Alan Chivers (right) shaking hands in 2012 with Michael Valente, Group Managing Director of TÜV SÜD in the UK (left) at the time that the UK Division of the TÜV SÜD Group acquired 100 per cent share capital of renewable energy consulting firm PMSS.

Interview by Jason Deign

Q: What current O&M trends are we seeing in mature markets, such as the US?

A: In the US onshore market, the route these projects go through is usually via an engineering, procurement and construction contractor (EPC) and a lot of times they would try to retain contracts for O&M.

You also get original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offering maintenance agreements. They have traditionally captured the market, but what we are finding out is that when the turbine comes out of warranty, the owners will revert to O&M.

They look at the work, pick it apart and split it into different areas, such as turbines or balance of plant, which allows them to get more relevant expertise involved in each asset. That helps with skills because there is a shortage of technicians in some areas.

Q: How does the situation differ in emerging markets such as South Africa?

A: In South Africa, it is a more tight economy, so I would see operators trying to do it themselves. In general, there is a lot more competition going on and owners are taking more control; building their own competency.

If you have kept the O&M with the contractor, you have got a 10% to 15% margin to pay and would be at the mercy of their maintenance team.

Q: Are there benefits that OEMs can bring to O&M, for example through economies of scale?

A: Yes. If you look at Vestas’ offshore construction in Holland, it has been able to complete offshore construction and set up an operational base [at IJmuiden]. Then it took over O&M for Q7 [now Prinses Amaliawindpark] and operated that from the same base.

A third project is coming online now. That will also be operated from the same base.

Q: What O&M trends do you see in offshore?

A: With the new technologies coming through, in the 6MW class, the design of the machines has more consideration for O&M and health and safety than before. There is improvement in reliability. You reduce the number of vessel visits, which reduces costs.

Looking forward, we have already got a lot of remote monitoring and now we need more remote operation features, such as remote shutdown and repair. I don’t think that will come onshore, though, except maybe in remote locations like the Canadian wilds.

In the Scottish Highlands it simply does not make sense because you can get there cheaper in a Land Rover to carry out O&M, and there is a vested interest in creating employment and retaining the skills base.