Kinewell Energy has launched a licensed version of its revolutionary inter-array layout optimisation software, KLOC.
The KLOC software was initially launched as a consultancy tool for Kinewell Energy in 2015 after two years of research and development. Using KLOC, Kinewell Energy has since delivered numerous high profile projects adding significant value to clients. In a case study of the Gwynt-y-mor offshore windfarm, the software was able to realise savings of £2.2m, or 3% of the installed cable cost. The KLOC software was highly commended at the IET Innovation Awards in 2016.
Kinewell Energy Managing Director, Andrew Jenkins, said “We have developed our world leading inter-array cable layout optimisation solution into a licensed product following requests from clients. This enables clients to harness the power of the KLOC software in-house. We are thankful to the recently launched £30m National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD) hosted at Newcastle University for their support during this development.”
The KLOC software rapidly designs an economically optimised inter-array cable layout design for an offshore windfarm based on the locational and cost data it is presented with. The software appropriately prioritises the optimisation of capital cost against operational costs such as electrical distribution losses and unavailability losses due to cable faults.
In addition to the value generated through a single run of the KLOC optimisation engine, further value can be achieved by using the multi-run functionality which is only possible due to the software’s incredible speed. A multi-run can determine cost sensitives using automated incremental changes to input data on each run. For example, KLOC can model numerous alternative substation locations around the development area, developing an optimised inter-array layout at each location. In this way, the locations of the substations themselves can be optimised.
Similarly, any input data can be varied and thus KLOC can determine the cost sensitivities of using different turbine types, different sets of cable types, operating voltage, the cost of capital, and different installation methodologies in each area of the development site, amongst others.
Andrew added “Prior to the availability of the KLOC software, such optimised inter-array cost sensitivity analysis was not possible due to the prohibitive time and cost of undertaking such a calculation.”
Although the KLOC software has been developed around offshore wind, it has numerous other applications. It can be used to optimise the inter-array layout of connecting any number of nodes with a central location. This means that it is immediately transferable to large onshore wind, large solar, wave and tidal energy projects. Additionally, it could also be used for array cables that supply (rather than receive) energy to those nodes, such as the electrical pump demand in Oil and Gas projects. Furthermore, it could be used to optimise the pipelines that link those Oil and Gas wells to a central processing facility of the product.
