Simulation, 5D visualization and optimization of on-shore wind farm construction -

Abstract

For the past few decades, renewable energy, such as wind power, has been increasingly sought after as an alternative to traditional energy sources which are limited, costly and not environmental-friendly. Although Europe and North America combine for a wind power capacity of 113.6 GW, other regions and countries are far behind and still suffer from electricity shortages. Particularly, Lebanon has been experiencing electricity cuts for the past thirty years, thus compelled to import it and use noisy and extremely unhealthy generators at very high prices with mediocre quality. The construction of a large on-shore wind farm in Lebanon could be a big step towards resolving the electricity shortage problem. However, the construction of such projects can be very challenging and complex as it offers unique challenges (e.g. challenging topography, absence of an existing road network, impact of high wind speeds, etc.). In order to address these construction complexities, this thesis presents work targeted at efficiently designing and planning the on-shore wind farm construction process, particularly for the region of Marjaayoun, Lebanon. The solution to the electricity shortage and to the complexities of on-shore wind farm construction is described in details using a simulation model developed in AnyLogic 7.0 software, including 5D visualization (3D animation with time and cost data). The developed work illustrates the different construction stages from topographical surveying to wind turbines erection. The simulation model is tested on a case study in Marjaayoun, Lebanon and is then optimized to minimize the project’s construction cost and duration by varying the resource quantities. The results highlighted the potential of using AnyLogic 7.0 for simulating, visualizing and optimizing complex construction processes offering unique challenges such as those found when constructing on-shore wind farms.