Offshore wind farms found to be vulnerable to… yep… WINDS

‘Strong winds are great news for wind farms, but even these powerful turbines have their limits. Although offshore wind turbines are getting bigger and stronger, they also face some conditions that their land-based counterparts do not have to contend with. As offshore wind energy development continues to gain popularity, researchers are taking a closer look at the limitations of turbine design. In particular, the time has come to consider the repercussions of hurricanes on these turbines as wind farms start popping up on the Atlantic Coast of the U.S.
A recent study led by the University of Colorado Boulder revealed that offshore wind turbines that are built to meet today’s standards are not equipped to withstand a Category 5 hurricane, which is marked by wind speeds of as much as 90 meters per second; the threshold in the current standards is 50 meters per second. Moreover, the winds can change direction by up to 55 degrees between the hub and rotor of a wind turbine in such a hurricane, placing tremendous stress of the blades.’
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