Enabling Flexible Manufactuirng in Wind Industry Based on Movable Factory Concept: Definitions, Requirements, and Challenges.

Wind power is one of the key renewable energy technologies needed in the green transition. However, the wind industry is currently challenged by the transportation of part components of the wind turbines from the manufacturing sites to the deployment locations. The challenge relates to the increasing trend in the size and weight of the wind plant components. The logistics challenge limits the productivity and the possibilities for the design of larger and more sustainable wind turbines. This paper reviews the transportation challenges that arise with larger wind turbine components and contextualizes and analyses the movable factory concept as a potential solution to overcome these challenges. The potential benefits of movable factories are discussed such as facilitating the transportation of components by bringing manufacturing closer to the installation sites, reducing the need for specialized vehicles and equipment, and enabling manufacturing of more productive wind turbines by relaxing imposed size and weight restrictions. The paper also covers a detailed discussion about potential application areas, requirements, and challenges in the implementation of wind turbine movable factories.