Operation & maintenance |
The overlooked pillar of wind power reliability
As the global wind turbine fleet expands, it is becoming increasingly important for the wind industry to develop robust O&M strategies for what it has built. Wind turbine operation & maintenance needs to be proactive and deserves the same strategic attention as equipment procurement or grid connection
Alexandra Hof Regional Head of Service for Northern and Central Europe, FairWind
Photo: FairWind
Wind power has grown to be a central player in the global energy transition. With 165 GW of new capacity installed in 2025 – a 40% increase on the previous record year – and 28 395 wind turbines installed across 57 countries in 2026, the industry shows no signs of slowing down.
Policy frameworks are also supporting the sector’s growth. Demand for onshore wind is rising, with China, the United States and India, leading on new capacity additions. As new and larger turbines are installed, and the reliance on wind power increases, there is a growing need to ensure these assets remain reliable and operational.
Operation and maintenance strategies are not a new topic, however as energy security and affordability sit under intense scrutiny, their importance has never been more exposed. When turbines fail, outputs
drop and the consequences are far reaching, cascading out to grid operators and investors while threatening decarbonisation targets. The building and installation of wind assets is only the beginning of the story. With most turbines’ operational life spanning 20 to 30 years, this is where most of an asset’s value is either delivered or lost. Ensuring turbines keep turning relies on robust O&M strategies which are planned and funded from the outset, not once they start operation.
The evolution of wind turbine asset management
As turbines increase in size and projects move further offshore, the maintenance landscape is changing too. Larger components raise the stakes of every failure. Offshore sites add weather windows, vessel dependencies and longer response times into the mix, so
32 | October 2026 |
www.modernpowersystems.com
a fault that would be a same-day fix onshore can mean days of lost generation at sea. The increase in remote onshore locations and offshore farms means maintenance has evolved far beyond routine servicing. It now spans detailed diagnostics to catch problems early, targeted repairs when wear does occur, and periodic retrofits that extend an asset’s working life or bring older machines up to date with newer technology. As fleets age, that balance shifts even further, from preventative checks towards more intensive intervention, and from scheduled visits toward continuous monitoring.
The cost vs reliability balancing act
Every operator is under pressure to cut costs without comprising reliability but this is a challenging balancing act. Reducing maintenance spend can look like operational savings on paper,
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