Presentations

Abstract

Traditional wind turbine blade damage classification relies on severity categories (CAT 1-5) that fail to capture the economic urgency of repair decisions. This study presents a novel Repair Now Ratio (RNR) methodology that integrates damage progression risk modeling with Annual Energy Production (AEP) loss calculations to enable repair prioritization within existing severity frameworks. The RNR approach calculates the ratio of projected additional costs from delaying repairs for one year (No Repair Cost) versus immediate repair costs (RNR = No Repair Cost ÷ Repair Cost). Additional costs include damage progression probability based on a variety of parameters, increased repair complexity, and AEP losses for Leading Edge Erosion damages. This creates an economic prioritization metric that complements traditional severity assessment. Analysis of 2,764 blade damage findings across multiple wind farms reveals significant RNR variation among damages of identical severity categories. Severity 2 damages show 152% coefficient of variation in RNR (range 0.07-1.51), demonstrating how type-specific factors create economic differentiation among same category damages using cost and progression modeling. The methodology addresses a fundamental industry challenge: how to prioritize hundreds of same-category findings within constrained maintenance budgets. Current analysis reveals that while 82.6% of damages can be economically delayed, significant RNR variation exists among same category damages. This establishes a foundation for economic-based damage prioritization, demonstrating how type-specific factors (particularly AEP losses for Leading Edge damages) create meaningful economic differentiation among same severity damages. This enables practical budget optimization within existing frameworks, supporting the transition toward more nuanced repair optimization.