July 24, 2021
Ohio

Time makes turbines stand still; wind machines are aging, hard to fix

By Sentinel-Tribune Staff | July 23, 2021 | www.sent-trib.com

Area residents may have noticed that some of the city of Bowling Green’s iconic wind turbines, located near the Wood County Landfill, haven’t been turning as frequently as in the past.

It’s just a part of the devices showing their age, said Brian O’Connell, the city’s public infrastructure bureau director.

O’Connell said that the turbines, which have a 20-year life expectancy, were installed about 18 years ago, and they break down somewhat more frequently than they did in the past.

He said they have maintained contacts with the turbines’ manufacturer, and they’re trying to keep them operational for as long as possible. Since the turbines use older technology, he said, parts to fix them aren’t as readily available – they often have to be special ordered, sometimes from overseas, or simply outright manufactured.

When there is an issue, O’Connell said that it takes time to diagnose the problem and order parts.

“So, in general, they’re experiencing more downtime because of their age and mechanical failures,” he said. “They’ll probably be noticeable going forward that one or two may be running but two or three may not be running. It’s not that we’re not trying to get them fixed or repaired. … It’s just an age thing, unfortunately.”

URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2021/07/24/time-makes-turbines-stand-still-wind-machines-are-aging-hard-to-fix/