Comparison of methods for wind turbine condition monitoring with SCADA data

Wind turbine operational costs can be reduced by monitoring the condition of major components in the drivetrain. SCADA‐based condition monitoring is attractive because the data are already collected, resulting in rapid deployment and modest set‐up cost. Three SCADA‐based monitoring methods were reviewed: signal trending; self‐organising maps and physical model. The physical model was identified as being the most reliable at predicting impending component failures. A validation study on this method using five operational wind farms showed that it is possible to achieve a high detection rate and good detection accuracy. An advance detection period of between 1 month and 2 years was achieved by the method. The study has also highlighted limitations and areas for further development.