In May this year, India witnessed the infamous case of a windmill catching fire amid extreme heat waves. The incident was reported from the Jaisalmer district of Rajasthan when the temperatures almost crossed 50 Degree C. Pictures and videos of the ignited windmill was widely shared on social media and spread like a fire among the Indian renewable industry. This hinted at the fate of windmills and wind projects in the light of extreme weather incidents. However, the threat is not confined to India alone but expands to the whole globe which is facing the threat of extreme weather events and climate change.
As climate change alters global wind patterns, wind energy is facing new set of challenges. In some regions, wind speeds are expected to decrease, potentially affecting wind farm productivity. At the same time, the intensity of storms is forecasted to surge, with stronger gusts and more frequent lightning strikes threatening wind turbine infrastructure.
Wind energy is one of the most crucial renewable energy sources used by economies worldwide to achieve their energy transition targets. With approximately 1 terawatt of installed wind power globally, this capacity equates to the annual electricity consumption of the Netherlands. By 2030, global wind capacity is expected to double. Wind energy, both offshore and onshore, already plays a significant role in the electricity mix of several countries. For example, the UK met 29% of its electricity demand with wind power in 2023, while the EU’s share was around 18% during the same period.
However, as the frequency and intensity of extreme storms increase, the wind energy sector is facing escalating threats. In this blog, we explore the challenges climate change poses to wind energy and the measures being taken to safeguard wind projects from damage.
Tornadoes, Hurricanes, and Cyclones: A Growing Threat
Like other infrastructure, wind turbines are designed to withstand extreme weather conditions. Despite this, they are vulnerable to direct hits from violent tornadoes or severe storms. Most turbines are built to endure winds of up to 112 mph, which is equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane. Winds exceeding this speed can damage rotors and even topple turbines. For example, violent tornadoes with wind speeds exceeding 200 mph—although rare—can pose a significant threat.
Tropical cyclones and severe storms impact power generation by shutting down turbines at high speeds and potentially damaging infrastructure. While the overall frequency of tropical cyclones has not increased, the proportion of major storms (Category 3-5) has risen, and this trend is expected to continue in the coming decades. As a result, the average and peak wind speeds during cyclones are also likely to rise.
Wind farms have demonstrated resilience in facing storms. For instance, Hurricane Harvey passed over wind farms in Texas in 2017, leaving them largely unscathed. However, damage can still occur if the intensity increases. In 2018, Typhoons Jebi and Cimarron toppled several turbines in Japan, while storms in Scotland and a tornado in Iowa caused significant turbine damage in 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Offshore wind farms, in particular, face greater risks. Offshore turbines are typically larger and exposed to higher wind speeds, making post-incident downtimes longer and power losses greater. Replacing an offshore turbine can be five to ten times more expensive than replacing an onshore one.
Lightning Strikes and Rising Temperatures
Lightning strikes are another extreme weather challenge for wind turbines, with protection systems only mitigating some of the damage. Lightning strikes account for 60% of operational blade losses and 20% of operational wind losses. As climate change progresses, lightning frequency is predicted to increase by 12% for every 1°C of warming. In the US alone, lightning strikes could rise by 50% by 2100.
As turbine towers and rotor sizes grow—some turbines are expected to reach heights of 230-250 metres by 2030—the likelihood of lightning strikes will also increase. In addition, rising temperatures can adversely affect wind turbine performance, with temperatures above 35-45°C shortening the lifespan of battery cells and other components. Turbines are designed to shut down when temperatures exceed 45°C to prevent damage, but this can reduce output.
Wind Droughts: A Subtle Threat
While not as immediately destructive as storms, wind droughts caused by climate change also pose a significant challenge. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), average global wind speeds are projected to decrease by 10% by 2100, though regional variations will occur. Wind turbines require a minimum wind speed to operate, and a 10% reduction in wind speed could result in a 30% decrease in output, threatening the efficiency and utility of wind farms.
Mitigating the Impact of Extreme Weather
Wind farms are typically built at safe distances from populated areas, with careful consideration of local weather patterns, natural land features, and historical data to minimise negative impacts on wildlife and communities. These farms also include safety features, such as emergency response routes, to address potential issues swiftly.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) sets standards for modern wind turbines, requiring them to withstand sustained winds of 112 mph and peak gusts of 156 mph. Wind turbines are equipped with anemometers to measure wind speed and wind vanes to track wind direction. As wind speeds rise, turbines generate more electricity until they reach their rated speed, after which output remains constant. If wind speeds exceed the turbine’s cut-out speed, it will shut down to prevent damage. This cut-out speed is much lower than the wind speeds turbines are designed to withstand, but shutting down reduces the risk of damage to the turbine.
In extreme wind conditions, turbines can feather their blades to reduce surface area or lock them down to ride out severe gusts. Once wind speeds return to normal, the turbines resume operation, typically within minutes, helping to reduce the risk of damage.
Looking Ahead: Preparing for the Future
As extreme weather events become more frequent, developers of wind energy infrastructure will face growing challenges in keeping their projects safe. More research and innovation will be essential to address the current and future impacts of climate change on wind energy. By continuing to improve turbine resilience and operational strategies, the sector can navigate the oncoming challenges while continuing to provide clean, renewable energy to the world.
In the light of the need for more precise and accurate meteorological incidents, several renewable companies have also increased their investments towards monitoring devices. For example, in a recent event of Bloomberg BNEF, Amit Singh, CEO of Adani Green Energy Limited (a renewable project developer) said that the existing infrastructure for remote monitoring of wind speeds and other meteorological related data were not ample. He said that this company especially invested in building more on forecasting devices and related equipment to boost their knowledge on the weather-related events to take remedies for their wind power projects. Adani Green is currently working to build world’s largest single site renewable park of 30 GW capacity.
