On 11 August two of the four large wind turbines mounted on the roof of the Marine Board building in Hobart suffered an impressive (but fortunately, it appears, not catastrophic) failure. For some of the news coverage read The Mercury (here and later here), ABC News (here and here), and the Sydney Morning Herald (here). This is of course a very damaging case for the small wind industry, particularly in the building-mounted sector.
We would like to take this opportunity to re-iterate Cyclopic Energy’s position on building-mounted wind turbines:
- Wind flows around buildings are extremely complex and require detailed measurement and modelling in order to minimise excessive structural loading on the turbines and the building structure. This involves a detailed understanding of the effects of flow acceleration, turbulence, wind shear, and yawed winds.
- Wind turbines need to be selected carefully, and it is important to research the history of the product, previous similar installations, and compliance to standards. This is of critical importance in urban installations, where structural failure is likely to have grave consequences. The mere fact that the machines are commercially available, and therefore come by law under warranty, is insufficient to guarantee reliability.
- Inspection and maintenance regimes should follow a conservative schedule, again because of the possible consequences of catastrophic failure.
- If these basic precautions are taken, building-mounted wind turbines can be made to operate safely.
Please contact Cyclopic Energy to discuss how we can assist you to develop a safe and successful wind turbine installation.
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