energy production may be a result of technology or by reducing lost energy via better operational processes. Reducing project risk is the main way to affect financing costs.
In order for offshore wind to compete against fossil fuels, there needs to be a continued drive to reduce the LCOE. O&M accounts for ca. 38% of the entire lifetime spend of a 1GW offshore wind farm. By improving BoP costs over the 20 – 25 year operational lifetime of a wind farm, will have a direct impact on the LCOE.
Addressing the challenge
Historically it's no secret across the industry that the O&M phase of a wind farm's lifecycle is not straightforward; with multiple teams, reactive repair works and managing a folder full of contracts whilst physically completing maintenance at different times throughout the year.
How do we go about increasing operational efficiency whilst reducing downtime and maintaining cost-effectiveness?
James Fisher Renewables combines all typical scheduled maintenance tasks, through a single turnkey asset management partner, saving time and money, improving safety, and mitigating risk. Through one core BoP team based on the wind farm all year round, our pre-emptive O&M strategy eliminates waste, reduces variations, and combines preventative maintenance tasks minimizing operational downtime.
By combining our subsea inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM), topside and high voltage capabilities, not only optimizes logistics but also reduces downtime on inspections; thus improving the rapid reaction speed.
James Fisher Renewables also strives to develop proactive maintenance regimes i.e. condition monitoring, to reduce subsea and topside inspection activities, further reducing customer downtime.
From discussions with customers, more and more are telling us that they would like packaged solutions rather than dealing with several parties and the complexities that these interfaces can create.
James Fisher Renewables can provide a unique offering of packaged services incorporating subsea, above water and asset management services, via a single-managed package. Our approach brings with it synergies and efficiencies which should help to reduce the cost to our customers whilst also reducing the number of interfaces between different parties and therefore lowering the overall risk.
Reference:1. Guide to an offshore wind farm 2. BVGA (2015) Approaches to cost reduction in offshore wind: A report for the Committee on Climate Change
The Strengths of James Fisher Renewables
｜Local content
James Fisher is committed to providing back to local communities through their local content engagement programme. In each country, James Fisher looks to utilise local logistics, train local technicians and collaborate with key strategic partners in-country. Providing a robust supply chain structure in each region and drawing on local expertise is at the heart of their values and operational excellence. The current regional offices include the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Taiwan and the USA.
｜Operational optimisation
James Fisher's operational optimization ability includes weather assessments, using in-house software Mermaid"' as well as focusing on the optimum utilisation of vessels for maximum efficiency. This means you may see a singular vessel used in multiple configurations to avoid duplicate mobilisations and provide further value. James Fisher's offering also includes entire scope project contracting management, saving customers both valuable time and money.
｜Multiple work packages
As a dedicated service company, James Fisher is able to manage multiple work packages, which are each led by their service specialists. James Fisher has extensive experience and is able to deliver successfully. Whereas a single interface provides a clear and concise line of communication and accountability through the contract term.
James Fisher Renewables
James Fisher Renewables specializes in delivering industry-leading topside and subsea marine operations, engineering solutions, software systems and consultancy services to the offshore energy sectors. James Fisher Renewables is a proven solutions provider of choice through their global reach and local presence, capability, assets, and people to deliver. To aim to reduce the complexity of customer supply chains by bringing together a streamlined solution that delivers improved cost-effectiveness and efficiency, James Fisher has undertaken a broad range of marine services and projects worldwide, gaining an enviable reputation for technical innovation. 
