![]() |
|
|||||||
|
Home
|
Membership
& Donations |
Current
Proposals |
Environment
|
Accident
Statistics |
Windfarm
Maps |
Links
|
||
|
Summary of Wind Turbine Accident data to 31 March 2013 These accident statistics are copyright Caithness Windfarm Information Forum 2013. 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 quoted at the same time. Caithness Windfarm Information Forum is not responsible for the accuracy of Third Party material or references. You
may link to this page from your
website but The summary may be downloaded in printable form here The
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 31 March 2013. 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. Indeed on 11 December 2011 the Daily Telegraph reported that RenewableUK confirmed that there had been 1500 wind turbine accidents and incidents in the UK alone in the past 5 years. Data here reports only 142 UK accidents from 2006-2010 and so the figures here may only represent 9% of actual accidents. The data does however give an excellent cross-section of the types of accidents which can and do occur, and their consequences. With few exceptions, before about 1997 only data on fatal accidents has been found. The trend is as expected
- as more turbines are built, more accidents occur. Numbers of recorded
accidents reflect this, with an average of 8 accidents per year from
1993-97 inclusive; 33 accidents per year from 1998-2002 inclusive; 80
accidents per year from 2003-07 inclusive, and 141 accidents per year
from 2009-12 inclusive. |

|
Some countries are finally accepting that industrial wind turbines can pose a significant public safety risk. In New Zealand, the government is set to change planning rules to give residents the right to veto wind turbines from being built within 2km of their homes. In Australia, the Victorian government has set guidelines forbidding wind turbine construction closer than 2km to houses. In Scotland, a 2km guideline is also in place between large wind farm developments and communities, though the guideline is disgracefully ignored by the Scottish government. And in Canada, the Ontario Government has declared a moratorium on offshore wind projects and has proposed a reduction of noise from wind turbines from 40dB to 30-32dB, which would effectively extend the setback distance from homes. Data attached is presented chronologically. It can be broken down as follows:
Number of accidents Total number of accidents: 1370 By
year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
1
|
9
|
98
|
30
|
17
|
70
|
66
|
59
|
71
|
82
|
124
|
131
|
131
|
119
|
163
|
161
|
38
|
|
* to 31 March 2013 only
Fatal accidents Number of fatal accidents: 102 By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
1
|
8
|
15
|
3
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
4
|
5
|
5
|
11
|
8
|
7
|
14
|
12
|
|
*
to 31 March 2013 only Please note: There are more fatalities than accidents as some accidents have caused multiple fatalities. Of the 136 fatalities:
Human injury 114 accidents regarding human injury are documented. By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
5
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
6
|
10
|
16
|
16
|
9
|
14
|
12
|
15
|
3
|
|
* to 31 March 2013 only 95 accidents involved wind industry or construction/maintenance workers, and a further 22 involved members of the public or workers not directly dependent on the wind industry (e.g. fire fighters, transport workers). Six of these injuries to members of the public were in the UK.
Human health 17 incidents of wind turbines impacting upon human health are included. By year:
|
| Year |
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
6
|
11
|
|
* to 31 March 2013 only Since 2012, human health incidents and adverse impact upon human health have been included. These were previously filed under "miscellaneous" but CWIF believe that they deserve a category of their own. Incidents include reports of ill-heath and effects due to turbine noise, shadow flicker, etc. Such reports are predicted to increase significantly as turbines are increasingly approved and built in unsuitable locations, close to people's homes.
Blade failure By far the biggest number of incidents found was 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 257 separate incidences were found: By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
35
|
4
|
6
|
15
|
13
|
15
|
12
|
16
|
22
|
20
|
26
|
20
|
19
|
28
|
6
|
|
* to 31 March 2013 only Pieces of blade are documented as travelling up to one mile. In Germany, blade pieces have gone through the roofs and walls of nearby buildings. This is why CWIF believe that there should be a minimum distance of at least 2km between turbines and occupied housing or work places - in order to adequately address public safety and other issues including noise and shadow flicker.
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 200 fire incidents were found: By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
6
|
3
|
2
|
24
|
17
|
15
|
14
|
12
|
21
|
17
|
17
|
13
|
20
|
19
|
|
*
to 31 March 2013 only
Structural failure From the data obtained, this is the third most common accident cause, with 136 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
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
1
|
14
|
9
|
3
|
9
|
7
|
4
|
7
|
9
|
13
|
9
|
16
|
9
|
11
|
10
|
5
|
|
*
to 31 March 2013 only
Ice throw 34 incidences of ice throw were found. Some are multiple incidents. These are listed here unless they have caused human injury, in which case they are included under "human injury" above. By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
9
|
2
|
2
|
4
|
4
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
|
*
to 31 March 2013 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. Additionally one report listed for 2005 includes 94 separate incidences of ice throw and two reports from 2006 include a further 27 such incidences.
Transport There have been 113 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. Transport fatalities and human injuries are included separately. Most accidents involve turbine sections falling from transporters, though turbine sections have also been lost at sea, along with a £50M barge. Transport is the single biggest cause of public fatalities. By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
4
|
3
|
6
|
6
|
19
|
10
|
11
|
11
|
24
|
17
|
2
|
|
* to 31 March 2013 only
Environmental damage (including bird deaths) 125 cases of environmental damage have been reported - the majority since 2007. 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. 52 instances reported here include confirmed deaths of protected species of bird. Deaths, however, are known to be far higher. At the Altamont Pass windfarm alone, 2400 protected golden eagles have been killed in 20 years, and about 10,000 protected raptors (Dr Smallwood, 2004). In Germany, 32 protected white tailed eagles were found dead, killed by wind turbines (Brandenburg State records). In Australia, 22 critically endangered Tasmanian eagles were killed by a single windfarm (Woolnorth). Further detailed information can be found at: www.iberica2000.org/Es/Articulo.asp?Id=3071 and at: www.iberica2000.org/Es/Articulo.asp?Id=1875. By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
1
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
1
|
6
|
5
|
10
|
21
|
13
|
19
|
17
|
17
|
5
|
|
* to 31 March 2013 only
Other (Miscellaneous) 273 miscellaneous
accidents are also present in the data. Component failure has been reported
here if there has been no consequential structural damage. Also included
are lack of maintenance, electrical failure (not led to fire or electrocution)
etc. Construction and construction support accidents are also included,
also lightning strikes 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. By year: |
| Year |
70s
|
80s
|
90s
|
00
|
01
|
02
|
03
|
04
|
05
|
06
|
07
|
08
|
09
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
*13
|
| No. |
13
|
7
|
4
|
12
|
13
|
11
|
12
|
16
|
18
|
24
|
27
|
25
|
43
|
36
|
6
|
|
* to 31
March 2013 only Caithness
Windfarm Information Forum |
Home | Membership & Donations | Current Proposals | Environment | Accident Statistics | Windfarm Maps | Links