A road map for sustainability?

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoints practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings A quick browse through the technology section of any newspaper or news website will usually uncover a number of articles about how technology is enabling progress for a sustainability issue of some sort. Be it electric cars, offshore wind farms or a new way to recycle plastic, there is a mini-industry in reporting technology used based around how it can help make the world more sustainable. However, it is instructive that there is rarely an environmental or sustainability section in the newspaper or news site – it is as if developments in this sector are not as newsworthy as progress being made in technology. Practical implications This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

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Seamless stages to sustainable growth

Strategic Direction ◽

10.1108/sd-03-2015-0046 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 31 (5) ◽

pp. 25-27

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Design Methodology ◽

Reading Time ◽

Cutting Edge ◽

Sustainable Growth ◽

Content Type ◽

Road Map ◽

Pertinent Information ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach – This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings – If practicing managers are to create a sustainability-focused culture, they will need some kind of road map to guide them and ensure that their efforts are properly targeted. This paper presents a model that can act as such a guide, directing companies and bosses in ways that ensure integration of mission, values, goals and strategy. Practical implications – The paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value – The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

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First Lean, then modularization: improving the maintenance of offshore wind turbines

International Journal of Energy Sector Management ◽

10.1108/ijesm-04-2015-0006 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 221-244 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kristian R. Petersen ◽

Erik Skov Madsen ◽

Arne Bilberg

Keyword(s):

Wind Power ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Software Tool ◽

Research Area ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Offshore Wind Farms ◽

Content Type ◽

Offshore Wind Power ◽

Operations And Maintenance ◽

Power Installations

Purpose This paper aims to explore how maintenance tasks can be planned and executed in a smarter way and, consequently, how the operations and maintenance of offshore wind power installations can be improved through modularisation. Design/methodology/approach This is a case study of one of Europe’s leading offshore wind power operators with more than 1,000 wind turbine generators in operation. By focusing on this company, in-depth insights into its operations and maintenance processes are investigated. Findings Lean is identified to constitute an important first step before the modularisation of maintenance tasks. The modularisation of the maintenance of offshore wind farms is identified to reduce preventive maintenance times. Practical implications The paper develops a process to identify the resources needed for maintenance before the modularisation of maintenance tasks and resources can take place. The authors also establish a foundation for the development of a software tool to support the development of the modularisation of maintenance tasks. Originality/value The present study contributes to the rather immature field of research on the operations and maintenance of offshore wind power. Furthermore, it adds to the emerging research area of service modularity.

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Availability centred maintenance for offshore wind farms

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering ◽

10.1108/jqme-08-2013-0058 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 403-418 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Lijuan Dai ◽

Marvin Rausand ◽

Ingrid Bouwer Utne

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Operating Experience ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Special Focus ◽

Engineering System ◽

Maintenance Planning ◽

Offshore Wind Farms ◽

Content Type ◽

Practical Information

Purpose – Maintenance planning is a complicated decision-making process that involves the major stakeholders and the main life-cycle phases of an engineering system. The purpose of this paper is to propose an availability-centred maintenance planning approach for offshore wind farms, with special focus on the early system design phase. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed approach is based on a stepwise procedure that integrates logistics consideration into reliability-centred maintenance. For each step, the essential methods for systematic analysis and documentation are introduced. Findings – Practical information from current offshore wind farms and lessons learned from relevant industries are included to exemplify and justify the implementation of the proposed approach. In a general way, the approach shows that valuable input can be provided to decision making about maintainability and maintenance planning. Furthermore, the approach facilitates the initial maintenance plan to be adjusted and improved upon as additional operating experience becomes available. Research limitations/implications – Offshore wind energy is still an industry in its infancy with an attendant high degree of confidentiality. There is scarcely any detailed practical information available for the production of a case study on this topic. However, the current paper’s theoretical basis may be applied to identify current and future knowledge gaps, for the development of more detailed guidelines as established in the further research. Originality/value – Maintenance planning of offshore wind farms is an area of current interest, although often the focus is on achieving cost reductions and not on the formal development of such a systematic approach as conceived in this paper.

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Managing uncertainty for sustainability of complex projects

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business ◽

10.1108/ijmpb-06-2016-0055 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 315-329 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Tove Brink

Keyword(s):

Project Management ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Uncertainty Management ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Offshore Wind Farms ◽

Content Type ◽

Individual Interviews ◽

Complex Projects ◽

Complex Project ◽

Management Of Uncertainty

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal how management of uncertainty can enable sustainability of complex projects. Design/methodology/approach The research was conducted from June 2014 to May 2015 using a qualitative deductive approach among operation and maintenance actors in offshore wind farms. The research contains a focus group interview with 11 companies, 20 individual interviews and a seminar presenting preliminary findings with 60 participants. Findings The findings reveal the need for management of uncertainty through two different paths. First, project management needs to frontload important issues, which results in the need to use resources much earlier than noted in the usual stage gate approach. Additionally, the base organisation needs the capacity to both explore and exploit important issues. In the summarisation of findings, a tool is developed for the two paths to join efforts. Research limitations/implications Further research is needed to reveal the generalisability of the findings in other complex project contexts containing “unknown unknowns”. Practical implications The research leads to the development of a tool for uncertainty management for sustainability of complex projects, which is termed “UMSCoPS”. The model provides a guide for insight and understanding of uncertainty management. Originality/value The previous knowledge on managing uncertainty for sustainability of complex projects is enhanced regarding the uncertainty management in complex projects. The approach to uncertainty has returned to the original notion of the “unknown unknowns”, and project management thereby leaves the widely used stage gate approach. The developed tool provides a fresh understanding of the challenges of uncertainty.

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The more the better?

Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction ◽

10.1108/jfmpc-05-2013-0020 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 24-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Christian Koch

Keyword(s):

Power Plants ◽

Wind Farm ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Offshore Wind Farms ◽

Content Type ◽

Offshore Wind Turbines ◽

Building Process ◽

Performance Results

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a combined social constructivist, internal and external conceptualisation of the process of realising offshore wind farms, and to investigate costs, time, delays and operational performance results of offshore wind farm power plant projects in Denmark and Sweden with a view to possible strategic misrepresentation. Design/methodology/approach – Desk study of a sample of seven Danish and Swedish offshore wind farms using triangulation of publicly available material. Findings – Some of the wind farm projects are successful and some less successful. In the latter group, budget and time overruns and under-performance are found. The paper discusses specific elements of possible strategic misrepresentation but finds a contradictory pattern. Also competences developed on the basis of experience do not produce clear results, since more recent wind farm performance is poorer than earlier. Research limitations/implications – If desk research were combined with other methods, it would be possible to detect projects ' internal phenomena better. Practical implications – There is a need to improve the efficiency of the wind farm building process and to improve the quality of offshore wind turbines, their foundations and cabling. Originality/value – Renewable energy power plants comprise an important societal investment, yet their costs and possible cost reductions are poorly understood.

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Operations and maintenance issues in the offshore wind energy sector

International Journal of Energy Sector Management ◽

10.1108/ijesm-04-2015-0012 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 245-265 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Victoria Baagøe-Engels ◽

Jan Stentoft

Keyword(s):

Wind Energy ◽

Delphi Study ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Energy Sector ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Future Research ◽

Offshore Wind Energy ◽

Offshore Wind Farms ◽

Content Type ◽

Operations And Maintenance

Purpose There is increasing research interest in the expansion of the offshore wind energy sector. Recent research shows that operations and maintenance (O&M) account for around 20-35 per cent of the total energy costs in this sector. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of O&M issues in the offshore wind energy sector to propose initiatives that can help reduce the cost of energy used by offshore wind farms. Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on an in-depth literature review and a Delphi study of a panel of 16 experts on O&M. Findings Consisting primarily of conceptual papers and/or modelling papers, the extant literature identifies several challenges for O&M in the offshore wind energy sector. These challenges can be grouped into four categories: issues related with industry immatureness; distance/water depth; weather window; and policy issues. The Delphi study identified three other major issues that lead to increased O&M costs: too many predefined rules that limit development; lack of coordinated planning of the different services offered at the wind farms; and lack of a common approach on how O&M should be managed strategically. Research limitations/implications The present study is based only on Danish respondents. Future research needs to include various respondents from different countries to identify country-specific contingencies. Practical implications The paper provides an overview of the O&M issues in the offshore wind energy sector to prioritize where future resources should be invested and, thus, reduce O&M costs. Originality/value This is the first paper on O&M issues that bridges both literature studies and industry expert opinions.

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Evaluating the essential barrier to off-shore wind energy – an Indian perspective

International Journal of Energy Sector Management ◽

10.1108/ijesm-04-2015-0010 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 266-282 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Kannan Govindan ◽

Madan Shankar

Keyword(s):

Wind Energy ◽

Wind Power ◽

Wind Farms ◽

Offshore Wind ◽

Offshore Wind Energy ◽

Offshore Wind Farms ◽

Content Type ◽

Offshore Wind Power ◽

Indian Context ◽

Common Barriers

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the essential barrier and reveal the priority among common barriers to offshore wind energy in an Indian context with the assistance of the proposed framework. Design/methodology/approach Based on the proposed framework, a five-phase methodology was adapted to explore the essential barrier step by step. The common barriers, which were collected from the existing literatures through a systematic review, were further validated by field experts. The collected common barriers were evaluated with the assistance of the case industry’s field professionals through an analytical hierarchy process, a multi-criteria decision-making tool, to evaluate the barriers to Indian offshore wind energy. Findings Among the 12 common barriers to offshore wind energy, it is clear that “high capital cost” is the most essential barrier involved in the implementation of offshore wind energy farms in the Indian context. Practical implications This study reveals the importance of offshore wind power as a long-term profitable strategy to the case company within the Indian context. By addressing the essential barriers to the implementation of offshore wind farms, the Indian offshore wind system managers can train their employees to counteract the hindrances through the benchmarking of pioneering global offshore wind power developers such as Denmark and the UK. Further, this study provides useful suggestions to the Indian Government regarding policies for offshore wind energy; it also clearly projects the current status of the Indian offshore wind farm implementation. Originality/value This study assists Indian key stakeholders of offshore wind energy by indicating the essential barrier in an Indian context; they can remove the particular barrier instead of focusing on others that previous studies have identified. Further, this study brings out the importance of offshore wind power in an Indian context, which can urge stakeholders to invest more in offshore wind farms.

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