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Allen Corridor interviews Anders Røpke, CEO of Wind Energy LAB, about their progressive software program product, LASSIE. LASSIE helps wind farm operators detect and mitigate lightning injury to their generators by analyzing international lightning knowledge and offering alerts when generators could also be in danger. With its reasonably priced subscription mannequin and seamless integration, LASSIE affords an economical answer for safeguarding wind farm belongings and sustaining a prudent operational monitor file. Go to for extra data!
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Allen Corridor: Welcome to the Uptime Wind Vitality Podcast. I’m your host, Allen Corridor, and I’ve a particular visitor in the present day, Anders Røpke, who’s the founding companion and CEO of Wind Energy LAB, which is predicated in Copenhagen, Denmark. And Wind Energy LAB is an knowledgeable on blades and issues round blades, however we’re right here in the present day to not discuss essentially about blades straight, however we’re right here to speak about lightning safety and lightning detection and what operators can do to make their Wind farm, much less prone to huge lightning injury.
Yeah, that’s Anders, properly, welcome to this system.
Anders Røpke: Thanks very a lot. Thanks for having me, uh, I’m positive.
Allen Corridor: So we’re, we’re in San Diego, which the climate’s loads higher than Copenhagen in the intervening time. Uh, I used to be in Copenhagen every week and a half in the past, two weeks in the past. It was snowing, chilly, depressing, and right here it’s good and sunny, and there’s a seaside, and it’s, it’s not a nasty place to be.
So we’re at, uh, ACP OM&S and speaking all issues, of all issues, lightning. And so Windpower LAB has developed a brand new, it’s principally a software program product or an app, so to talk. It’s referred to as LASSIE.
Anders Røpke: It’s referred to as LASSIE, like you understand the watchdog. Sure. As a result of we’d like one thing or somebody to handle our wind generators.
Sure, we positively do. And as you may inform earlier within the week right here in California, you had actually poor climate. Horrible climate. Thunderstorms and whatnot. And let’s deliver out the elephant within the room, the lightning. Lightning points, proper? And, um, with this product of ours, our providing is, you understand, you may merely simply exit and examine the generators that’s in threat.
Sure. And, um, how is that attainable? Properly, we use, it’s a worldwide answer. It’s one thing you may simply add coordinates of the generators to the system. And by doing that, you’ll get an summary of the related lightning strikes throughout the space the place you could have your generators. Proper. Sure. So let’s say you could have. Within the States, wind farms are big, 500 generators, which one ought to I examine after this, after the lightning storm?
Allen Corridor: Massive, nice query to have.
Anders Røpke: So it could be within the Southeastern a part of the wind farm, proper? However once more, why do you have to do it? And hopefully the turbine survived the thunderstorm as a result of they’re designed for it, however let’s go test anyway. So we will pinpoint the place to go and test. You get a piece order checklist, you get all of the related, uh, lightning knowledge data.
After which we relate this to the IEC normal and the blade sort, the LPS system you could have put in. Do we have now any sure threat on these particular generators it is best to handle? That’s a superb perception.
Allen Corridor: Okay, so the LASSIE system is taking among the international lightning community knowledge and saying, okay, we all know the place the lightning strikes happen.
And if I belong to this lightning, the LASSIE system, I enter my turbine coordinates to So right here’s the place all my generators are. And lastly, then simply is it like a watchdog? It simply sits there and look ahead to lightning strikes that occur round these generators. Okay, nice. However on prime of that, it’s saying this explicit turbine has a susceptibility of X and also you, however this lightning strike might have triggered that.
Let’s go have a look.
Anders Røpke: Precisely. So you may, um, You possibly can clarify this by, uh, considering of you being the flight controller in an enormous airport, proper? Sure. So, we have now purchasers the place they’ve perhaps 30 completely different, uh, wind turbine sorts. Simple, yeah. And that’s all tremendous, however they should look throughout, and a few of these generators they’ve of their operational fleet will probably be extra liable to damages.
Allen Corridor: Certain.
Anders Røpke: That’s the essential reality, and a few of them you don’t must pay that a lot consideration to.
Allen Corridor: Proper.
Anders Røpke: True. However What you wish to construct here’s a monitor file that you’re taking excellent care of the wind generators. Since you are defending your asset worth. Sure. Proper? You will get your wind farm insured.
Sure. And if you may get it insured, you may get it financed. Proper. So everyone seems to be joyful.
Allen Corridor: In order that’s a singular product as a result of the LASSIE system doesn’t require any {hardware}. No.
Anders Røpke: It’s no sensor, domestically put in. Okay. So, um, we use the worldwide knowledge networks. Yeah. That your insurers and threat engineers and everybody else would use.
However the secret sauce right here is that we relate it to the blade particular data. And the IEC normal. Yeah. So, as an operator, by utilizing the platform, you may turn out to be a prudent operator. As a result of based on the IEC normal, it’s beneficial to examine in case you have a lightning strike inside 3 times hop peak of your turbine.
Allen Corridor: Proper. That’s how simple it’s.
Anders Røpke: Present that you’re all the time doing that. Present that to your insurer. Proper? Certain. Then, I gained’t say you’ll get a decreased premium, however not less than you may get your insurance coverage to cowl, proper? That’s a superb argument. Since you are literally in management and price sensible you can be in management as a result of in case you for some cause have a, a injury, then you definitely’ll discover it in time and never simply wait till your statutory inspection will discover it in perhaps two years time.
Allen Corridor: Yeah, and I believe that’s the massive subject in the USA and in Italy, Greece, Croatia, uh, uh, Brazil, the place lightning is an enormous downside, what tends to occur is you do a drone inspection every year, roughly, typically twice a 12 months, however positive as something, you do the drone inspection, the following week you are taking a strike, take injury, after which it sits there, since you simply don’t have the sources to exit and test, and the storms in America are so large at occasions, you’d find yourself, in case you simply.
in case you simply appeared on the lightning knowledge by itself, you’d say I’ve to examine each turbine on the farm. That’s insane, proper? And technicians don’t do it as a result of that’s what they’re requested to go do, and that’ll take ceaselessly. So lastly focuses the technicians effort to save lots of time, but in addition to look to the issues which can be most likely the new spots so you may catch them.
Anders Røpke: So the best way we have now carried out that is that Each single wind farm ought to after all have a blade upkeep technique. Proper. And a part of that blade upkeep technique is how do you deal with lightning exercise. Certain, positive it’s. You could have loads of lightning exercise or much less, actually doesn’t matter right here. Proper. However in case you tailor this the right approach contained in the system, then you may configure the blade sort after which tailor your lightning technique in case you like to truly seize as a lot as attainable.
After all, nobody can seize all the things, however, uh, do not forget that insurance coverage is for the unexpected occasion. And in case you’re checking primarily based on the information obtainable, the place you mobilize or prioritize it, merely on likelihood, proper? And also you do your greatest, then, I imply, then, then you definitely’re You’re being a accountable operator.
You’re being accountable and I believe, uh And good. It’s and it’s, uh, yeah. It’s gonna prevent cash. It’s going to prevent, like, uh, perhaps an element 5, issue 10, in case you seize such a, uh, lightning injury in time.
Allen Corridor: Wind Energy LAB is the right case, since you guys know, from all of your expertise of broken blades, that lightning injury has been out in service for too lengthy.
Anders Røpke: Sure, and we see so many pointless damages, in case you like, so one thing that would have been repaired for perhaps 5, 000 to 10, 000, which is, after all, some huge cash. However in case you wait, it could possibly flip into 100, 000 rapidly. Yeah. And for a small payment, you may put your generators up on subscription as an alternative, after which get a heads up when it’s essential go and examine and confirm all the things is okay.
Allen Corridor: Okay, so if I’m an operator, let’s stroll by way of this course of. I’m an operator. I’ve had lightning injury. I’ve no approach of actually detecting what to go examine. What are the steps right here to get hooked into lasting? What do I do? And what does that course of appear to be?
Anders Røpke: So initially, you may attain out to me. Okay, positive.
No, however we have to get you began on the, on the software program. So on your wind farm, we would wish a coordinate per turbine. So we have to know the place on this planet your generators are positioned. And in case you can inform us which blade sort you could have, or simply the wind turbine sort, then we have now come a great distance.
Commissioning date would even be good to know.
Allen Corridor: Certain.
Anders Røpke: However the level is that they are going to plug you into our system. Then we’ll roll again time for 2 or three years. We’ll do a historic knowledge evaluation of strikes. Oh, okay. And primarily based on that, you’ll get like a decisionality of the frequency of sharks, the depth, what’s going on.
Then you definitely’re really able to go for the, yeah, in a second you could have the lightning season once more right here and then you definitely’re able to go after which you may examine to final season. However this time round, you may really. By your work order lists right here, confirm that nothing occurred. And that’s the monitor file.
That’s value some huge cash.
Allen Corridor: That’s. So, I get my coordinates within the system. I’m within the system, on the LASSIE system. I can simply log into that on a desktop pc, laptop computer?
Anders Røpke: Laptop computer, telephone, no matter you want. Okay, so it’s on the telephone too? Yeah. Okay. And then you definitely get notified by electronic mail, in case you like. Okay. Now it’s essential, uh, to attend your generators.
Allen Corridor: So when a storm comes by way of, I get an electronic mail alert saying, these generators I must go check out as a result of they could be in danger or as a result of the lightning is admittedly near them. After which that will get registered. So that you, not solely are you including the historic knowledge, you’re taking the brand new knowledge and including it to mixture it.
So you could have a understanding of what the lightning historical past is for that specific turbine.
Anders Røpke: Precisely. Okay. So, so you’ll like have a, it’s a small workflow. So, you understand, in right here you’ll have. These are the observations. These are your warnings. Then you definitely undergo the information. Okay. Not the information knowledge, however, I imply, you go in on an alert foundation.
Proper. And from the highest, you’ll then decide and select which of them to take care of. Okay. Then you definitely exit and test. You’re taking your image if one thing occurred. Certain. After which it’ll all be registered. That you’ve really attended to that particular lightning occasion.
Allen Corridor: Okay. So you may take the photographs of the blade and put it again into the LASSIE system.
So it’s like a historical past lesson of that specific turbine.
Anders Røpke: And now if, if, if we must always, um, you understand, then what, what about this monitor file you’re constructing over the course of the season? Proper. You probably have your renegotiation of your coverage insurance coverage coverage for the following season, then let’s say in December, you roll all of it out and you’ve got your And you’ll have a well informed dialogue together with your insurance coverage firm.
Sure, we have now a, let’s say big lightning threat in my space, however it’s not that unhealthy really. We had 117 strokes contained in the related a part of the wind farm. Certain. However based on the IEC normal, I did what I may to examine. Proper. And out of the 117, I discovered perhaps 5 damages, however the excellent news is I received to restore them in time.
And also you’re caught. That’s the prudent of a approach. That may be a prudent operator. And that’s additionally the one that you simply wish to have in your insurance coverage coverage.
Allen Corridor: Certain. And since you may implement LASSIE very simply, you could be up and working in a matter of a few hours, it feels like, a day.
Anders Røpke: Yeah.
Allen Corridor: Yeah, you could be up and working for an entire farm, or farms.
Yeah. That, that could be a subscription mannequin, or is it a one thing you buy? What, what’s the monetary setup?
Anders Røpke: Yeah, we have now made it easy. No megawatts or something. Okay. It’s a greenback a day. Oh, a greenback a day. Off you go.
Allen Corridor: Okay, so for a greenback a day, I can monitor my generators, wherever they’re, wherever on this planet.
Sure. And you’ve got a dashboard, so to talk, that tells me what the well being of that turbine is.
Anders Røpke: Okay. Thunderstorm by thunderstorm. Thunderstorm, okay.
Allen Corridor: Yeah. And it provides me alerts and issues go sideways.
Anders Røpke: And contained in the platform, after all, you may, in case you’re an asset supervisor with the duty of 1 wind farm, that’s your view.
However in case you have the general duty, you may get it fleet broad as properly. So from this, you may really inform which wind farm is, you understand, the worst, one of the best performing and so forth.
Allen Corridor: You possibly can take your technicians and focus them on the issues at hand. It’s not simply spreading round trying to find points.
Anders Røpke: And and naturally, we all know loads of different work orders must undergo We additionally combine to different Asset administration platforms, so we feed that in By an API so you may get entry to the information in case you’re utilizing One other system for dealing with all of your actions on web site.
Allen Corridor: So in case you have like a SkySpecs system the place you could have a knowledge assortment
Anders Røpke: base discipline or
Allen Corridor: proper, there’s an entire bunch of them proper now, so yours will simply plug into that current different platform.
Anders Røpke: As a result of we’re so blade centric on this one shirt with respect to the lightning threat. And so we, I might say we’re form of the knowledgeable software program after which that’s being translated into a piece order.
Go test.
Allen Corridor: Received it. Okay, wow. That’s a very attention-grabbing piece of expertise. In order that, that could be very helpful. I do assume loads of operators all all over the world have points with Lightning, however they don’t have a fast technique to get one thing carried out and to start out monitoring it, which is the issue. They usually’re, they’re behind.
So in case you’re going again in time to offer them a historical past, that basically helps them perceive the scope of the issue they’re coping with.
Anders Røpke: At the least it provides you some form of magnitude, proper? Proper. And naturally you may additionally do that by yourself. Get a subscription with one of many knowledge suppliers. However that’s tremendous costly.
It’s.
Allen Corridor: I see these numbers are astoundingly huge. For a greenback a day, you’re a lot better off doing a LASSIE system. As a result of it’s the identical knowledge. It’s. And it’s tailor-made to you. And your blades. And your blades, precisely. Wow. Okay, that’s fascinating. This has been actually attention-grabbing. How do folks discover out about LASSIE?
The place do they go? How do they join with you?
Anders Røpke: Yeah, so you may go on LinkedIn and naturally look me up. In case you can spell to my final identify, . Um, in any other case go to windpowerlab.com. Yeah. Or we have now a devoted web site referred to as LASSIEwatchdog.com.
Allen Corridor: LASSIEwatchdog.com. Okay. That needs to be simple.
Anders Røpke: Then, uh, you may get in contact and, uh, what we’d ask from you is a few coordinates after which we arrange a gathering and, uh, you may see for your self by yourself generators.
Allen Corridor: Wow. Okay. Helpful expertise. That is actually cool. We all the time like having issues on the podcast which can be actionable that may change the path of an operator. This simply feels like certainly one of them. So Wind Energy LAB at it once more. That is cool.
Anders Røpke: Thanks.
Allen Corridor: Anders. Thanks for being on the podcast. I recognize it.
Yeah. And in case you have any points with lightning, then you definitely want one thing that will get up and working so you may get higher understanding of what you’re up towards. Attain out to Anders right here, winch on the Wind Energy LAB and take a look at the LASSIE system. Actually cool. Thanks for being on this system.