The main focus of The Dangers of Wind Power is the dangers currently associated with wind turbines as numerous incidents in Germany have caused concern and forced some turbines to be shut down. Evaluations have discovered that in some cases "manufacturing defects and irregularities" are to blame.
The fact that wind turbines are proving to lack durability and are somewhat unreliable is concern enough, but the story touches on a more disturbing point. In the current climate, this situation may not be easily resolved. Like yesterday's post, which explained that innovations in the wind power industry may take some time, it may also take some time for quality concerns in the industry to be worked out. The products are not living up to the claims of the manufacturers and it may actually be due to the apparent "success" of the industry. The article explains it this way.
But it is precisely the industry's prodigious success that is leading to its technological shortcomings. "Many companies have sold an endless number of units," complains engineer Manfred Perkun, until recently a claims adjuster for R+V Insurance. "It hardly leaves any time for testing prototypes."
Wind power expert Martin Stöckl knows the problems all too well. The Bavarian travels some 80,000 kilometers (49,710 miles) across Germany every year, but he is only rarely able to help the wind farmers. It is not just the rotors that, due to enormous worldwide demand, take forever to deliver, but simple replacement parts are likewise nowhere to be found. "You often have to wait 18 months for a new rotor mount, which means the turbine stands still for that long," says Stöckl.
"Sales Top, Service Flop" is the headline on a recent cover story which appeared in the industry journal Erneuerbare Energien.
If innovation and quality aren't expected to happen anytime soon, is this an industry that will survive in the long run?
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