Overview
IX performed a broad package of risk analyses on behalf of Vattenfall and Nordex on existing wind farms in the Netherlands, including Windpark Industrieterrein Moerdijk and Energiepark Haringvliet. Safety is high on the priority list, therefore the inventory, quantification and mitigation of risks is very important in order to achieve the safest possible operational phase. This includes risks related to health, the environment, general safety and finances.
The analyses performed include quantitative failure probability calculations on the turbines, detailed risk analyzes for evacuation from the turbine in the event of fire and risk calculations for damage to the immediate environment in the event of ice formation and ice fall from the turbines. Existing situations are described and studied by means of (probability) calculations, statistics and practical information from the project. Detailed reports are prepared for each identified main risk, in which a quantitative analysis is performed on the specific risks that may arise during operation. Think of the risk of fire in a turbine during maintenance work or the risk of environmental damage due to an incident. Appropriate mitigations are then proposed for the relevant risks to reduce the risk in severity or frequency, for example by prescribing the correct evacuation tool, installing an Ice Prevention System (IPS) or placing a physical shield for sensitive equipment in the proximity of the turbines. Based on these recommendations, the wind farm’s O&M team can start mitigating risks in a well-substantiated manner in order to achieve a worry-free operation phase.