Wind Power News: Accidents
These news and opinion items are gathered by National Wind Watch to help keep readers informed about developments related to industrial wind energy. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch. They are the products of and owned by the organizations or individuals noted and are shared here according to “fair use” and “fair dealing” provisions of copyright law.
Public-private proposal made to replace broken wind turbine
IPSWICH – A Rhode Island company has told the select board it can replace the broken wind turbine at the end of Town Farm Road. “Broken turbines are very obviously broken. It’s not something that looks good in town,” Hannah Morini said at Monday’s meeting (March 15). “But most importantly, they are safety hazards,” she added. Director of business development with Green Development LLC of Cranston, R.I., Morini said her company has 19 operating turbines. The firm generates more than 70 . . . Complete story »
Mahanoy Twp. windmill burns
MAHANOY CITY – Fire destroyed a section of a windmill at a Mahanoy Township wind farm Saturday morning. The fire broke out around 8:15 a.m. in the hub mechanism of windmill T7 located at the Locust Ridge Wind Farm along Route 339 just north of Mahanoy City. The windmill is located adjacent to windmill T8 where the mechanism caught fire and burned on Dec. 28. Mahanoy City Fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said windmills use oil and other petroleum products in day-to-day . . . Complete story »
Windmill catches fire at Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Schuylkill County
A windmill outside Mahanoy City was totaled after it caught fire Saturday morning. Borough firefighters responded to the windmill at the Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Union Township at 8:15 a.m. after motorists called it in to Schuylkill County dispatch, fire Chief Dan Markiewicz said. Firefighters established a safe zone and watched the blaze burn itself out, while keeping an eye out for embers that could create brush fires, Markiewicz said. But the fire “staved itself” and the scene was . . . Complete story »
Loch Fyne windfarm fire sparks emergency response
An investigation is underway after firefighters were called out ‘as a precaution’ to a fire at an Argyll windfarm. The fire happened at the base of one of the 197-foot-high wind turbine towers at Clachan Flats windfarm on the morning of Thursday March 11. Three fire crews were called out – from Inveraray, Lochgoilhead and Garelochhead – to the site high on the hills above Clachan, Cairndow at the head of Loch Fyne. A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and . . . Complete story »
Turbine failure sees wind farm shut down
A wind farm has been switched off after a turbine malfunctioned and sent debris falling into the field below. Investigations are underway as to the cause of the failure, at Park Spring wind farm, Grimethorpe at around 3pm today (March 12). A blade from one of the site’s trio of four-year-old turbines became detached and fell almost 100m to the ground. Debris is scattered around the field and residents were urged to avoid the area while EDF engineers attended the . . . Complete story »
Investigation into dump truck accident under way
An investigation into why a large dump truck overturned while in operation on the Viking Energy construction site earlier this week has been launched, wind farm owner SSE Renewables have confirmed. The driver of Moxy dump truck, belonging to one of the contractors building the wind farm, escaped uninjured when the vehicle left the Mid Kames track and overturned. When approached for comment by Shetland News on Friday, Viking Windfarm spokesperson Aaron Priest confirmed the incident had taken place earlier . . . Complete story »
Huge windfarm cranes still to be recovered from Glenkens road – more than a fortnight after overturning
Two huge windfarm cranes have still to be recovered from a remote part of the Glenkens more than a fortnight after they overturned. A campaign group has hit out at the “fiasco” which saw the giant vehicles go off the road on their way to the Windy Rig site between Carsphairn and Moniaive. And locals are angry that they are unlikely to be removed any time soon, with developers Statkraft saying “careful planning” is needed to recover the cranes. Iain . . . Complete story »
Campaign group claims crash proves roads are unsuitable for wind farms
A road accident which has left two huge cranes on their side shows many roads across Dumfries and Galloway are unsuitable for windfarm development, a campaign group has said. The all-terrain cranes came off the road while travelling to the Windy Rig development on February 22. Save Our Hills said the incident had become a “fiasco” and showed roads leading to windfarm developments were often unsuitable for large vehicles. It was reported the road had collapsed under the weight of . . . Complete story »
Double rollover
Two large All Terrain cranes rolled onto their sides while travelling to a wind farm in Scotland earlier this week when the verge of the approach road collapsed due to waterlogged ground conditions and possibly poor construction. The five axle cranes – a 160 and a 200 tonner from the King Lifting fleet – were reportedly travelling a few miles apart on the same road to the 12 43MW turbine Windy Rig Wind Farm in Dumfries & Galloway on Monday morning. . . . Complete story »
Cold temperatures bring wind power to a halt
If you’ve driven by Lake Lawtonka in the last few days you may have noticed the cold weather has stopped the wind turbines in the area. “They are large machines. These brutal temperatures, whether it’s starting your truck in the morning or operating a wind facility, it is very, very difficult in these brutally cold temperatures. We’re also seeing that, it’s not just wind turbines. It’s natural gas, it’s frozen wellheads, it’s valves, it’s pipelines, this is incredible what we’re . . . Complete story »
