This What Happens When a Wind Turbine Starts Spinning Too Fast in a Storm

This What Happens When a Wind Turbine Starts Spinning Too Fast in a StormShow more

Wind that is too fast can cause damages to the wind turbines, so operators of wind farms will park the rotors until the wind calms down. Wind Turbines generally shut down when wind speeds hit about 55 mph

Wind turbines are designed with a feature called a "governor" or "governor system" that helps regulate the speed of the turbine's rotor. When wind speeds increase, the governor adjusts the pitch of the turbine blades to reduce their angle of attack, thereby limiting the amount of wind energy captured and preventing the turbine from spinning too fast. This helps protect the turbine from potential damage and ensures safe operation during high winds. Additionally, modern wind turbines are equipped with advanced control systems that continuously monitor wind conditions and adjust the turbine's operation to optimize energy production while maintaining safe operating speeds

A wind turbine is a device that converts the kinetic energy of wind into electrical energy. As of 2020, hundreds of thousands of large wind turbines, in installations known as wind farms, were generating over 650 gigawatts of power, with 60 GW added each year. Wind turbines are an increasingly important source of intermittent renewable energy, and are used in many countries to lower energy costs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.