Huge wind turbine snaps in Kyoto, Japan

While it's not extremely rare for such occurrence to happen, you could not help but think about the possibility of lack of maintenance here.

The more wind farms you open up, the higher the chances of failure to happen simply due to the number of wind turbines you erect. Even in Japan where nano-precision and high-technology are daily words and the maintenance mentality is respectable, you can hear that the Fukushima nuclear facilities could have been better maintained.

A windmill lies wrecked in the town of Ine. Photo by AFP/The Japan Times

Anyway, here's what was reported by The Japan Times:

Kyoto wind farm turbine falls after pylon snaps
Mar 16, 2013
A 38-ton wind turbine crashed 50 meters to the ground in Kyoto Prefecture after the steel column supporting it snapped, according to officials.

The massive Dutch-made turbine, which sat atop a Japanese-made steel column, was part of a mountain wind farm. It was put up in 2001 with an expected life of at least 17 years.

“We are asking experts to look into the cause of the problem. We suspect metal fatigue might have played a role,” a local government official said Thursday, adding no one was injured.

The smashed turbine was discovered Wednesday although it is not known when it fell at the remote facility. A strong windstorm struck wide areas of the nation around that time.

Wind farms have sprouted across large stretches of Japan over the last two decades as the resource-poor country seeks to capitalize on its natural bounty.

The drive for alternative energy has intensified since the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster started two years ago.

Only two of Japan’s 50 nuclear reactors are in operation and public opposition against restarting reactors remains strong.

Old traditional windmills compared with modern wind turbines

Wind mills have been around for hundreds of years but the earlier ones were believed to have been used more to produce mechanical power rather than electricity.

Today, wind turbines are built mainly to generate electricity both in the sea and on land. They come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 2.5 metres in diameter and 1 kW for residential applications up to over 100 metres in diameter and over 3.5 MW for offshore applications.

Veldkamps Meul'n mill. Photo credit

Modern onshore wind turbine. Photo credit

One of the windmills that is still working is Veldkamps Meul'n mill in Bellingwolde, Netherland. The mill was built in 1855, with four-blade rotor in the traditional dutch design. At that size and height it remained the tallest structure in the neighbourhood for sometime.

The windmill is thought to be able to generate about 18kW of usable mechanical power. If this was hooked up to an efficient alternator, it might be able to convert up to 80% of that, i.e. 14kW or so into electrical power.


Big gap in efficiency is expected. But by how much?

This Veldkamps Meul'n mill has a sail diameter of 20 metres, whereas modern wind turbines used for large-scale power generation are generally at least 40 metres across. They have a power output of about 500kW.

Let's assume that power (P) generation rises with the square of the diameter (D), [suggested by Sciencefocus],

          P ∝ D²

Hence, a scaled-down modern turbine would still generate 125kW.

         125kW/14kW = 8.9

Modern wind turbines are nearly nine times more efficient.

The point is that, technology advances with time and with this technology, man generates electricity without emitting carbon dioxide. But not without public complaint though.

I don't live near wind farm and I can't testify, but from readings, huge wind turbines produce unwanted noise and some people think they are unsightly, too. I suppose there's a price to pay for everything. Nothing is free!


Do we have wind turbines in Malaysia?

Yes, but they are at best for educational purposes only. Our location near the equatorial line means we have less usable wind compared to countries further up or down the globe.

We have the 100kW wind turbines in Pulau Perhentian Kecil Terengganu, the 0.3kW - 3kW wind turbines at UPM-Serdang main campus, etc., but nothing on large scale.