A milp for installation scheduling of offshore wind farms

Construction and utilization of offshore wind farms is going to increase within the next years. So far the first German offshore wind farm was constructed and put into operation by "Alpha Ventus". Experiences illustrate that bad weather conditions are the main cause for delays in transport, handling and installation of offshore wind farms. This can lead to extensive project delays up to several months. The main objective of current logistical research activities is the robust design of planning and control methods for offshore installations. In this study, the basic conditions and existing disturbances of supply chains for offshore installations are analyzed. Based on these results, a planning and control concept will be introduced. Additionally, a mathematical model using mixed integer linear programming (MILP) is developed. It calculates the optimal installation schedule for offshore wind farms by observing different weather conditions. The model can be used to reduce vessel operation times in dependence on seasonal or up-to-date weather forecasts.