Blade Services Expert blade service solutions for all your turbines

All-round service solutions for your blades Blades are your turbine’s most expensive component Our blade service offer includes: Blades are crucial to revenue generation, but often neglected. Damages are often discovered too late. As a result, repair is extensive and costly with the risk of longer downtimes. A heavy lightning activity site for example, coupled with lack of protection systems can lead to millions of dollars in unexpected damages. Even erosion, minor damages and dirt can cause reduced efficiency and productivity losses of up to 5% percent. • Inspections – All platforms • Repairs...

Safety is in our DNA Safety matters Wind turbines operate at heights of more than one hundred meters, with the tip of the turbine blade often turning at over 200 km/h. The weight of each blade can reach up to 10 tonnes and the turbine itself is a high-voltage electrical machine with output ratings reaching multiple megawatts. These are all factors that can lead to severe incidents if not handled properly. At Vestas, we firmly believe that all hazards can be managed. Our market-leading position and more than 35 years of industry experience enable us to develop world-class standards and solutions...

Minimize risk and reduce costs with blade inspections Intervene early, reduce costs Inspecting your blades is less than 0,001% of the cost of replacement, not to mention the potential cost of lost production. Identifying defects and adressing them before they develop into serious, failure-causing damages can save you significant costs and unnecessary downtime. This is why Vestas has developed comprehensive inspection methods that provide a solution for every situation. We offer drone, camera, telescope, and NDT (non-destructive testing) for both Vestas and nonVestas turbines. FREQUENT ISSUES...

Drone inspections increase speed, safety, and accuracy Detailed reporting directly to you Our cutting-edge drone inspection solution is fast, accurate, and is operational at wind speeds of up to 12 m/s. It can be conducted by a team of 1-2 people* and the data is evaluated against a unique, and large database of classified damages. With drone inspection, you get: Once we have conducted inspections, our technical experts analyse the collected data to identify potential concerns. The results are delivered in a comprehensive report, including a clear outline of any damage, recommendations on the...

State-of-the-art repair solutions Partner with expert repair capabilities Blades are a part of Vestas’ core business, and our dedication to each stage in a blade’s operating lifetime means that we know blades better than anyone. A partnership with Vestas gives you and your assets industry-leading care with innovative and economical repair solutions. High quality, timely blade repairs are critical for your turbines’ performance. With Vestas as your service partner, you can be sure that your blades will be back in optimal operating mode as quickly as possible after any repair. We are continuously...

Intervene early, reduce costs Addressing damages as early as possible in the least serious damage classifications is the key to reducing blade repair costs. We recommend our partners to always repair damaged blades as early as possible. In doing so, we have seen the number of damages requiring turbine downtime reduced by 30 percent over the last six years. We understand that not all blade damage can be prevented, and occasionally urgent repairs are required to put the turbine back into operation. To facilitate these situations, Vestas offers extensive on-site repair capabilities. % of Blade damage...

Blades are constantly exposed to challenging environmental conditions. The tip of an 80 meter diameter turbine blade turns at 240 km/h and can travel a distance equal to 40,000 km in one week. Imagine driving your car through rain, hail, snow, sand, dirt, and salty sea water at 240 km/h day in and day out. Wear and tear on blades varies depending upon site-specific conditions, which makes forecasting maintenance costs subject to great uncertainty. If neglected, even damages like erosion can lead to an AEP loss of up to 5 percent. Typically, repairs related to wear and tear are not part of a standard...

Blade Services repair capabilities Service type Root repairs Leading edge protection Lightning protection - copper caps Lightning protection - copper strips Vortex generators Gurney flaps Serrated trailling edges Inspections (drone, camera, telescope, NDT) Wear and Tear Program Repair of internal short circuit with down conductor cable severed Balancing of blade on site Tip end repairs Open tip end Lightning marks at screw receptor Cosmetic paint tip ends with contrasting colour Repair of tip ends Replacement of 3m tip end Shell repairs Repair of external impact on glass layer only Repair of...

TurbinePlus™ upgrades for complete blade protection It is impossible to stop nature’s assault on your blades. Lightning, dirt, insects, and ice are just some of the enemies blades face in their daily operation. To address nature’s threats to your blades Vestas has developed a range of high-quality upgrades. Lightning protection One of the greatest dangers for blades is lightning. In worst case scenarios, lightning can cause structural damages requiring costly repairs and unnecessary downtime. Installing copper caps on the tip of turbine blades provides a significant improvement to lightning protection....

Optimise power production with Aerodynamic Upgrades Our Aerodynamic Upgrades provide the latest development in wind turbine blade technology to increase your fleet’s ­profitability. Vortex Generators and Gurney Flaps optimise the blade’s ability to capture the wind. Gurney flaps Vortex generators Gurney flaps are small, flat plates fitted at a right angle to the windward side of the blade along the trailing edge. They effectively change the camber of the aerofoil near the trailing edge and increase lift. In combination with vortex generators, gurney flaps will increase annual energy production...