Tailwind for Future Profit
Retrofit gives veteran 1 MW wind turbines a new lease of life
Bull Creek wind farm is fit for continued operation
The Bull Creek wind farm in Texas (USA), in operation since 2009, covers 24,000 hectares and produces renewable electricity with 179 1 MW Mitsubishi MHI-1000A turbines. To maintain compliance with grid requirements and ensure reliable turbine operation, park operator Eurus turned to Bachmann electronic for a complete retrofit. This will not only allow the turbines to remain productive on the grid for many more years, remote monitoring and updated automation functions also significantly reduce the workload for the service team.
Eurus faced mounting challenges with the turbine controls at the Bull Creek wind farm. Acquiring spare parts for outdated systems was proving difficult, resulting in extended downtime and expensive repairs. Furthermore, the original SCADA system failed to meet current reporting requirements and lacked adequate monitoring functionality, but system development had ceased. Eurus needed a future-proof solution to ensure the safe operation of its wind park.
A complete package for the future
Eurus found what it needed in Bachmann's modern and scalable complete retrofit solution. By combining controls retrofitting with remote visualization and operation, as well as condition monitoring, Eurus will be able to keep track of every detail of the entire park. The comprehensive solution establishes a foundation of proactive maintenance planning, which will boost electricity production. At the same time, it meets the owners’ requirements for site reliability.
Constant control, from anywhere
With Bachmann's web-based forsiteSCADA, Eurus can effectively monitor the entire wind park from its central control center. Visualization and control solution aggregates live data on to individually configured dashboards, which can be easily compared with historical data.
Bachmann's M1 WebMI pro enables Eurus technicians to perform detailed fault diagnostics with ease. These diagnostics can be performed either directly in the nacelle via Ethernet, or remotely via smartphone, tablet, or PC.
Each turbine’s mechanical drivetrain is also continuously monitored by Bachmann's monitoring experts in the Remote Control Center. Damage can be detected at an early stage based on regular status reports. This feature enables Eurus to schedule targeted on-site maintenance, which prolongs the service life of the turbines.
Info Box: atvise® – the Technological Foundation of fortsiteSCADA
forsiteSCADA is built on the proven atvise® SCADA platform and extends it with industry-specific features for monitoring and analyzing renewable energy assets. While forsiteSCADA is designed as a turnkey solution for operators of wind, solar, and hybrid power plants, atvise® provides the underlying technology for data acquisition, visualization, historical data management, and system integration.
atvise® features a truly open system architecture based entirely on web technologies and the OPC UA industry standard. This enables process data from a wide range of sources and automation systems to be integrated via standardized interfaces and processed centrally.
Within forsiteSCADA, atvise® provides the core SCADA functionality. This includes connecting data sources, managing the process data model, alarm and event management, historical data management, reporting, and user and access rights management. In addition, the platform enables web-based access to both real-time and historical data across a wide range of devices.
A key advantage of forsiteSCADA is that it is not a closed system. Using the atvise® Builder, custom visualizations, dashboards, and operator interfaces can be developed and seamlessly integrated into the application. This enables project-specific requirements to be implemented without compromising the standard functionality of forsiteSCADA.
In addition, atvise® provides comprehensive features for high availability and cybersecurity. These include redundant server systems, role-based user management, two-factor authentication, certificate management, and encrypted communication via OPC UA and HTTPS. Together, these capabilities provide the foundation for the reliable operation of forsiteSCADA in critical energy infrastructure environments.
By combining the open, scalable atvise® platform with the energy industry-specific capabilities of forsiteSCADA, the result is a SCADA solution that is both ready for immediate deployment and designed for long-term scalability. Operators benefit from a standardized system foundation while retaining the flexibility to implement project-specific requirements as their needs evolve.
Open to individual functions
The new SCADA system was required to meet a fundamental standard: the mandatory reporting mandated by NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) in accordance with the "GADS" guidelines (Generating Availability Data System). With forsiteSCADA, Bachmann experts can precisely customize and implement these and other individual reports and visualization tools in order to meet Eurus' specific requirements.
Cybersecurity already operating in parallel
The risk of cyberattacks in critical infrastructure has increased significantly over recent years – and continues to rise rapidly. Compliance with the latest cybersecurity measures is essential for modern control solutions. With its robust access control feature, Bachmann’s Wind Turbine Template provides a reliable solution. Even during retrofitting, individual user profiles enable tracking of parameter changes and alarm acknowledgment. The new control solution also significantly reduces the number of potential attack points by combining the original controller and a separate SCADA gateway module into one, single address per turbine.
Precise preparation ensured rapid installation
Eurus initiated the retrofitting process for the 179 turbines in July 2025. Thanks to Bachmann's forward-thinking preparation, including pre-assembled cable harnesses and correctly dimensioned mounting rails, technicians were able to retrofit the turbine control system in less than two days on average. All modules were subjected to a 48-hour installation test under extreme conditions to ensure long, safe operation.
Prepared for tomorrow
Bachmann's modular design and transparent data access help prepare Eurus for the future requirements of the American energy landscape. Additionally, the control solution provides a scalable basis for future site expansion, including the integration of additional wind turbines, solar power generation, battery storage systems, and other renewable energies. These can be seamlessly integrated into the new park control system at any time, thanks to Bachmann's Smart Power Plant Controller.
