10 Wind Turbine Failures Caught On Camera - 2024

Wind Energy / Installation Technology

With the numerous wind projects developing around the world, the principal problems are as indicated previously, i.e., O&M and Equipment lifetime, see (more).

Wind turbines can fail for many reasons, including external damage, structural failure, fire, and ice throw. The most common external damage is to the blades, which can be caused by:

• Bird strikes;
• Lightning strikes;
• Excessive rainfall;
  Blade furniture detachment;
• Delamination of blades;
• Leading-edge corrosion; and
• Blade cracks.  

Other types of failures include:

• Electrical failures,
• Mechanical failures,
• Nacelle fires,
• Structural collapses,
• Effects of vibration or resonance, and
• Transportation accidents. 

While turbines are generally safe, some have been experiencing failures in a shorter time frame. Some developers are addressing safety concerns by:

• Placing turbines away from inhabited structures;
• Ensuring that turbines are properly maintained or removed if no longer functioning;
• Using defined start-up procedures after icing events; and
• Equipping turbines with cold-weather packages to reduce the risk of ice accumulation.

The video documents only 10 failures.

There were many more wind projects issues and failures:

https://youtu.be/9oDXQfMapfA?si=c5YGoZHmHzjj4VeI

https://youtu.be/U5QstPqWreI?si=Ha_te0zIQKKkk_Fi

https://youtu.be/0i1unY_wV3o?si=2KyuQX99oGVQgcNG 

https://youtu.be/Gj21OgevMwU?si=B1NYN3DsP82RaF7h 

https://youtu.be/BIXncWdwS-s?si=BD9r-0B5zkgzAR-8 

https://youtu.be/CgjOp_1QsOo?si=VCpTAbT8keG0HBk9

https://youtu.be/0i1unY_wV3o?si=2KyuQX99oGVQgcNG

https://www.pv-magazine.com/2024/03/27/polish-grid-operator-switches-off-gigawatts-of-pv/

https://amp.abc.net.au/article/103617364 

https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/29/us-offshore-wind-slump-what-offshore-wind-slump/amp/

https://www.thecooldown.com/green-business/kitty-hawk-wind-farm-virginia-beach/

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-68225891.amp
          
https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/sustainable-finance-reporting/norway-offers-193-mln-funding-arctic-floating-wind-farm-project-2024-03-08/ 

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/11/business/energy-environment/offshore-wind-energy-east-coast.html 

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-humber-68476796.amp 

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/08/1197962908/fast-growing-jobs-wind-turbine-techs 

https://www.nj.com/news/2024/03/homeowners-fight-back-against-njoffshore-wind-saying-itll-increase-electric-bills.html?outputType=amp 

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/economy/2024/3/7/whats-slowing-down-americas-clean-energy-transition-its-not-the-cost 

https://www.ft.com/content/73f52840-8ee4-4564-98c1-1e14f9b41924 

https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/03/06/wind-turbine-farm-could-be-visible-from-shore-so-dominion-will-compensate-virginia-beach/ 

https://www.rechargenews.com/wind/wind-turbine-collapse-at-mekong-delta-flagship-farm-reports/2-1-1607842?zephr_sso_ott=2WXekU 

https://www.businessinsider.com/startup-keeping-wind-turbine-blades-out-of-landfills-2024-2 

https://capitalresearch.org/article/wind-turbines-produce-drama-cash-and-some-electricity-part-1/ 

https://www.starnewsonline.com/story/news/local/2024/03/02/why-offshore-wind-is-blowing-back-into-nc-clean-energy-picture/72673318007/ 

https://www.wtkr.com/news/in-the-community/virginia-beach/vb-residents-say-dominion-energy-wind-turbine-project-is-causing-issues 

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/worlds-largest-offshore-wind-project-drops-green-hydrogen-plan  

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.7124067 

https://theconversation.com/offshore-wind-farms-policymakers-are-more-influenced-by-reports-that-accentuate-negative-impacts-new-study-222098 

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/23022024/community-opposition-and-grid-challenges-slow-pace-of-renewable-efforts/ 

https://electrek.co/2024/02/23/ge-offshore-wind/ 

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2024/02/company-gives-retired-wind-turbine-blades-new-life/ 

https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1861060/wind-turbine-maker-nordex-reaches-operational-break-even-2023 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/wind-woes-persist-texas-power-system-2024-2024-02-15/ 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/mexicos-energy-transition-hits-reverse-2023-2024-02-13/ 

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/germany-cranks-gas-fired-electricity-output-2-year-highs-2024-02-08/ 

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/startup-breathes-life-discarded-wind-020000534.html 

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/news/local-news/wind-turbine-collapse-in-southwest-missouri-no-injuries/article_32b4d696-b006-11ee-a394-5719514d42c9.html 

https://www.agweb.com/news/livestock/beef/judge-orders-wind-turbines-removed-osage-nation 

https://www.windpowermonthly.com/article/1856896/vestas-blade-snaps-rwe-offshore-wind-farm-uk-north-sea 

https://electrek.co/2024/02/27/south-fork-us-first-complete-utility-scale-wind-farm/ 

https://www.energy-storage.news/blm-approves-clearways-150mw-bess-at-california-wind-project/  

and (More) and (More).

The Pro-Wind are still pushing wind projects:

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/wind-farm-approved-will-power-33-million-uk-homes 

https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/offshore-wind-projects-hudson-expected-create-18568406.php 

https://abcnews.go.com/amp/Business/wireStory/big-hurdles-global-push-build-renewable-energy-108492654

https://electrek.co/2024/03/27/offshore-wind-farm-new-england-vineyard-wind-2/

https://apnews.com/article/renewable-energy-wind-power-interest-rates-inflation-d4d8fda7be7d89b16092dfe9b448ee2c

https://oilprice.com/Alternative-Energy/Renewable-Energy/Africas-Energy-Leap-From-Fossil-Fuels-to-Renewable-Powerhouse.amp.html

https://cleantechnica.com/2023/12/29/massive-us-wind-power-project-11-billion-finance-green-loan-principles/amp/  

https://techcrunch.com/2024/01/03/big-offshore-wind-farms-are-now-transmitting-sweet-sweet-battery-juice-to-the-u-s-grid/amp/

https://electrek.co/2024/01/03/us-first-large-scale-offshore-wind-farm-vineyard-wind-1-2/ 

https://www.eenews.net/articles/biggest-us-wind-project-is-under-construction-in-new-mexico/  

https://cowboystatedaily.com/2024/02/26/wyoming-to-see-billions-of-dollars-in-wind-projects-built-in-next-few-years/

https://electrek.co/2024/03/08/virginia-could-make-almost-5b-from-this-3-5-gw-offshore-wind-farm/ 


Solar is having problems too (to be reported on soon).

https://techxplore.com/news/2023-12-britain-generate-electricity-solar-hydro.amp 

https://cleantechnica.com/2024/03/06/wyoming-to-hitch-a-ride-on-record-shattering-us-solar-industry/amp/