FEBRUARY 11TH - 12TH: CONFERENCE TIMINGS

DAY ONE: 11th February 2009

Conference Chair

Dr. Nicolas Fichaux
Head of Policy Analysis Unit
European Wind Energy Association

Section One: Wind Performance Market Review

Wind Energy Performance Optimisation Update:

• Hear the latest developments across Europe relating to performance optimisation and what it will mean to your bottom line profits
• Get an overview of why changes to software and hardware can significantly boost the performance of your site
• Evaluate the importance of meteorological data to improve your energy yield predictions
• Discover how operating post-warranty can be beneficial to your business

Laurent Chamerois
Operations and Project Development Manager
Theolia

Super Panel Session: What’s Next For Performance Optimisation

• Hear a detailed overview of the wind energy market across Germany, UK, Spain and Europe
• Understand why improving the performance of your wind farm site is an essential part of the move towards European and in-country targets for renewable energy generation
• Pose questions and engage in the debate relating to the future of the wind energy industry and why performance optimisation is a critical element

Session to be moderated by:

Dr. Nicolas Fichaux
Head of Policy Analysis Unit
European Wind Energy Association

Panel members: Senior Representatives from across the Industry

Section Two: Implementing Software Packages for Maximum Efficiency Gains

How To Use SCADA Systems For Efficient Operation

• Understand how to translate SCADA data into an effective business strategy for improved wind farm operation
• Learn how to incorporate SCADA data and wind resource predictions into a financial strategy for your business
• Discover why staff training on SCADA systems can significantly improve the performance of your wind farm

Bo Lovmand
SCADA Specialist
Vestas

Extend Your SCADA Capabilities For Enhanced Performance

• Identify the benefits of utilising a portfolio SCADA system to transform your data analysis and overall site performance
• Gauge the advantages of upgrading older SCADA technology to newer operating systems to boost yields
• SCADA systems for offshore farms – hear how to implement efficient remote communication with offshore sites

Ulrik Henriksen
SCADA Manager
Suzlon

Performance Assessment And Data Analysis

• Gauge the importance of analysis techniques to extract the maximum information from routine SCADA data
• Discover what data visualisation is and why it’s important to your business
• Learn how to use data to quickly identify problem areas and tackle maintenance issues before they become serious

Peter Clive
Renewable Energy Consultant
SGURR Energy

Condition Based Monitoring For Performance Improvements

• Learn about existing condition monitoring methods, their importance in turbine maintenance and how important it is in predicting turbine life spans
• What system is best for your wind farms – hear how to select the right tool for your business
• Discover new techniques for gearbox maintenance such as one off oil filtration for improved operation, and vibration analysis
• Hear about the future developments such as vibration analysis for condition based monitoring systems and the benefits of utilising such technology

Jochen Ziehmann
Technical Consultant
8.2 Consulting AG

Section Three: Hardware Improvements for Maximum Performance

Ensuring Maximum Turbine Power Performance

• Hear how to reduce unnecessary power losses from turbine performance and key steps to boost your energy availability
• Discover the verification methods needed for maximum efficiency and power performance
• Learn how regular monitoring of your turbines will improve performance of your entire site
• Understand what to expect from your warranty contract and how you should best prepare your business

Dr. Helmut Klug
Wind Farm Specialist
Garrad Hassan Deutschland GmBH

Maximise Your Turbine Blade Potential

• Discuss how best to achieve correct blade balance for maximum power generation and why pitch calibration is essential for blade performance
• Understand how aerodynamic performance across a site can significantly boost your energy yields
• Learn how to service and maintain your turbine blades to ensure full availability from your turbines
• Learn about the most common causes for rotor imbalances and how to prevent them

Michael Melsheimer
Managing Director
WindGuard

Blade Maintenance in Adverse Weather Conditions

• Understand how adverse weather conditions affect your turbine performance - and what you can do about it
• Discover the problems of ice build up on blades, the damage caused and how specialist blade sensors can measure for ice build up and ensure you avoid down time

Toby King
Chief Operating Officer
Insensys

DAY TWO: 12th February 2009

Conference Chair

Dr. Nicolas Fichaux
Head of Policy Analysis Unit
European Wind Energy Association

Section Four: Forecasting Wind Resource for Efficient Operation and Energy Trading

Wind Mapping for Power Predictions and Scheduling

• Understand how important wind modelling is to enhance turbine performance on a daily basis
• Hear how to calculate accurate power predictions to ensure your turbines are operating to maximum availability in any given wind speed
• Discover how to combine SCADA data with meteorological data to schedule O&M for low wind resource periods and minimise your output losses

Jesper Thiesen
Vice Director
Frontweather

Weather Forecasting For Energy Trading And Wind Farm Planning

• Discover how to use detailed wind predictions for more accurate short term energy trading
• Learn how meteorological data predictions can improve your capacity to predict accurate power output and make you more money
• Enhance your knowledge about wind farm site portfolios to minimise contract penalties from under or over supply

Dr. Gard Hauge
Modelling Manager
Storm Weather Center

Energy Yield Assessment for Optimal Wind Farm Performance

• Discover how to minimise uncertainties when you make your energy yield assessments
• Understand wind flow modelling in complex terrain and what it means for your energy output
• Evaluate the benefits of turbine spacing for large wind farms and offshore sites to minimise power losses
• Realise how best to select the correct turbine class for your wind farm

Dr. Kai Mönnich
Head of  Micrositing International
DEWI GmbH

Section Five: Performance Optimisation for Site Location, Development and Maintenance

Best Practice from Initial Design to Operation

• Learn why good site design means efficient wind farm operation and how you can best achieve it
• Beyond mean wind speed - assess the importance of considering shear and turbulence on delivered power
• Understand the consequences of design decisions on operational performance and what can be done about it post construction
• Select the correct tools you can use to diagnose underperformance of your wind farms
• Learn how to place and use the information from permanent masts for wind farm efficiency

Oisin Brady
Senior Technical Manager
Natural Power

Construction and Operation of Wind Farm sites for Maximum Power Output

• Learn why the construction phase is so crucial to wind farm performance
• Understand how to carry forward lessons learnt from the construction phase to the operational phase to enhance your wind farm performance
• Discuss how your operational strategy should take into account site specific details to ensure you make maximum power output for your site

Dr. Terje Gjengedal
Vice President
Statkraft

Maintenance Strategies, Budgets And Planning

• Understand the benefits of moving towards a continuous strategy of pro-active maintenance in a post-warranty era
• Budgeting for repairs – learn how to use forecasting technology and condition monitoring systems to enable you to schedule maintenance at low wind resource and minimise output losses
• Planning ahead– evaluate when hardware needs replacing and how to schedule ahead to avoid long lead times for spare parts and supply chain bottlenecks

Eric Kampheus
Business Development Manager
Mecal

Exclusive Case Study: Commissioning and Operating Experience from the Beatrice Demonstrator Project

Get an exclusive insight into the Distant Offshore Wind No Visual Intrusion in Deepwater Programme (DOWNVInD), the largest renewable energy research and technology development programme in Europe. Discover;

• How important access to wind farm sites is to ensure a routine O & M strategy
• The challenges offshore wind farm operators face to develop an access system capable of transferring the commissioning and maintenance schemes quickly and safely to and from the turbines
• What type of vessels are best to ensure safe transportation of turbine parts to your sites

Allan Macaskill
Business Development Manager
Sea Energy Renewables

Offshore Wind Conditions and Performance Optimisation Strategies

• Discover how offshore wind conditions can affect the performance of your wind farm site
• Learn how to ensure you make the most of your offshore site and capture maximum wind resource
• Understand how to adapt onshore performance optimisation strategies for offshore sites to make maximum energy yields in all wind speeds

Dr. Heinz-Theo Mengelkamp
Chief Operating Officer
Anemos GmBH

Minimise Power Losses Caused By Wakes In Large Wind Farms

• Learn the effects of wind farm wakes in large scale farms and assess the power losses they create – and what you can do about it
• Upwind Research Group have undertaken wake modelling study - hear the comparisons between different site locations, including complex terrain and offshore sites

Rebecca Barthelmie
Research Academic - Riso National Laboratory/Indiana University