Repairing and maintaining wind turbines is a significant priority area for the UK as the wind industry continues to be a vital part of the energy mix of the future. The UK now contains a combined total of 28GW of onshore and offshore wind turbines but some of these turbines are nearing the end of the operational lifetime of 25-30 years.

Data from RenewableUK suggests that approximately 546 turbines operating in the UK across 33 projects were installed back in the 90s, with a combined capacity capable of providing enough energy for 150,000 households.

The infrastructure challenge

In some cases, turbines are forced to be decommissioned.  Just under 150 were removed since the beginning of 2020, and that number has continued growing. There is also a  rising challenge concerning increasing the lifespan of new turbines, but approximately 90% of wind turbines are recyclable, including valuable resources like steel, copper and iron.

RenewableUK has wanted that the wind industry could lose a significant amount of its potential capacity by 2040, having a significant impact on national climate plans and targets. There is also a considerable investment opportunity, with blade recycling becoming a popular market, alongside second-hand wind turbines, with some of the first turbines in the UK now being reused in Eastern Europe.

Specialist energy business Full Circle Wind applies drones and other technologies to maintain wind turbines nationwide, from replacing tips to complete blade removals. Billy Stevenson, the CEO of the firm believes that wind turbines remain within a highly regulated market, with most investors preferring to keep sites operational with added renovations. People opt to keep turbines active and generate money with older assets that have been paid off over many years. Full Circle Wind hopes to support the revival of fading industrial regions and work with the government to enhance skilled workers by training new people to work in the industry or those with the relevant skills to move into the wind sector. Stevenson hopes there is an opportunity to revive and strengthen parts of the UK.

An alternative option is repowering onshore wind projects, replacing turbines with more efficient infrastructure. Zoisa North-Bond, the CEO of Octopus Energy Generation explains that they determined up to 1,000 onshore wind turbines in the UK that could greatly benefit from repowering. The benefits would include improved efficiency, longer lifespan and cheaper energy bills for customers. North-Bond believes this is a growing opportunity, particularly with the UK’s turbine fleet continuing to mature.

It’s critical to continue generating affordable energy and repowering represents a significant opportunity, especially while it remains a challenge to develop new onshore wind farms. It makes more sense to find innovative and sophisticated technologies to replace old systems and generate affordable green energy for more people.

The UK government recognises the opportunities in the wind industry stating in its recent energy security strategy that it hopes progression in technology can enhance capacity and create new opportunities for surrounding communities. RenewableUK wants the government to establish a clear plan for repowering in their planning framework, including comprehensive details to maintain the existing onshore wind generation levels. It also wants a relevant mechanism to allow for additional repowering.

James Robottom, head of onshore at RenewableUK explains that maintaining the existing onshore wind fleet should be considered as important as developing new wind sites. Repowering wind farms at the end of their lifetime is critical and represents an opportunity to apply new, more efficient turbines to boost output typically with fewer turbines needed.

While the industry continues to wait for developments on the planning consultations for onshore wind, it is clear that the preservation of our infrastructure is critical for the future of the UK wind industry.

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