The accumulation of ice on wind turbine blades can distort their aerodynamics, causing them to ... [+] generate less power. So it’s fair to ask: why don’t wind turbines fail all the time in colder climates, such as Canada, Sweden or the American Midwest? “Cold weather kits can keep [wind turbines] operating when temperatures plunge. To prevent icing on rotor blades — which cause the blades to catch air less efficiently and to generate less power — heating and water-resistant coatings are used. One Swedish company, Skellefteå Kraft, which has experimented with operating wind turbines in the Arctic, coats turbine blades with thin layers of carbon fiber which are then heated to prevent ice from forming.

Source: Forbes February 17, 2021 04:05 UTC