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Summary of Wind Turbine Accident data to March 31st 2009 These
accident statistics are copyright Caithness Windfarm Information
Forum 2009 and are updated quarterly. The data may be used or referred
to by groups or individuals, provided that the source (Caithness Windfarm
Information Forum) is acknowledged and our URL www.caithnesswindfarms.co.uk
The summary may be downloaded in printable form here The full detailed accident list with sources may be downloaded here The attached detailed table includes all documented cases of wind turbine related accidents which could be found and confirmed through press reports or official information releases up to March 31st 2009. CWIF believe that this compendium of accident information may be the most comprehensive available anywhere. Data in the detailed table attached is by no means fully comprehensive – CWIF believe that what is attached may only be the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of numbers of accidents and their frequency. However, the data gives an excellent cross-section of the types of accidents which can and do occur, and their consequences. The trend is as expected - as more turbines are built, the more accidents occur. Numbers of recorded accidents reflect this, with an average of 65.1 accidents found per year from 2002 to 2008 inclusive, and only an average of 15.7 accidents found per year in the previous seven years (1995-2001 inclusive). With few exceptions, before about 1997 only data on fatal accidents has been found. There is a general trend upward in accident numbers over the past 10 years. This is predicted to escalate unless HSE make some significant changes - in particular to protect the public by declaring a minimum safe distance between new turbine developments and occupied housing and buildings (currently 2km in Europe), and declaring "no-go" areas to the public, following the 500m exclusion zone around operational turbines imposed in France. Data attached is presented chronologically. It can be broken down as follows: Number of accidents Total number of accidents: 622 By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
| No. |
1
|
8
|
17
|
5
|
9
|
16
|
8
|
33
|
28
|
11
|
64
|
50
|
52
|
54
|
54
|
83
|
99
|
20
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Number of fatal accidents: 55 By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
1
|
8
|
8
|
2
|
4
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
4
|
7
|
1
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Of the 60 fatalities:
Human injury A further 32 accidents regarding human injury are documented. By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
8
|
1
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Blade failure By far the biggest number of incidents found were due to blade failure. "Blade failure" can arise from a number of possible sources, and results in either whole blades or pieces of blade being thrown from the turbine. A total of 147 separate incidences were found: By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
6
|
1
|
18
|
3
|
5
|
15
|
13
|
14
|
9
|
12
|
17
|
18
|
7
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Fire Fire is the second most common accident cause in incidents found. Fire can arise from a number of sources - and some turbine types seem more prone to fire than others. A total of 129 fire incidents were found: By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-
94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
1
|
24
|
16
|
15
|
14
|
12
|
20
|
16
|
2
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Structural failure From the data obtained, this is the third most common accident cause, with 70 instances found. "Structural failure" is assumed to be major component failure under conditions which components should be designed to withstand. This mainly concerns storm damage to turbines and tower collapse. However, poor quality control, lack of maintenance and component failure can also be responsible. By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
9
|
2
|
8
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
6
|
11
|
9
|
2
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Ice throw 28 incidences of ice throw were found (one of which has been classed as "human injury" above, in italics below): By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-
94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
1
|
2
|
4
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only These are indeed only a very small fraction of actual incidences - a report* published in 2003 reported 880 icing events between 1990 and 2003 in Germany alone. 33% of these were in the lowlands and on the coastline. *("A Statistical Evaluation of Icing Failures in Germany's '250 MW Wind' Programme - Update 2003", M Durstwitz, BOREAS VI 9-11 April 2003 Pyhätunturi, Finland.) Transport (non-fatal) There have been 36 reported accidents - including a 45m turbine section ramming through a house while being transported, a transporter knocking a utility pole through a restaurant, and a turbine section falling off in a tunnel. One man lost his leg in 2006 following a transport accident off the Scottish coast. Most involve turbine sections falling from transporters, though turbine sections have also been lost at sea, along with a £50M barge. Two turbine sections fell from main roads in Scotland. By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
1
|
4
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
14
|
8
|
0
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Environmental damage (including bird deaths) Only 51 cases of environmental damage have been reported - the majority during 2008. This is perhaps due to a change in legislation or new reporting requirement. All involved damage to the site itself, or reported damage to or death of wildlife. Eighteen instances include deaths of protected species of bird. By year: |
|
Year
|
70s
|
80s
|
90-94
|
95
|
96
|
97
|
98
|
99
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09*
|
|
No.
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
6
|
1
|
5
|
7
|
7
|
20
|
2
|
|
*09
to 31 March 2009 only Other types of accident are also present in the data. Component failure has been reported under "other" if there has been no consequential structural damage. Also included are lack of maintenance, electrical failure (not led to fire or electrocution) and planning "accidents" where towers have been installed closer than permitted to housing, etc. One entry under "construction" covers accidents and at least one human injury during construction of the Horns Rev offshore windfarm in 2002. Lightning strikes have been included under "other" only when a strike has not resulted in blade damage or fire. A separate 1996 report** quotes 393 reports of lightning strikes from 1992 to 1995 in Germany alone, 124 of those direct to the turbine, the rest are to electrical distribution network. **(Data from WMEP database: taken from report "External Conditions for Wind Turbine Operation - Results from the German '250 MW Wind' Programme", M Durstewitz, et al, European Union Wind Energy Conference, Goeteborg, May 20-24, 1996) Caithness
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