Wind power is described as the pinnacle of ‘distributed’ generation systems – watching 250m turbines being distributed far and wide by Cyclones, Typhoons and Hurricanes certainly gives that impression. Although, we’re not sure that wind acolytes really had disintegrating and self-immolating turbines in mind when they began mouthing off these things being spread from horizon to horizon.

In September 2017 Hurricanes Irma and Maria destroyed hundreds of wind turbines across Puerto Rico. And typhoons have clocked up plenty of turbine ‘kills’ in both Taiwan and Japan.

On America’s Great Plains, you can forget about getting any power from these things when the wind picks up.

Wind speeds barely need to reach gale force and these things go into automatic shutdown, as appears on German turbine maker, Siemen’s website – which has this to say about the automatic shutdown of wind turbines when wind speeds hit 25m/s (90km/h):

Nature presents us with different kinds of challenges. High wind can create extremely high loads, and as a result wind turbines are normally programmed to shut down if the 10-minute mean wind speed exceeds 25 m/s. This may pose a significant challenge for the grid system – for example, if turbines in large wind farms shut down simultaneously.

It was precisely that feature of their ‘design’ that led to South Australia’s Statewide blackout on 28 September 2016.

And when a serious tornado gets to work, these things won’t be doing very much at all. Other than spraying their 20 tonne blades and other components tall points of the compass. As this recent event in Iowa makes plain.

Tornado Destroys Wind Turbines in Adams County
Bucoa
Mike
21 May 2024

A tornado swept through a wind turbine field in Adams County, Iowa during yesterday’s severe weather outbreak, destroying multiple wind turbines. At least three turbines were destroyed. At least one of those turbines caught fire and burned after being blown over. Witnesses said the turbine towers snapped like twigs and there are blades and debris strewn across a large area.

Our hearts and prayers also go out to the multiple people who lost their lives and their loved ones in Greenfield from this same tornado.

Here is storm chasing video of the tornado destroying the wind turbines, as well as some aftermath footage:

This is a 26 sec video of the turbine tornado battle

and screen grabs

And here is video of the burning turbine:

Bucoa