Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
(OP)
I was thinking about wind turbines and suddenly noticed that the big rigs, like the ones utility companies are adopting, are usually higher than anything else around them. Furthermore, the motion of the blades causes friction with the air which could conceivably create static charges. If such is the case, wind turbines serve as de facto lightning rods and have electrical charges of their own that can make them more prone to lightning strikes.
Am I right on this? If so, what type of protection is used and where is it placed? Going by pictures on magazines, I've never seen lightning rods in wind farms.
Am I right on this? If so, what type of protection is used and where is it placed? Going by pictures on magazines, I've never seen lightning rods in wind farms.






RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
Different turbine manufacturers use different implementations of this scheme.
RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
Are you up in the North-East too? I remember the forlorn-looking turbine with the blade missing. It had only been in service a year or two. I have no further info either - smells like a cover-up!
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RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
modern wind turbine blades are manufactured of none conductive materials such as reinforced plastic, wood laminated and similar combinations.
Most damages caused by lightning to wind turbines assembly are primarily associated with control system, power system components, mechanical elements, blades and others. Even though blades damages are around 10% with the downtime and cost to get back online could be significant.
The electrogeometric model for lightning protection, may be help to provide a mitigation alternative for lightning protection applicable to wind farms
RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
Yes Scotty i'm on Tyneside. I was at Teeside briefly during the commissioning when I was working for NGC, hope it's still running OK!
RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
RE: Are wind turbines protected against lightning?
Modern wind turbines are often in excess of 100metres high. Something to intercept the strikes before they reach the wind turbines would have to be even higher. To provide protection using external structures would be expensive. So far it is cheaper to put a copper cable inside the blades and existing wind turbine structure ... but if you can come up with something better ...