H2air GT has invested in the integration of its own monitoring and control center with a dedicated team. This new Operation Control Center (OCC) service enhances the digitalisation of operational services and optimises the performance of your renewable energy parks.

Processing information in real time

With its dedicated tool, H2air GT has access to aggregated data on the status of distribution networks, machines, electricity markets, etc., enabling it to be more responsive and anticipatory.

Strengthening cyber security

Controlling the connection of our assets gives us the tools we need to manage cyber risks, in compliance with the European NIS 2 directive, to which companies in the energy sector in particular are subject.

Improving the safety of people and property

Wind farms are subject to ICPE (Installations Classified for Environmental Protection) regulations. Our monitoring and control center ensures a rapid, coordinated response in the event of an emergency. It also improves the safety of our teams.

Reducing environmental impact

The protection of avifauna in wind farms requires the observance of special protection protocols. Our monitoring and control centre ensures that these guidelines are strictly applied with a high level of responsiveness. For example, if a farmer starts work that attracts birds of prey, we can stop the wind turbines to limit the risk of collision.

Customized software

We use ESPX software, published by BaxEnergy:

• This software is scalable and allows us to integrate our customers’ future assets (solar, storage, hydrogen) and information from a range of external feeds, such as APIs (application programming interfaces). We can merge information sources (weather, energy metering, planning, etc.), define reporting functionalities according to our needs, analyse the large amount of data available, etc.
• Control and administration of the integrated system by an industrial IT engineer in charge of developing the software according to our customers’ needs.

A dedicated team

Five people monitor and operate the installations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, backed up by an on-call team. Composed of an engineer and experienced ex-maintenance technicians, our team enhances the quality of the work carried out by the operations managers dedicated to your sites:

• By collecting and processing data directly, the operators free up the operations managers, allowing them to spend more time in the field and working with customers.
• Control operations can now be carried out on a single turbine, a group of turbines or a delivery station. A single person can perform these operations quickly.

Mirova chose H2air GT for the commercial and technical running of wind park in Useroles (Burgundy).

Built in 2019 and composed of 8 Nordex N117 turbines, this park has innovative camera systems for the protection of the avifauna, for which H2air GT will ensure the operational qualification in cooperation with the manufacturer and the administration.

This agreement brings the wind power volume entrusted by Mirova to 63 MW.

Bruno Lafont, Director of Operations, says: « I would like to thank warmly Mirova asset management team which renews its confidence in the services provided by H2air GT, and also for the quality of the relationships which combines high standards with mutual respect ».

H2air GT now operates the new Tulipes windfarm (Somme), which won the first french wind public tender bid. There are nine Vestas V126 turbines and one V117 with a total capacity of 36 MW.

H2air GT teams took over the turbines, set up on February 1, 2021.

The windfarm is connected to HTA/HTB network (225 kV) with Tulipes connection station, built by H2air group. This station will be operated by Somme SICAE, in partnership with H2air GT.

Our windfarm managers are responsible for the compliance of the electric sites with the legal requirements.  Our team uses the latest big data technologies to make an optimal running from the start.

H2air GT technical team organized today a refresher training for working at heights and rescue in a wind turbine environment, on the wind farm Coquelicot 2.

A tailor-made training program based on GWO standard has been supervised by Pierre Launay, wind energy expert within the training organization IFOPSE. The Wind Farm Managers were trained to handle various emergency situations and get familiar with different evacuation equipment.

Where regulations expect a retraining every 2 years, H2air GT goes beyond with an annual exercise as part of its training program and skills development.

Today, the implementation of Vestas’ PowerPlus^TM program has been finalized on Seine Rive Sud wind turbines. H2air GT suggested this optimization to his client EKZ to improve the performance of the site.

The wind farm consists of 16 wind turbines, Vestas V90, set up at the end of 2012. Developed and built by H2air, it is operated by H2air GT since the beginning.

PowerPlus^TM program consists of physical aerodynamic add-ons on the blades (Gurney Flaps and Vortex Generators) as well as software upgrades. After a test period in 2018 on some of the wind turbines, which demonstrated a power output increase of 1 to 2%, it has been decided to implement the upgrades on the remaining turbines this summer.

Bruno Lafont, Operations Director at H2air GT, is proud of this successful cooperation with the client’s asset manager and the wind turbine manufacturer: « Performance improvement and production optimization is a daily priority for our Wind Farm Managers».

H2air GT together with his partner Heliopales is carrying rope access blade inspections during this summer.

Summer time is always the occasion to organize different types of inspections and maintenances. The good weather conditions, more comfortable for the teams, is also necessary for some works on the blades for example.

An important part of the portfolio under management at H2air GT will then be inspected during this summer. The blade inspections are performed at regular intervals to ensure the good condition of the blades and to check the lightning protection system. When defects are found all necessary repairs are then performed.

H2Air GT, which provides technical park management, is extending its services to a 12 MW park built in 2012, recently commissioned by one of our long-standing clients.

This park is located in the Somme and consists of 6 90V Vestas, bringing the management portfolio to 148 MW.

We would like to thank our clients and partners for their trust.

First of all, before talking about continuous training in “working at heights – evacuation”, let us ask ourselves the question: what is continuous training, also called continuing vocational training? Here is an article that will explain everything you need to know about this subject: What is continuing professional development?

H2air GT is committed to training its teams!

Having highly qualified employees is beneficial from both a business and human point of view. This benefits:

• The company, who can offer quality services while ensuring employee safety

• The employees, who improve their qualifications and thus broaden their career development prospects.

This is why H2air GT attaches great importance to training its teams.

Why continuous training in “Working at heights – evacuation”?

Our team undergoes training in “working at height- evacuation on the wind turbine with rescue system“.

Indeed, it is essential that our team are continuously trained such that they can safely perform the biannual machine inspections.

See also: Intervention exercises on wind turbines

Thus, our operations managers control evacuation in the event of fire or imminent problems with the machinery.

They can also carry out rescue operations safely, by evacuating and rescuing a person who has been injured on the turbine ladder from the nacelle.

This training in working at heights and evacuation takes place every year.

H2air GT and the KJM design office have installed three Batmode S recorders.

In fact, the DREAL, Regional Directorate for the Environment, Planning and Housing requires wind farm operators to listen to the activity of bats at the height of the nacelles.

The Camomile, Julie and Coquelicot 1 wind turbines now have an observation balcony nestling in the nacelles for viewing night-time theatre.

This equipment will produce continuous recordings throughout the summer months, in order to consolidate knowledge of these mammals and their relationship with the wind turbines.

The SDIS 80 GRIMP at H2air for intervention exercises on our wind turbines.

The hazardous environment recognition and response group (GRIMP) from the SDIS of the Somme conducted response exercises on the Coquelicot 2 wind farm, which is operated by H2air GT.

H2air GT wished to make a wind turbine available for one day, so that the rescuers could train on one of the machines in the Coquelicot 2 park. These are Enercon-type wind turbines with a rotor of 82m in diameter and a nacelle at 78m height.

The day of June 20th proved ideal, with little wind and plenty of sunshine. Around twenty fire-fighters climbed the ladder to reach the nacelle.

The SDIS exercises on our wind farm:

• Exercise 1: an injured person was positioned in the smallest part of the machine. He was evacuated on a stretcher via a hatch in the nacelle, from the outside to the ground by means of ropes.
• Exercise 2: all fire-fighters evacuated from the nacelle from the outside using ropes.
• Exercise 3: Evacuation of an injured person from the nacelle through the inside of the tower on a stretcher using ropes. Several narrow hatches to pass through the tower presented various difficulties.

See also: Continuous training in working at heights and evacuation

The objective is twofold:

Fire-fighters discover the site and practise on a wind turbine that is technically different from those of other manufacturers; for H2air GT, which ensures site safety, it is an opportunity to test the procedures in place, identify areas for improvement, and understand the difficulties and needs of the emergency services in the event of an intervention.

“Once or twice a month our group performs manoeuvres at height, but also at depth. It can be on a wind turbine, a large building and even on cliffs, but also in caves. After abseiling twice, we evacuate a stretcher horizontally, with a victim attached, and a rescuer directing the descent. ”

Lieutenant Claude Barray

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