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 are the products of the organizations or individuals noted and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National Wind Watch.
Wind turbine fire could be seen for miles
BEAVER, Iowa – A massive wind turbine caught fire Thursday night near Beaver in Boone county. An emergency manager told us he could see the flames in Woodward, about 25 miles away. It’s a MidAmerican Energy turbine. The company told The Perry News they are investigating and no one was hurt. They’re not sure yet if the generator will need to be replaced. Complete story »
Wind turbine catches fire north of Beaver Thursday night
A MidAmerican Energy wind turbine caught fire about 10 p.m. Thursday north of Beaver in western Boone County. There were no injuries in the fire, and authorities at the scene were uncertain what caused the blaze. Boone County Emergency Management, the Ogden Volunteer Fire Department and the Grand Junction Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire, which was confined to one tower on the north side of 190th Street about one-half mile east of B Avenue. The wind tower stands . . . Complete story »
China to tackle wasted energy in new wind farm rules
China’s energy regulator has ordered local authorities to take heed of the grid capacity when selecting new wind power projects, in an attempt to ensure that no more than 5 percent of the electricity they generate is wasted, it said in a notice. China’s renewable energy law compels grid firms to absorb the power generated by clean sources such as wind and solar. However, many projects have been left with inadequate grid access, a problem commonly known as “curtailment”. Regulators . . . Complete story »
Windmill catches fire at Locust Ridge Wind Farm in Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County fire companies were dispatched Monday night to a 390-foot-tall windmill that caught fire at the Locust Ridge Wind Farm near Mahanoy City, according to emergency radio reports. The fire was reported at the center of the windmill’s three 133-foot blades about 9:15 p.m. in the sprawling wind farm in Union Township. The wind farm has at least 50 more windmills. Fire officials radioed that the flames and sparks at the blades did not appear to be spreading on . . . Complete story »
Fire damages Locust Ridge windmill
UNION TWP. – Fire damaged a windmill in the Locust Ridge II Wind Farm Monday night. Fire crews from Shenandoah Heights and Ringtown were dispatched to the wind farm just before 9:30pm for multiple reports of a windmill on fire. Crews responding from Ringtown reported flames visible from the borough, and crews arriving on scene found the top of the windmill aflame. A precautionary 1000-foot collapse zone was established shortly after crews arrived. Just after 10:30pm, crews at the scene . . . Complete story »
Bolts ‘failed’ Alpha Ventus turbine
The failure of retaining bolts led to a nacelle casing falling off an Adwen M5000 turbine at the 60MW Alpha Ventus offshore wind farm in the German North Sea, according to the project’s co-operator EWE. The company said that it is currently unclear why the bolts failed and caused the entire nacelle casing to break off in April. The wind farm operators, which also include Eon and Vattenfall, are now preparing to start work shortly on a replacement campaign. A . . . Complete story »
UMPI keeping options open after wind turbine fire
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – University of Maine Presque Isle officials are reviewing their options for renewable energy after an April 1 fire that destroyed key parts of the campus’ 9-year-old wind turbine. Later this month, a crew with a 300-ton crane will remove the turbine’s nacelle, which houses the generator and other key mechanical components and the location where the fire broke out. Technicians from Vestas, the company contracted to maintain the turbine, have declared the nacelle to be a total . . . Complete story »
Ecotecnia blade snaps in France
Holding Dio Energie is investigating why a blade on an Ecotecnia Eco74 turbine snapped during a storm at its 11.69MW Dio-et-Valquieres wind farm in France. The machine is part of a seven-turbine project located in the southern region of Hérault. A company spokeswoman said: “We have immediately cordoned off the wind farm and are now looking into the incident’s exact causes. “The storm was strong enough to bring down a stone cross not far away.” Holding Dio Energie is hoping . . . Complete story »
Wind turbine damaged near Bruce Power Visitors Centre
A tip of one of Huron Wind project’s wind turbines broke off in high winds Friday afternoon. A worker at a nearby facility alerted the Kincardine News to the damage, which showed the tip of the 1.8MW Vestas V80 turbine blade dangling near Bruce Power’s off-site visitors centre north of Tiverton on May 4, 2018. A total of five turbines are part of the wind project that was built in 2002 just off Bruce Road 20. Bruce Road 20 (Con. . . . Complete story »
One bad blade at wind farm wipes out $6 million for TerraForm
A single faulty blade at an Ontario wind farm proved costly for TerraForm Power Inc. When the part failed in January at the company’s Raleigh wind farm, TerraForm took 70 turbines that used the same type of blade out of service to identify the problem. That ate up about $6 million in cash that otherwise would have been available for distribution to shareholders, TerraForm said in a statement Tuesday after the close of regular trading. TerraForm, a renewable-energy company controlled . . . Complete story »
