RENEWABLE ENERGY
MAKING WIND FARMS
SAFE T
Brian Cashion from Firetrace International explores potential safety concerns on windfarms
Fires in wind turbines can lead to catastrophic loss
he importance of wind farms in helping countries to meet their net-zero targets is undeniable, and
the number of wind farms now stands at 16,428, according to the latest stats from Global Energy Monitor. However, despite the benefi ts of wind farms being clear – both from an environmental and commercial point of view – the complexity around green energy systems, such as remote assets, new turbines and co-location of assets, is leading to a greater risk of fi re. Local and central governments are
increasingly scrutinising wind farm projects to ensure they meet strict fi re safety standards. Countries such as Germany, Australia, France, and South Korea are now mandating that wind developers install fi re safety systems on all wind farms. Discussions are ongoing within government off ices in other parts of the world, and many believe the momentum for fi re safety regulation will continue. If it does, to avoid falling short of
any new fi re safety regulations – and to ensure that projects are not delayed or cancelled – engineering teams
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should take steps to protect proposed wind farms against fi res, therefore alleviating government and local community opposition.
WHY ARE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND REGULATORS SO CONCERNED? While statistically the risk of fi re at a turbine is low, if it does happen it typically leads to catastrophic loss. This is primarily driven by the fact that wind turbines are tall structures and hard to reach in an emergency. They are also made up of composite materials and maintained using fl ammable lubricants. In addition, they tend to be running from remote locations where local fi re departments may lack the specialist equipment and knowledge to tackle wind farm fi res, making it very diff icult to tackle fi res before it’s too late. Compounding the challenge further is
the rise in new turbine designs that can be untested and unproven and require customised fi re suppression systems. The increase in co-located projects - that combine wind and battery, or
solar and battery technologies – has also signifi cantly increased fi re risks, as batteries introduce additional complexity and hazards.
HOW CAN ENGINEERING TEAMS PROTECT WIND FARMS AGAINST FIRE RISKS? While fi re suppression may not be a top priority for some developers, there are several relatively straightforward steps that engineering teams can take to alleviate local community and regulatory concerns, especially at the start of a project:
• Discuss fi re suppression options with turbine manufacturers – The majority of wind turbine manufacturers now off er some kind of fi re suppression system as an option, but it’s often not part of the standard package. Developers should ask manufacturers what fi re suppression options are available to ensure their turbines are protected.
• Pre-install fi re suppression systems – If manufacturers do
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