A Forward-Looking Assessment of Robotized Operation and Maintenance Practices for Offshore Wind Farms

Operation and maintenance (O&M) activities represent a significant share of the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for offshore wind farms (OWFs), making cost reduction a key priority. Robotic-based solutions, leveraging aerial and underwater vehicles in a cooperative framework, offer the potential to optimize O&M logistics and reduce costs. Additionally, the deployment of persistent autonomous robotic systems can minimize the need for human intervention, enhancing efficiency. This study presents the development of an O&M cost calculator that integrates multiple modules: a weather forecast module to account for meteorological uncertainties, a failure module to model OWF failures, a maintenance module to estimate costs for both planned and unplanned activities, and a power module to quantify downtime-related losses. A forward-looking comparative economic analysis is conducted, assessing the cost-effectiveness of human-based versus robot-based inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) activities. The findings highlight the economic viability of robotic solutions in offshore wind O&M, supporting their potential role in reducing operational expenditures and improving energy production efficiency.