Page 14 - North American Clean Energy May/June 2019 Issue

wind power
Accurate Forecasting During Severe Weather Season
Helping techs and turbines work better
by Ivan Gearhart
During severe weather season, the risks of lightning and high winds are top of mind both in terms of employee safety and potential equipment damage. Lightning is clearly a potential issue for turbine technicians, but it is also one of the biggest threats to wind turbines performance. And wind, even though it’s at the heart of the industry, can be particularly dangerous to technicians working on turbines as well as the equipment itself.
With so many wind farms operating
in the path of volatile and unpredictable weather patterns, it can make operations and maintenance challenging to manage. Using the most accurate weather forecasting and data available can help wind farm operators better protect their assets and employees from weather related risks.
Lightning Risks
Cloud-to-ground lightning bolts are a common phenomenon; there are about 100 strikes per second throughout the world. at’s seven to eight million strikes per day that can put wind farms at risk. ere’s the obvious risk to technicians working during times of potential lightning strikes, but the direct and near-strike damage to wind turbines can result in downtime, which can impact ongoing and reliable turbine performance.
ere are many options for monitoring lightning, but relying on someone to listen for thunder or watch local radar to ensure worker safety doesn’t cut it when compared to the signi cant advances made in weather technology. ere are weather services available that can detect and forecast lightning strikes, as well as provide high-quality, timely mobile alerts for technicians. When evaluating a weather source, here are some potential questions to ask to make sure the needed information is available: Does
the system o er alerts based on a GPS location? Is there real-time, location-speci c information on strikes? Do the alerts o er suggested actions?
Accurate weather information can also help determine the damage risks to turbines from both direct and near lightning strikes. By using accurate lightning strike information, operators can e ciently protect and repair speci c turbines needing attention. Global lightning detection networks o er operational insight that can help establish an accurate, e cient approach
to protecting turbines during severe
weather. Knowing distance, amperage,
polarity, time, and location of lightning
strikes can help drive maintenance
decisions, such as whether a turbine
should be inspected rst or just restarted
after a fault. at information can also
help determine if lightning damaged a
blade or other equipment. If wind blade
damage goes unnoticed, it could lead to
further malfunctions, which commonly
contributes to lower power generation.
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MAY•JUNE2019 /// www.nacleanenergy.com