Analysis of input factors to operations and maintenance of two offshore wind farm case studies : a screening process

In order to manage the operations and maintenance of offshore wind farms to achieve maximum profitability, operators are required to understand how different elements of the O&M interact with each other. Using a computer simulation model, this is done in a systematic way using sensitivity analysis (SA). Many sophisticated methods exist but can be computationally expensive. In this investigation a method of SA is used which qualitatively screens the most influential factors in a computationally efficient manner as a precursor to a full SA. Two generic wind farms are subject of the analysis, one similar to OWFs build before 2010 and the other represents wind farms that are recently begun operating, in construction or in planning