In February 2023, Renew Economy reported that “Unexpected and increasing wind turbine failure rates, largely in newer and bigger models, are savaging the profits of some of the world’s biggest manufacturers, as Siemens Gamesa, GE and Vestas report heavy repair and maintenance losses.”1 Indeed, news of turbines collapsing or flying apart is becoming a regular occurrence.
Such was the case at the Halkirk 2 (H2) wind facility in Paintearth County, Alberta earlier this month. As reported by RDNews Now: “The nacelle and rotor at one of the turbines (T33) fell from the tower. There are no injuries or damage to public property,” Michael Sheehan, a senior advisor with Capital Power, stated.
A nacelle, comparable in size to a large motorhome, houses the generator, brake assembly, and other components. The Halkirk H2 is a new construction, expected to be operational late 2024. Their turbines are 105m high with a 150m rotor diameter and 74 meter blade length.
However, we question the claim that “no… damage” occurred to the property. As we recently reported, typical turbine blades are coated with a resin that contains as much as 40% Bisphenol-A (BPA), one of the most toxic man-made substances. They naturally “shed” this coating during operation due to their exposure to the elements, losing as much as 62kg annually of material on turbines with much smaller rotors of 130m.2 But when blades collapse to the ground, shattering into countless pieces, the contamination of soil, much less potentially humans, animals, and fowl is something yet to be properly addressed by environmental ministries around the globe.
1 kg of BPA is enough to pollute 10 billion litres of water. That is the same as 0.0000001 grams per litre of water. BPA is linked to cancers, neurological disease, and genetic mutation.
Mark Mallett is a former award-winning reporter with CTV Edmonton and an independent researcher and author. His family homesteaded between Vermilion and Cold Lake, Alberta, and now resides in the Lakeland region. Mark is Editor in Chief of Wind Concerns.