ree&pqj2

 
Lifetime Extension of Wind Farms by a Low-Cost Energy-Autonomous IoT-Based Structural Health Monitoring System

A. Lopez-Martin, C. Castellano, M. Zivanovic, X. Iriarte and A. Carlosena

Institute of Smart Cities, Public University of Navarra
Campus Arrosadia, Pamplona (Spain)

ftf

2026-02-15

im5

Abstract

The latest results of a research project pursuing anenergy-autonomous Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) system for wind farms are presented. The SHM system is based on the development of low-power IoT wireless nodes and electromagnetic harvesters to capture energy from low-frequency vibrations of wind towers. Computationally efficient operational modal analysis methods suited to the low-cost IoT edge nodes are also explored. The work carried out aims to extend the lifetime of existing wind farms by properly monitoring their structural integrity.

Key words: Wind farms, Structural Health Monitoring, IoT.

Published in: Renewable Energies, Environment & Power Quality Journal (REE&PQJ)
ISSUE: Vol. 25. No. 4 Pages: 419-423
E-ISSN: 3020-531 X Date of Current Version: 2026-02-01
REF: 572 Issue Date: 2026-02-15
DOI:10.24084/reepqj25-572 Publisher: AEDERMACP/ EA4EPQ

References

[1] End-of-Life Issues & Strategies Seminar, 18-20 Nov. 2020. https://windeurope.org/eolis2020/

[2] M. Tegtmeier, “Real-time wind turbine monitoring: Data challenges, and rewards”, Power Mag. (2020).

[3] K. Jahani, R. G. Langlois, F. F. Afagh, “Structural dynamics of offshore wind turbines: A review”, Ocean Engineering (2022), vol. 251, p. 111136.

[4] Pepperl and Fuchs - https://www.pepperl-fuchs.com/spain/es/classid_6422.htm

[5] Pch - https://www.pch-engineering.dk/410/wind-turbine-protection

[6] E. Folk, “How IoT is transforming the energy industry”, Renewable Energy Mag. (2019).

[7] E. Hidalgo Fort, J.R. García Oya, F. Muñoz Chavero and R. G. Carvajal, “Intelligent containers based on a low-power sensor network and a non-invasive acquisition system for management and tracking of goods”, IEEE Trans. Intelligent Transportation Syst. (2018), vol. 19, no. 8, pp. 2734-2738.

[8] M. Zivanovic, A. Plaza, X. Iriarte, A. Carlosena, “Instantaneous amplitude and phase signal modeling for harmonic removal in wind turbines”, Mech Syst Signal Process (2023), vol. 189, p. 110095.

[9] C. Castellano-Aldave, A. Carlosena, X. Iriarte, A. Plaza, “Ultra-low frequency multidirectional harvester for wind turbines”, Applied Energy (2023), vol. 334, p. 120715.

[10] V. Mugnaini, L. Zanotti, M. Civera, “A machine learning approach for automatic operational modal analysis”, Mech Syst Signal Process (2022), vol. 170, pp. 108813.

[11] J.X. Leon-Medina et al, “Imbalanced multi-class classification of structural damage in a wind turbine foundation”, In: Rizzo, P., Milazzo, A. (eds) European Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring. EWSHM 2022. Lecture Notes in Civil Engineering, vol 270.

[12] H. Hai Bin et al, “Anomaly identification of Structural Health Monitoring data using Dynamic Independent Component Analysis”, J. Computing in Civil Eng. (2020), vol. 34, p. 04020025.

[13] S. Barber et al., “Development of a wireless, non-intrusive, MEMS-based pressure and acoustic measurement system for large-scale operating wind turbine blades”, Wind Energ. Sci. (2022), vol. 7, pp. 1383–1398.

[14] D. Chew, “Protocols of the Wireless Internet of Things," in The Wireless Internet of Things: A Guide to the Lower Layers , IEEE (2019), pp. 21-45.

[15] M. Mansour, A. Gamal, A.I. Ahmed, L.A. Said, A. Elbaz, N. Herencsar, A. Soltan, “Internet of Things: A Comprehensive Overview on Protocols, Architectures, Technologies, Simulation Tools, and Future Directions”. Energies (2023), vol. 16, p. 3465.

[16] E. Hidalgo-Fort, P. Blanco-Carmona, F. Muñoz-Chavero, A. Torralba, R. Castro-Triguero, “Low-Cost, Low-Power Edge Computing System for Structural Health Monitoring in an IoT Framework”, Sensors (2024), vol. 24, p. 5078.

[17] A. Harb, “Energy harvesting: State-of-the-art”, Renew Energy (2011), vol. 36, no. 10, pp. 2641-2654.

[18] J. Pacheco-Chérrez, D. Cárdenas, A. Delgado-Gutiérrez, O. Probst, “Operational modal analysis for damage detection in a rotating wind turbine blade in the presence of measurement noise,” Composite Structures (2023), vol. 321, p. 117298.

[19] Zahid, F.B., Ong, Z.C., Khoo, S.Y., “A review of operational modal analysis techniques for in- service modal identification”, J. Braz. Soc. Mech. Sci. Eng. (2020), vol. 42, p. 398.

[20] P. Zhang, Z. He, C. Cui, C. Xu, L. Ren, “An edge-computing framework for operational modal analysis of offshore wind-turbine tower,” Ocean Engineering (2023), Vol. 287, p. 115720.

[21] M. Zivanovic, A. Plaza, X. Iriarte, and A. Carlosena, “Instantaneous amplitude and phase signal modeling for harmonic removal in wind turbines,” Mech Syst Signal Process (2023), vol. 189, p. 110095.

[22] I. Vilella, M. Zivanovic, G. Gainza, A. Plaza, X. Iriarte, A. Carlosena, “Real-Time Estimation of Damping in Wind Turbines”, Latin American Workshop on Structural Health Monitoring (LATAM-SHM2023)

[23] C. Castellano-Aldave, A. Plaza, X. Iriarte, A. Carlosena, “Low-frequency electromagnetic harvester for wind turbine vibrations”, Micro and Nano Engineering (2024), vol. 25, p. 100287.

[24] J.C. Castellano-Aldave, C.A. De La Cruz-Blas, A. Carlosena, “A novel ultra-low input voltage and frequency self astarting AC-DC boost converter for micro energy harvesting”, IEEE Sensors Letters (2024), 8(5), 1-4.

 
logos0
 
br

| Main | Articles | Publication-Regulations | Committees | Publication-Ethics | Open-Access | Fees | Background |

REE&PQJ is edited by:

European Association for the Development of Renewable Energies, Environment and Power Quality (EA4EPQ/AEDERMACP)

ICREPQ

Copyright © 2025 EA4EPQ All rights are reserved