Machine Learning Solutions for Offshore Wind Farms: A Review of Applications and Impacts

Abstract

The continuous advancement within the offshore wind energy industry is propelled by the imperatives of renewable energy generation, climate change policies, and the zero-emission targets established by governments and communities. Increasing the dimensions of offshore wind turbines to augment energy production, enhancing the power generation efficiency of existing systems, mitigating the environmental impacts of these installations, venturing into deeper waters for turbine deployment in regions with optimal wind conditions, and the drive to develop floating offshore turbines stand out as significant challenges in the domains of development, installation, operation, and maintenance of these systems. This work specifically centers on providing a comprehensive review of the research undertaken to tackle several of these challenges using machine learning and artificial intelligence. These machine learning-based techniques have been effectively applied to structural health monitoring and maintenance, facilitating the more accurate identification of potential failures and enabling the implementation of precision maintenance strategies. Furthermore, machine learning has played a pivotal role in optimizing wind farm layouts, improving power production forecasting, and mitigating wake effects, thereby leading to heightened energy generation efficiency. Additionally, the integration of machine learning-driven control systems has showcased considerable potential for enhancing the operational strategies of offshore wind farms, thereby augmenting their overall performance and energy output. Climatic data prediction and environmental studies have also benefited from the predictive capabilities of machine learning, resulting in the optimization of power generation and the comprehensive assessment of environmental impacts. The scope of this review primarily includes published articles spanning from 2005 to March 2023.