Mytrah Energy Limited, an independent power producer in the renewable energy sector, has developed an in-house technology that has brought about a sea change in the way it installs and manages its wind power projects across the country.
The company has wind masts from Kanyakumari to Jaisalmer and from Rann of Kutch to Rewa plateau covering most of the terrain comprising sea shores, forests, sand dunes, hills, plains, and low mountain passes in the Western Ghats.
“We had two options when we started the company in 2010 — to access wind data patterns and turbines from an external vendor, liberate bandwidth, monetise assets and reduce risk and the other to integrate backwards into proprietary collection of wind data patterns that could empower us with the knowledge of what to do, where to do and when to do,” recalls Vikarm Kailas, MD and CEO.
With over 200 wind masts across eight States, the company chose to pursue its proprietary research. It set up a technology platform on suitable wind patterns, land and grid availability, creating a rich pipeline of prospective sites. Using the in-house technology, it has analysed locations and created a potential of 10,000 MW project pipeline.
The technology framework was developed by a team of over 40 techies. With a portfolio of over one giga watt (1000 mega watt) of installed wind energy projects and a recent entrant into the sunrise solar industry, it is helping in managing its assets much better.
In-house doctor
Call it the ‘in-house doctor’ or a tech framework that helps ensure seamless functioning of wind masts across locations from a centralised zone, it is one of the first an IPP has attempted. Most such solutions are developed by turbine makers.
The company’s Generation Management Centre (GMC) located in Hyderabad serves as a centralised tech platform and enables the monitoring of the company’s entire operational assets. The technology solution, which even supports mobile platforms, has been developed using big data and artificial intelligence learning algorithms. It helps seamlessly monitor all the operational assets including under-performing wind turbines or their degradation, and plant performance. Thereby it helps reduce the downtime of machines, with of course a direct bearing on efficiency.
An on-site SCADA system connected to each turbine generator’s control system is linked to the GMC and constantly tracks key operating parameters. Automated algorithms are used to detect abnormal conditions and the findings are automatically notified through alarms, provided with information regarding the event. They can troubleshoot or reset turbines from remote locations.
“The technology drive hinges on two major requirements — accurate forecast of wind power leading to data analytics and use of that data to ensure turbines function efficiently,” says Kailas. This is more like a wind turbine doctor. All of this has been achieved through coding done in-house.”
Tallest wind mast
The company is in the process of commissioning the tallest wind mast in the Asia Pacific region at a height of about 200 metres in Tamil Nadu, thereby demonstrating sophistication in wind mast design and competence in assessing land permissions and potential.
To demonstrate its tech capability, it took part in CREYEP, an event of the European Wind Energy Association. Here it reported predictive results within 2 per cent of the mean, which was among the best achieved across 37 global companies.
(The article first appeared in The Hindu BusinessLine.)