Broken wind turbine mystery: UFO, ice or mechanical failure?
AN investigation is being carried out after an 89-metre high wind turbine was damaged.
The Fen Farm site, at Conisholme, near Louth, has 20 wind turbines and its owner, Ecotricity, is examining how one turbine had a blade broken off and a second one bent.
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Damaged: One of the wind turbines at Conisholme has suffered mysterious damage to its structure, with one blade missing and one badly crumpled. Picture: Reader Dick Carbutt, of Nee Farm, North Somercotes
A company spokesperson said: "We don't know yet what caused the problem.
"A team of engineers from the turbine manufacturer has been on site since Sunday to investigate. We hope to know more soon."
One local man has an idea about what may have damaged the turbine.
Dick Carbutt, of Nee Farm, in North Somercotes said: "As wind conditions were not exceptional I can only assume it was icing or structural failure.
"There has been research done into the dangers of icing, but that is usually with regard to the danger from flying chunks of ice breaking off the blades, not blades breaking off entirely.
"I do hope we are not placing to much reliance on this technology for our future energy needs.
"I'm glad I wasn't near it when that blade came off."
The mysterious damage to the wind turbine has generated a lot of online response through forums with some speculation that it was caused by UFOs.
Comments posted on the internet claim it could be a down to a UFO because of the size of the turbine, the force needed to break the blades and because there was no debris found at the sight.
Chairman of East Lindsey District Council Coun Robert Palmer (66) says he wants to be the first to greet aliens should they visit Lincolnshire.
"My wife and I saw a bright white light in the sky - as bright as a star but with a slightly red tinge to it," he said.
"It would be nice if it was a UFO and I would like to be the first councillor in the country to greet the aliens."
Others claim it could be down to the cold weather, as suggested by Dick Carbutt, or a failure with the speed limiter causing the blades to bend before breaking as demonstrated in some You Tube video postings (below).
As reported, Fen Farm – the largest wind farm in Lincolnshire – opened in April last year, and produces enough green electricity each year to power 13,000 homes.
But it has been blighted by controversy since it was approved in February 2006.
East Lindsey District councillors granted approval more than two years ago but residents and environmental groups opposed the construction.
They initially succeeded in persuading East Lindsey planning councillors to reject the turbines because of environmental impact.
A year later, councillors approved a second application from Ecotricity, which was for turbines larger than in the first application.
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by rikki durward, orkney
Saturday, February 21 2009, 5:13PM
“if you have a close look at this footage has anyone else noticed that an object appears to strike from a north west direction and impact with the main structure before exploding.”
by rachel, suffolk
Thursday, January 22 2009, 8:24PM
“looks to me like the blade detached fell and hit the other blade on the way down”
by micky mouse, florida
Thursday, January 22 2009, 1:03PM
“IF and I stress IF the turbine desroyed itself from the strain then ONE blade would NOT be bent ,The only possible way a blad could bend like the one in the photo is if something HIT it ,(Thats pure physics) ..”
by Chris, Worcester
Sunday, January 18 2009, 1:21PM
“There are a number of pictures and videos on the internet of these turbines failing and (as in yours) in some cases the entire tower crashing to the ground.
There is a movement afoot to have such wind turbines in industrial areas so that they will not affect rural views. The suggestion is to have them on every factory roof. Clearly, this and the other examples of blades coming off, etc., iindicated that urban areas are not good places for them to be located. There's a difference between losing an odd cow and killing dozens or hundreds of people in a factory.
In this case, whether it is metal fatique, structural failure, failure due to speed limiter/blade orientation control system failures or even due to a huge block of ice falling off an aircraft wing, it is clear that we have another argument against their urbanisation.
Personally, I'm in two minds - I 'sort of' like them in one way, in that they are almost mesmerising to watch, but also 'sort of' dislike them in that they spoil the views wich can never be recovered. However, that is also true of a power station, tidal barrage or other forms of non-local elecricity generation.
UFOs? I think it the least likely view. The lights could have been anything from chinese candle baloons let off at birthday parties to ... well, to all sorts of things, including static discharges from the plastics used in the blades cracking and failing.”
by annon, Grimsby
Monday, January 12 2009, 3:32PM
“When are people going to get it that UFO's do not exist!!!”