What happens when wind turbines break?

There have been few instances where wind turbine blades undergo failure which result in a breakage. On July 13, 2024, the Vineyard offshore Windfarm located in Massachusetts had a 350-foot turbine blade snap (1), releasing debris into the ocean. The debris, composed of mainly fiberglass and plastics, raised environmental concerns. While such turbine failures are infrequent, they typically occur in the blade mechanisms. Reasons for failure include manufacturing defects, adhesive joint degradation, trailing edge failure, or other specific causes. Most previous failures do not lead to catastrophic breaks but instead less efficient power yields.

To prevent failures in the future, offshore turbines are equipped with alarm systems that utilize sensors to detect vibrations and other issues, allowing operators to quickly shut down and analyze potential issues.

Aerial view of the Vineyard Wind turbine failure taken 8/1/24.

Source: Cape Cod Times (3)

The National Wind Technology Center (NWTC) are conducting research to innovate offshore turbine controls (2) which will reduce structural loads, limit platform motion, and increase reliability for floating turbines. At the same time, manufactures are pushing to increase the size boundaries for offshore wind turbines. As turbine designs increase (4) in scale, so does the risk of mechanical failure. Prototype testing continues to become increasingly more critical to ensure structural integrity to prevent future catastrophic failures.

References

Lennon, A. E. (2024, December 13). Why did Vineyard Wind’s turbine blade fail? The New Bedford Light. https://newbedfordlight.org/why-did-vineyard-winds-turbine-blade-fail/
Wind Turbine Control Systems. NREL. (2025, February). https://www.nrel.gov/wind/controls-analysis
Heaslip, S. (2025, March). Photos. an airplane view of the Vineyard Wind Turbine Blade that broke apart. Cape Cod Times. https://www.capecodtimes.com/picture-gallery/news/2024/08/02/vineyard-wind-turbine-blade-photos/74641812007/
Wind Turbines: the Bigger, the Better. Energy.gov. (2024b, August 21). https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/wind-turbines-bigger-better#:~:text=Hub%20Height,A%20wind%20turbine’s&text=That’s%20taller%20than%20the%20Statue,the%20Washington%20Monument%2C%20in%202035.