GN Rope Fittings, a manufacturer of ROV, mooring, heavy lifting, and rigging connections to the oil and gas and offshore wind industries, has again broken its own record by manufacturing the world’s largest forged shackle.
The new forged shackle, with a working load limit of 3,750 tons, surpasses the company’s previous record of 3,000 tons set in 2023. This marks the fourth time GN Rope Fittings has broken its own record, cementing its position as the global leader in high-capacity forged lifting equipment.
GN Rope Fittings set another record by manufacturing the largest forged shackle ever produced, with a working load limit of 3,750 tons. (Courtesy: GN Rope Fittings)
GN Rope Fittings first achieved world-record status in 2009 with a 1,750-ton shackle, followed by a 2,000-ton version. In 2016, it raised the bar again with a 2,500-ton model. The latest record-breaking product, forged in the Netherlands, has been designed for inline pulls of 3,750 tons and can handle out-of-plane loads of up to 3,500 tons at 10 degrees.
It consists of a shackle body and saddle with a customized diameter of 1,050 mm, and a pin secured by horseshoes on both sides for easier handling. The size of the saddle is the largest manufactured in the industry, designed and engineered to optimize D/d ratio, ensuring bending efficiencies of synthetic slings. In addition, the shackle features a unique flat-shaped bow section at 790 mm in width, making it the first of its kind ever manufactured at this scale.
This design provides sufficient space to accommodate synthetic ropes of approximately 265 mm, allowing them to lay flat on a straight section of the bow.
By creating this wider, flat contact area, the shackle eliminates compression forces that would otherwise occur if the ropes were stacked or bearing against each other.
To ensure the highest level of safety, the shackle has undergone Finite Element Analysis (FEA), been proof load tested to 4,575 tons, and subjected to full Mechanical and Non-Destructive Testing.
The one-of-a-kind shackle has been purchased by First Subsea for use with an internal lifting tool in the Fengmiao offshore wind project. The product is designed to be a reusable asset, adaptable for future large-scale offshore projects worldwide.
“Setting a new world record is always special, but doing it for the fourth time is a true testament to the passion and expertise of our team in Nieuwkoop,” said Bart Vossenberg Jr., GN Rope Fittings executive director.
“Every record-breaking shackle we’ve produced has pushed the boundaries of what’s technically possible in forging and design. This custom-built 3,750-ton shackle demonstrates our continued commitment to engineering excellence, safety, and innovation for our clients in the offshore wind and energy sectors.”
Vestas has received a 10-MW order for a wind project from Cementeria Costantinopoli Srl, a leading manufacturer of construction materials, to deliver renewable energy directly to its cement factory in the Basilicata region in Italy.
The wind farm will be located next to the factory and enable Cementeria Costantinopoli to supply energy on-site, covering around one-third of its electricity needs with secure, affordable and sustainable power.
Vestas has received a 10 MW order to deliver renewable energy directly to a cement factory in the Basilicata region in Italy. (Courtesy: Vestas)
The contract includes the supply and installation of three V117-3.45 MW turbines, and it includes a 10-year Active Output Management 4000 (AOM 4000) service agreement.
“This project marks a milestone for Vestas in Italy as it is the first of its kind in the country to exclusively power an energy-intensive cement factory with clean wind energy, setting a precedent for industrial decarbonization in the region,” said Francesco Amati, General Manager, Vestas Italy.” We are proud to deliver the technology solution that will reduce the plant’s environmental footprint and reliance on external power.”
“For Cementeria, the activation of the first wind farm for self-consumption in Italy, realized with Vestas technology, is not only an energy milestone, but also a tangible demonstration of our deep commitment to environmental sustainability,” said Rabasco Roberto, chief sustainability officer of Cementeria Constantinopoli Srl. “This strategic investment strengthens our leadership in the decarbonization of the sector and underscores our commitment to building a productive future with reduced impact.”
Turbine delivery and commissioning are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The order has installed more than 6 GW in Italy since 1991.
A consortium led by ACUA Ocean and featuring Houlder, Ad Hoc Marine Designs, Trident Marine, and the University of Southampton has secured U.K. government backing to develop a new class of medium-sized uncrewed support vessels.
The Project MROS consortium was awarded funding in May 2025, as part of the U.K. Department for Transport’s CMDC program. Since the award, the MROS partners have been advancing designs for the 145 foot (43-meter) vessel, which is now progressing with resistance and seakeeping tank testing led by Southampton University Marine & Maritime Institute and the world-renowned Wolfson Unit.
An ACUA-led consortium ACUA Ocean consortium secured UK government backing for 145-foot Multi-Role Uncrewed Offshore Support Vessel. (Courtesy: ACUA)
Powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system, the USV has been designed to operate both autonomously or optionally crewed. The prototype designs explore methanol fuel and consider efficiency, performance, maintainability, and emissions reductions compared to hydrogen, ammonia, and diesel variants.
Following the seagoing success of ACUA’s 46-foot (14-meter) Pioneer-class USV design, the new vessels will also feature a Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH), optimized for low motions and platform stability in high sea states. MROS comes four months after USV Pioneer became the first, and so far only, USV to achieve U.K. Maritime Coastguard Agency Workboat Code 3 regulatory approval.
Controlled in either autonomous or remote modes, or by an optionally-embarked small crew housed in a modular accommodation pod, the new vessel will be capable of operations in Sea State 6+, featuring DP1 station keeping, a 2,500 nautical mile range, 20-plus days endurance, and a sprint speed of more than 20 knots.
The MROS USVs are designed to satisfy a variety of tasks that require persistence and robustness, such as offshore logistics, maritime surveillance, subsea inspection and intervention, and the commissioning and decommissioning of offshore infrastructure. It offers a payload of 80 tons to permit the embarkation of cargo or specialist sensors and payloads. The vessel features a moonpool configured with room for twin launch and recovery systems for a variety of underwater payloads, such as tethered or untethered ROVs and XUUVs.
As with USV Pioneer, the MROS USV cargo and payload bays are configured to accommodate ISO-standard transport container (TEU and FEU) sized footprints, simplifying the mechanical installation, interchangeability, and logistical management of the vessel’s various tasks and maintenance.
“The MROS project builds on ACUA Ocean’s proven ability to deploy proven and certified vessels,” said Neil Tinmouth, ACUA Ocean CEO. “Most excitingly, this new design offers significant capability and cost-saving benefits over other USVs currently in development, delivering new solutions for a range of offshore commercial partners.”
“We firmly believe in this larger platform going beyond the norm and setting new standards of offshore operability,” said John Kecsmar, director of Ad Hoc Marine Designs.
“We are happy to continue to work with ACUA on the exciting Project MROS following our work on Pioneer earlier in the year,” said Rupert Hare, CEO of Houlder, Ltd.
“This is about turning credible autonomy into offshore capability and beyond, and toward this, Houlder will lead the development of a concept for launch and recovery (LARS) systems for a variety of underwater payloads, such as ROVs and XUUVs.
We will also contribute to hull design and optimization and the integration of the alternative fuel systems.”
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used to reduce risk in multi-billion-dollar wind projects by modeling high-output project designs, improving operational efficiency, and reducing capital expenditure, amid tightening margins across the global wind sector, according to a new white paper from Shoreline Wind.
The Wind CFOs’ Guide to Artificial Intelligence report finds CFOs are driving a wave of AI deployment across the wind sector as companies battle rising technology costs, supply chain bottlenecks, and labor shortages.
The report reveals that 78 percent of businesses globally now use AI for at least one function, up from 55 percent in 2023. More than 90 percent plan to increase investment over the next three years, according to data cited in the study.
Wind-energy CFOs are turning to AI to reduce risk in multi-billion-dollar projects. (Courtesy: Shoreline Wind)
As the global wind sector faces rising project costs and tightening investor scrutiny, the growing role of AI in financial planning marks a structural shift for renewable energy. Shoreline’s latest report signals that intelligent, domain-specific AI tools are becoming essential infrastructure for large-scale project delivery — not just optional innovation. For energy finance leaders, that represents a new phase in how renewable projects are evaluated, financed, and optimized for long-term value.The findings suggest AI’s role in wind energy has shifted from emerging to essential. Developers and operators are using AI-powered tools to optimize turbine layouts, schedule construction, predict weather windows, and automate data-heavy analysis, all of which are helping CFOs protect margins and enhance project bankability.
The report explains, while the hype around generic AI has quadrupled the combined market value of eight major tech firms, the real breakthrough benefits for wind-energy businesses will be delivered through industry-specific AI platforms. These tools already integrate engineering, logistics and financial data to simulate complex projects and enable more reliable cost forecasting.
In 2025 alone, Shoreline’s systems ran almost 2 million simulations, reflecting the scale and growing reliance on AI for critical planning and forecasting decisions.
“Today, wind businesses have a wealth of data at their fingertips,” said Ole-Erik Endrerud, founder and chief product officer at Shoreline Wind. “However, translating and decoding this data to support key decisions is a challenge. We’re trying to provide CFOs, and supporting teams, with accurate information fundamental to assess risk and improve the profitability of projects.
AI platforms can process terabytes of disconnected datasets independently, and also together, in seconds, faster than a human analyst ever could. It is this rigor and capability to make a material difference that is proving popular with wind businesses.
Using AI-powered planning tools, teams have access to more realistic project estimates and are able to build in further contingencies prior to financing decisions being made.
Without it, CFOs are retrospectively dealing with project deviations, sometimes as much as three months, that has a significant and direct impact on profitability.”
The report notes that Shoreline’s automation capabilities save up to three hours per planner per day. The offshore wind sector is seeing some of the most immediate returns on AI investment.
Logistics and vessel operations can represent 25 to 30 percent of a project’s total cost, and small efficiency improvements can translate into cuts of up to $300,000 per day in transport costs with AI-optimized plans, while reducing OPEX by 10 percent through predictive maintenance workflows and execution of smarter tasks.
“It’s so obvious that if you have a cost at around 25 percent to 30 percent (of a project’s value) around logistics and vessel movements during a construction phase then if you can reduce that cost by 1 percent, 2 percent or 3 percent using AI for planning, it’s a no brainer,” said Anders Frederiksen, Head Energy Denmark’s general manager.
“Shoreline provides the flexible platform that allows us to transform our in-house knowledge into high fidelity results we can rely on,” said Ursula Smolka, Ramboll’s team lead for assessment.
“With over 60 developers, operators, service providers, and OEMs now using Shoreline’s technology across 465 GW of global wind projects, the platform has become the industry’s most widely adopted AI-driven simulation and optimization system.”
The white paper’s conclusion is that the most valuable AI applications for wind finance are not generic large language models, but deep, domain-specific systems trained on industry data and designed to replicate real-world decision-making.
The white paper can be downloaded at Shoreline Wind’s site.
The global roof venturi wind market is projected to reach $3.6 billion by 2033, according to a report by Research Intelo. This highlight increasing confidence in Venturi-based rooftop wind technology and its role in urban energy solutions. Advances in turbine blade design, lightweight composite materials, and integrated control systems have significantly enhanced efficiency and reliability.
The use of smart sensors and IoT-enabled monitoring allows real-time performance tracking and predictive maintenance, reducing downtime and maximizing energy output.
Urban populations are prioritizing sustainability and energy independence. Commercial property owners and industrial operators are adopting rooftop wind turbines to reduce operational costs and carbon footprints. Residential interest is also rising as homeowners seek energy autonomy and greener living solutions.
Commercial facilities, such as warehouses, malls, manufacturing plants, and educational institutions, currently dominate adoption. Their flat rooftops enable efficient installation and improved airflow capture. Industrial buildings follow, using venturi turbines to offset energy costs and meet sustainability goals. Residential adoption is gradually increasing, particularly in regions emphasizing net-zero building designs.
As buildings increasingly evolve into multi-source power hubs, compact wind systems, once considered niche, are becoming central to distributed renewable energy strategies. Continuous improvements in design efficiency, cost competitiveness, and supportive policies are expected to further accelerate adoption, positioning venturi turbines as a key component of urban sustainability initiatives.
DNV, the independent energy expert and assurance provider, has developed three advanced time-domain methods for analyzing the structural performance of floating offshore wind turbines. Now available in DNV’s Sesam software, the methods simulate how turbines respond to wind and wave forces in harsh offshore environments.
The enhanced time-domain methods in Sesam significantly reduce the computational time needed to simulate these dynamic responses, while improving the accuracy and efficiency of strength assessments such as fatigue damage and ultimate limit state analyses.
Floating wind capacity is projected to reach 331 GW by 2060. (Courtesy: DNV)
Analyzing floating wind turbines is complex, as combined wind and wave loads must be captured using large, detailed structural models. Time-domain analysis, used to model a structure’s behavior over time under changing conditions, is typically required, but demands substantial computing time, even on high-performance systems. By calculating how the structures move and react at every time step, engineers can more accurately predict performance, detect potential issues, and design safer, more reliable systems.
“According to our latest Energy Transition Outlook, floating wind capacity is projected to reach 331 GW by 2060, and the sector faces significant new challenges,” said Kenneth Vareide, CEO of DNV Digital Solutions. “It is essential that the industry takes every possible measure to minimize risk and secure project success. These new methods represent a fundamental advance in the analysis of floating wind structures, delivering faster performance, greater efficiency, and adherence to the latest standards.”
The new methodologies are fully integrated into DNV’s Sesam software suite, which supports design, optimization, and structural assessment throughout the lifecycle of offshore assets:
Direct Load Generation: Computes the hydrodynamic pressure field on the structure and performs a dynamic or quasistatic time-domain analysis.
Load Reconstruction: Uses pre-calculated pressure transfer functions to reconstruct the hydrodynamic pressure on the hull, followed by time-domain structural analysis.
Response Reconstruction: Goes a step further by deriving the structural response directly from response transfer functions, removing the need for explicit load calculations or traditional finite-element analysis.
“Floating offshore wind turbine analysis is demanding because it tracks detailed hydrodynamic and structural responses throughout the simulation, making large projects extremely time-consuming,” said Sille Grjotheim, Global Segment Director for Floating Offshore Wind at DNV.
“Customers can now choose the most efficient analysis method based on the specific needs of their project, reducing simulation time and costs, supporting faster design cycles with confidence that the results are accurate and in compliance with the relevant regulations.”
Since its origin in the 1960s, DNV’s Sesam software has been trusted for the design and analysis of ships and offshore structures. This latest development continues that legacy by helping ensure tomorrow’s floating wind turbines are ready for the demanding environments in which they will operate.
EK Machine, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer specializing in large backup generators, fuel tanks, and enclosures, has expanded its lifting and material handling capabilities with the addition of a Shuttlelift SL75 rubber-tired gantry crane. This new addition supports the company’s growth and transition toward producing fully finished products.
EK Machine had been seeking a solution that could increase flexibility in its manufacturing and storage operations.
“Construction schedules can be unpredictable, and customers aren’t always ready to receive their completed products,” said Dan Birr, Director of Operations. “The Shuttlelift gantry crane allows us to safely move finished units into storage, keeping our workflow moving and ensuring we can adapt quickly to changing project timelines.”
EK Machine has expanded its lifting and material handling capabilities with the addition of a Shuttlelift SL75 rubber-tired gantry crane. (Courtesy: EK Machine)
The SL75’s maneuverability and remote-control operation have improved efficiency and safety at EK Machine’s facilities. The crane’s precision movement allows operators to stack units closer together, optimizing space while maintaining safe clearances. Additionally, the ability to control the crane remotely has reduced the number of operators required, improving productivity.
EK Machine also commended Shuttlelift’s service and support during delivery and installation.
“We were impressed with the coordination of the service department and the speed of the install,” he said.
With the addition of the Shuttlelift SL75 Gantry Crane, EK Machine has enhanced its operational agility and is better positioned to meet the growing demands of its customers. This investment underscores the company’s commitment to improvement, efficiency, and success.
Beyond the technical achievements, EK Machine remains grounded in the values that have defined the company since its founding, a culture of hands-on dedication and pride in craftsmanship. The company’s 80-year-old owner still mows the facility’s lawn, a detail that speaks volumes about the work ethic and care behind every project.
Founded 55 years ago, EK Machine provides power infrastructure components to hospitals, data centers, schools, and businesses. The company’s consistent growth has led to the opening of multiple facilities, including Fall River, Wisconsin, and the recently inaugurated Plant 4 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Cooling temperatures send contractors scrambling to complete unfinished projects before winter threatens to stop or seriously hinder construction. However, some projects will inevitably have to be delayed until next season, leaving contractors with the question of how to protect materials and equipment already on the jobsite.
Cortec’s line of MCI technology for the construction industry includes complementary corrosion solutions to help contractors bring their jobsites safely through the winter elements. (Courtesy: Cortec)
Although focused on extending the service life of reinforced concrete, Cortec’s line of MCI technology for the construction industry includes complementary corrosion solutions to help contractors bring their jobsites safely through the winter elements.
Freezing temperatures mean grouting delays for post-tensioning (PT) projects. However, for bridges, parking garages, or buildings where PT tendons have already been installed, grouting delays leave tendons at risk for corrosion and the potential loss of integrity by the time grouting occurs.
The most practical option is MCI-309, a migrating corrosion inhibitor powder that can be fogged into PT ducts after the tendons are placed. By capping the ducts, contractors can trap protective vapors until temperatures warm sufficiently for the project to continue. When work resumes, contractors typically do not need to flush MCI-309 out of the ducts before grouting, eliminating a step that could introduce corrosives.
MCI CorShield offers an anticorrosion coating solution that can be brushed onto exposed rebar, leaving a thin protective film that in many cases may not even need to be removed before construction can continue. The same coating can be sprayed onto new rebar waiting to be used on the jobsite.
Multisec has reached a milestone in the global lifting industry, as its range of pink modular spreader beams has achieved DNV Type Approval, one of the most respected and demanding certifications in the offshore and heavy lifting world. This achievement places Multisec among a select group of manufacturers whose equipment meets the highest international standards for safety, engineering integrity, and offshore use.
Issued by DNV at Høvik, Norway, the certification verifies the Multisec Modular Spreader Beam range fully complies with DNV-ST-0378: Offshore and Platform Lifting Appliances — one of the industry’s most stringent design and safety standards. This confirms the beams have been assessed against demanding requirements covering structural design, global, and local load analysis, material impact toughness, qualified welding procedures, manufacturing quality control, and full traceability of all components. Meeting these criteria ensures the Multisec range is fit for the most challenging offshore and heavy industrial environments.
The approval covers the entire core range, from the Multi-13 to the Multi-250 models, offering Safe Working Load capacities from 13 tons up to 250 tons. The certification confirms Multisec Modular Spreader Beams are approved for installation and use on any DNV-classed vessel or offshore unit, including crane vessels, pipe-lay and cable-lay ships, drilling platforms, heavy-lift barges, and floating production systems. This ensures the beams can be specified for critical lifting operations in offshore wind, subsea construction, renewable energy installation, shipbuilding, and heavy industrial engineering, where DNV-certified lifting equipment is a strict operational requirement.
“Achieving DNV certification is a significant milestone for our team and a strong endorsement of the engineering behind the Multisec brand. This accreditation further strengthens our position in global markets and gives our customers even greater confidence when choosing our products,” said Olivia Gardiner, Multisec sales and operations manager. “This milestone is exemplified by the recent DNV approval of two of our largest Modular Spreader Beams to date — a 1,200-ton beam measuring 12.5 meters and a 2,000-ton beam spanning 18.5 meters.”
The wind sector continues to expand at pace, with tens of thousands of new turbines installed globally each year. In parallel, average (and maximum) blade sizes have increased significantly. The industry is witnessing widespread deployment of 7-MW to 15-MW machines onshore and offshore, with some developers installing turbines of up to 15-MW onshore and 25-MW offshore. At the extreme end of the scale, Chinese manufacturer Mingyang recently unveiled plans for a massive 50-MW floating wind turbine.
Larger blades generally translate into higher energy yields and increased revenue potential. However, they also introduce elevated operational risk, particularly in relation to blade maintenance, repair costs, catastrophic failures, and turbine — or entire fleet — downtime.
When blade damage escalates into full blade failure, the associated costs increase dramatically. (Courtesy: ONYX Insight)
When blade damage escalates into full blade failure, the associated costs increase dramatically. Blade replacement costs can spiral to approximately $500,000 for onshore turbines and $1 million or more offshore, compared with a typical blade repair cost ranging between $30,000 and $100,000, respectively.
Beyond the immediate repair or replacement expenses, blade failures can also result in substantial indirect costs, including business interruption and long-term reputational damage for asset owners and operators.
Given the multifaceted value of these assets and the significant financial impact of unplanned downtime, it is unsurprising that wind-sector stakeholders are increasingly focused on preventative maintenance strategies. Proactive condition monitoring has become essential, since early intervention is substantially more effective and cost-efficient than reactive repairs or replacements.
Integrating drone inspections with blade condition monitoring systems (CMS) enables a far more comprehensive assessment of blade health. (Courtesy: ONYX Insight)
Drone Deployment
Drone inspections have become one of the most widely adopted blade condition monitoring methods and are typically conducted on an annual basis. Advances in drone technology have made these inspections effective at identifying clearly visible, slow-developing defects on the external surface of blades.
For asset managers, drones have delivered a solid return on investment, given their relatively low cost, and have helped identify damage that might otherwise remain undetected during ground-based inspections. However, despite widespread use, drone inspections have inherent limitations that must be acknowledged.
Drones are restricted to detecting a limited number of external failure modes and are unable to assess all areas of a blade’s exterior. More critically, they cannot identify internal defects at all, such as subsurface cracking, structural degradation, or issues within the pitch-bearing. These limitations mean that significant risks and damage routinely remain undetected.
Vibration-based CMS, for example, monitors for anomalies that indicate blade imbalance, which may result from ice accumulation or physical damage. (Courtesy: ONYX Insight)
In addition, drones do not capture changes in blade behavior over time — an important indicator of emerging issues. Such behavioral changes may result from environmental degradation, extreme weather exposure, manufacturing defects, or material fatigue associated with blade age. Over the medium- to long-term, these factors can lead to reduced turbine performance, increased mechanical stress on components such as the rotor and drivetrain, and ultimately, turbine failure.
While these constraints highlight the limitations of drone technology, they do not diminish its underlying value. Rather than replacing drones, the industry should view them as a single component within a broader blade condition monitoring strategy, complemented by systems capable of addressing what visual inspections cannot.
Combining with Blade CMS
Integrating drone inspections with blade condition monitoring systems (CMS) enables a far more comprehensive assessment of blade health. This combined approach enhances inspection accuracy and provides a more holistic and all-encompassing understanding of blade condition. Internal CMS technologies — such as vibration and displacement sensors installed within the blade — complement the strengths of drone-based inspections.
Vibration-based CMS, for example, monitors for anomalies that indicate blade imbalance, which may result from ice accumulation or physical damage. A key advantage of vibration monitoring is its ability to localize the source of an issue with high precision. This enables operators to implement targeted interventions, reducing repair time, downtime, and associated costs. Displacement-based CMS, meanwhile, supports the early detection of structural degradation by measuring minute internal movements between the blade and the hub. These movements are often imperceptible during visual inspections but can signal serious underlying issues. In many cases, displacement sensors can identify risks up to a year before they culminate in a problematic blade failure.
Proactive condition monitoring has become essential, since early intervention is substantially more effective and cost-efficient than reactive repairs or replacements. (Courtesy: ONYX Insight)
The Key: A Blended Approach
To date, the wind-power industry has not identified a single solution capable of detecting the full spectrum of blade-failure modes. Given the diversity of contributing factors — ranging from turbine model, environmental conditions and manufacturing defects to operational age — this is unsurprising.
The variety of geographies and climates in which turbines operate further compounds this challenge.
The good news is drones and blade CMS technologies, when deployed together, can provide highly robust and comprehensive coverage of both external and internal blade conditions.
Working in tandem, these technologies enable near real-time, end-to-end blade monitoring. This integrated approach offers owners, operators, and asset managers the clarity and confidence required to safeguard performance, reduce risk, and protect long-term asset value.
Wind-turbine blades are among the most critical and costly components in a turbine. Each blade is a complex composite structure designed to withstand extreme loads, environmental stress, and decades of operation, yet even minor defects can escalate into catastrophic failures if left undetected. This is where condition monitoring systems (CMS) come into play, transforming maintenance strategies from reactive to predictive and safeguarding the long-term performance of wind assets. By providing continuous insights into the structural health of the blade, owners and operators are able to prioritize work more efficiently and accurately quantify the risk present in their entire fleet.
As nameplate capacities increase and blades get longer and heavier at unprecedented rates, the criticality of small structural defects is amplified. Traditional inspection methods, such as visual drone-based checks or scheduled up-tower climbs, often fail to catch early-stage defects such as delamination or, even worse, internal damage such as spar web separation. These issues can be hard to detect with traditional inspection methods and propagate silently, leading to costly repairs, extended downtime, or even a need for complete blade replacement.
Early detection of structural defects prevents small issues from becoming major failures. (Courtesy: Weidmuller)
From Reactive to Predictive Maintenance
The value of CMS lies in its ability to shift maintenance strategies from time-based to condition-based. Instead of climbing towers for scheduled inspections, operators can prioritize interventions based on actual blade health. This predictive approach reduces unnecessary climbs, minimizes downtime, and optimizes resource allocation so that teams can balance proactive repairs with regular maintenance strategies.
Moreover, early detection of structural defects prevents small issues from becoming major failures. For example, identifying a pitch misalignment early can improve aerodynamic efficiency and reduce loads on the drivetrain, extending the life of the entire turbine.
In the wind industry, where margins are tight and availability is paramount, CMS solutions deliver measurable ROI to the customer. By reducing unplanned outages and extending blade life, operators can maximize energy production and get to what generation is all about:lowering the levelized cost of energy for the customers. As wind farms scale and turbines grow larger, the importance of continuous blade monitoring will only increase. Wind turbine blades are too valuable to leave unchecked.
Whether installed by wind turbine OEMs during manufacturing or retrofitted up-tower on operational turbines, BLADEcontrol integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. (Courtesy: Weidmuller)
CMS investment
Investing in a robust CMS is not just about maintenance; it’s about ensuring reliability, safety, and profitability in the evolving landscape of renewable energy.
Weidmuller’s BLADEcontrol system is a structural health monitoring solution engineered specifically for composite wind-turbine blades. At its core, the system uses a dual-axis accelerometer mounted inside each blade, as well as a drivetrain accelerometer. This configuration enables BLADEcontrol to capture subtle variations in vibration response while filtering out noise from the gearbox and rotor bearings. The result is highly precise measurements that allow operators to pinpoint the root cause of anomalies across their fleet. Additionally, Weidmuller is uniquely positioned in the industry as a manufacturer of power supplies, terminal blocks, and other connectivity hardware leading to an affordable solution built with in-house components. The BLADEcontrol system’s return on investment is less than three years by alerting the operator to structural damage while it is still non-urgent, and avoiding the costs of unnecessary climbs.
Whether installed by wind turbine OEMs during manufacturing or retrofitted up-tower on operational turbines, BLADEcontrol integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. All insights are delivered through the intuitive WebVis (Web-based Visualization) dashboard, giving engineers, site managers, and technicians real-time visibility into their fleet’s blade health and insightful data that can be used for decision-making.
The next generation of wind-turbine blade-based CMS will have an even more advanced repertoire of detectable damages. (Courtesy: Weidmuller)
Next-Generation CMS
The next generation of wind-turbine blade-based CMS will have an even more advanced repertoire of detectable damages because, instead of relying on a single measurement technology, it will employ multi-modal sensors that can detect vibrations in ultra-low- and high-frequency applications. One specific example of this is Weidmuller’s BLADEcontrol NXT, which not only uses tri-axial accelerometers but has an additional acoustic sensor positioned inside the blade. This allows for dual-source vibration analysis as well as specific location triangulation, giving technicians and engineers more actionable insights to their fleet.
How does Synoptic Data bring weather and environmental data into one platform?
This is the core of our company. We’re building the largest real-time weather and environmental data platform in the world. If you’ve heard of the National Mesonet Program, we are providing data from non-federal networks through this program for the National Weather Service. That’s been a central part of our business, and we’ve been expanding our platform to serve other industries with comprehensive real-time data, such as utilities and other weather companies — anywhere forecasters or meteorologists or operations teams need to access real-time data in one place. Many utilities have their own weather networks, and there are state mesonets, and even private networks, and if you have to go and look at all that data in different places, that can be cumbersome.
We’ve brought a variety of networks together into one platform where now you can pull that information either from our weather API or through our visualization tools. It’s time-saving, definitely, without having to search around and have different windows up with different information. While we have a lot of data now, we’re continuing to add networks every month. We’re still building the largest platform because we know there are a lot more networks out there and data that our users are asking us to bring on — whether that’s hydro or wind or other environmental data that they need for operations.
A data viewer wind map of the U.S. (Courtesy: Synoptic Data)
What does wind data consist of, and why is it important?
Our platform provides data from wind sensors used by the network providers. Basic wind data consists of wind direction and wind speed. We also have wind gust data. One of the things Synoptic does is quality-control wind data in real time, so our customers are getting high-quality information and data with any potential anomalies flagged in real-time. Most of our data is from ground-based stations, which is critical for operations and situational awareness. The platform also contains aircraft-based observations as well as upper air data from weather balloons, often used in weather models.
What has made the gathering of wind data more difficult? Where are those complications coming from?
Something that we recently developed is a better quality control method for wind gust data. Using our Statistics and Percentiles service, utilities can compare real-time data to historical percentiles, and we were noticing a greater need for better quality control for wind gusts. Our team developed higher-level algorithms and a better system to remove erroneous outliers. I can’t speak to a Lidar system, but if you are analyzing other ground-based station data, quality control is critically important because erroneous data can adversely affect decisions or statistical analyses.
How can wind-farm operators use this reliable wind data that is already available?
We’ve heard from utilities that real-time information is critical for operations. That might just be watching trends and asking questions such as: Do we need to shut down? Do we need to make decisions for safety reasons in our operations?
Other ways that they’re using it are, instead of having to go out and install additional weather stations, our platform offers a way to view the data that’s already in the field. An example is deciding to install eight stations instead of 12 because there’s already data available in some areas of interest. That’s more on the hardware side of things, but that could be an option where we’ve heard from other utilities who say, for example: “We are looking at what data is already out there so that we can include it without having to expand our network or spend money on hardware.” That can be a significant cost savings.
How does Synoptic Data’s higher-resolution wind observations and advanced analytics help operators move from that reactive to the intelligence-driven decision-making?
It’s the real-time information, the situational awareness, the monitoring. You can watch trends that are upstream where weather is coming from. Many operations teams are already using forecasts, and that’s giving them advanced planning information, but when things are starting to happen in real-time — and it could vary from the various sites that you have, depending on how far apart they are — the real-time data is critical for that situational awareness. Also, if you need to make quick decisions about safety or shutting off turbines, then real-time data would be a critical piece of information for that quick decision-making.
When you talk about quick decision making, does that also factor into the long-term planning?
For long-term planning, our historical data resources are informing assessments or analyses that utilities might be doing. Operations functions in more of a real-time environment where you’re making decisions faster, but data analysts or data scientists are looking at the longer term planning and development, so they might rely more on historical information.
Can that play into planning maintenance schedules and things of that nature?
Absolutely. If the utility has their own weather station network on the Synoptic platform, they always have access to the data from their stations. They can monitor details such as data latency or stations that are not reporting, which can inform the maintenance team that a station(s) needs to be checked. Our data providers are finding ways to utilize our visualization tools to give them details about station health, and they can address any station that warrants sending a tech out to look at it.
How will your platform allow wind-farm operators to basically save money?
If they’re looking at implementing hardware in the field to monitor local weather conditions, they can consider whether there is data already out there that could be utilized. Once they evaluate field hardware, they may still decide to add weather stations, but they could definitely saves costs by installing fewer stations and utilizing data from our platform. Additionally, accessing real-time information in one place saves costs because it reduces the amount of time in-house staff would be required to ingest the data and create ways to view it. It can take a lot of time to develop and maintain an internal platform where data’s being aggregated. We’re already providing that service, and you can pull all of that information from one place instead of hiring internal resources or trying to do that on your own and taking a lot of time.
We work closely with our customers and have developed solutions to solve problems. As an example, we’ve heard: “It’d be really great to have data visualization tools that save us time.” That also saves cost rather than hiring and developing all of those tools in-house.
What is Synoptic’s geographical area? Is it mainly U.S., or is it North America, or is it beyond that?
We’re a global company. We have over 90,000 stations in the U.S. and over 170,000 globally. While many of our utility customers are located in the U.S., we have data globally to meet their needs and are growing in global markets. We are continuing to add new networks, both domestically and internationally, and are receiving interest from utilities both inside and outside of the U.S. as well.
Is there anything that you’d like to mention that we didn’t talk about?
I’ll emphasize the real-time data; it is something we’ve heard from our utility customers that’s important for them. And then there’s the real-time quality control. We don’t remove data from the platform, but we flag data in cases where, “This doesn’t look correct” and we indicate that for our users right away. A utility may want to do their own verification over time, but this provides a quick way for decision-makers to maximize the information they’re getting from the platform. Next, I’ll say that our focus is providing the service of getting weather and environmental information into one place. Our data providers trust us to handle their data with integrity and that’s important. In turn, we are able to provide comprehensive and localized information for users to save costs and time.
Last, we’re also constantly working closely with utility customers to make sure we’re understanding their needs, as well as ways we can provide value with the data.
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) recently named Baker Hughes as the winner of the fourth annual NOIA Environmental, Social, & Governance Excellence Award.
The NOIA ESG Excellence Award highlights and recognizes those who, by their actions, design, influence, or are contributing to the advancement of the ideals embodied by the NOIA ESG Principles.
The National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) has named Baker Hughes as the winner of the fourth annual NOIA Environmental, Social, & Governance Excellence Award. (Courtesy: Baker Hughes)
“Baker Hughes exemplifies the broader commitment of the offshore energy industry, companies dedicated to being good neighbors, responsible stakeholders, and positive contributors to the communities they serve. The data-driven, holistic approach demonstrated by Baker Hughes sets a high standard for the offshore sector, advancing environmental performance, community impact, and governance practices together,” said Erik Milito, NOIA president.
“Baker Hughes is honored to accept this award as a testament to our leadership in taking energy forward, making it safer, cleaner, and more efficient for the people and the planet,” said Chris Johnson, vice president of North America Offshore for Baker Hughes, an independent panel of experts from Pickering Energy Partners, Cornerstone Government Affairs, and FTI Consulting. “Since 2019, we have reduced our scope one and two emissions by almost 30 percent and expanded the ability of our customers to operate remotely. It’s estimated for every service engineer we transition to remote work away from an offshore rig, we reduce that employee’s travel and housing-related carbon emissions by nearly six tons of CO2 annually. With our operations servicing more than 3,000 wells each day, this represents a significant impact.”
NOIA received applications from a diverse cross-section of its membership, reflecting the commitment to ESG performance across the offshore energy industry evaluated the award-winning entry.
For renewable energy company Boralex, the idea of tackling energy projects literally looked good on paper.
Confused? See if this helps: Before launching into the development of renewable energy, the company began life as a paper company in Canada in the early 1990s. As the business grew, this innovative company, originally known as Cascades, started doing its own energy projects such as hydro and biomass to power the paper mills. Before long, the energy business began to take on a life of its own beyond the paper business.
From that, Boralex was born, and through the following years, it continued to add to its renewables portfolio with onshore wind, solar, and, most recently, battery storage.
Boralex does development, construction, operation, and repowering of wind assets. (Courtesy: Boralex)
Move to Europe
With roots in Canada, Boralex eventually moved to Europe. This market growth has pushed the company into a global competition with business being done in Canada, France, the U.S., and the U.K., according to Esbjorn Wilmar, vice president of Boralex UK.
Within the wind market, Wilmar said the company is involved in the full value chain.
“We do development, construction, and operation, and now also repowering,” he said. “Our wind operations span the full value chain, setting us apart from many of our direct competitors.We also aim to insource our site operation and maintenance where possible. If you look, for example, at France, half of our workforce is directly related to that maintenance. We literally have our team members turning up at the turbine, climbing the ladder, and then oiling the wheel, so to speak. We are very hands-on in the way that we operate our fleet of wind turbines.”
For Wilmar and his Boralex team, long-term maintenance is extremely important. “Wind turbines are amazing machines when you think about it, because we expect them to operate almost continuously 24/7 up to a minimum of 25 years,” he said. “Think about this: It’s a bit like sitting on a plane and marveling at how the engine just keeps running. In many ways, the demands on a wind turbine are even greater. That’s why timing maintenance is so critical. Ideally, you carry it out when the wind isn’t blowing, so the turbines are ready to run as soon as conditions improve. This kind of preventive maintenance, aimed at maximizing performance across the fleet and pushing the capacity factor as high as possible, is essential. It allows you to get the most out of the asset and truly maximize the value of each turbine.”
Schedule autonomy
And since Boralex supplies its own turbine maintenance, it can effectively set its own maintenance programs, according to Wilmar.
“When you handle maintenance yourself, you’re not dependent on third parties,” he said. “That gives you freedom to optimize operations as much as possible. Preventive maintenance is especially important, and the goal is to get ahead of the problems before they happen, because turbines have a bad habit of going out of service at the worst possible time. For example, an issue arises on a Saturday morning and then the engineer’s only back on Monday morning. Ideally you want everything in a good state on a Friday, so they are at their best for the whole weekend when the wind is really blowing.”
Another advantage to being responsible for maintenance is being able to make schedules when they are needed, according to Wilmar.
“You are in charge of your own maintenance philosophy,” he said. “You can direct your people where you believe they’ll be most effective. When maintenance is outsourced, it’s governed by contracts, response times, and availability. Ultimately, you’re not in charge. You are relying on a third party to prioritize you and to deliver the level of service you want.”
Boralex is committed to be close to, and work with, the communities that will become home to renewable projects. (Courtesy: Boralex)
Revenue and cost
Being cost effective to its clients is always Boralex’s main concern, and it often comes down to a balance between revenue and cost, according to Wilmar.
“We benchmark our performance very deliberately, and we don’t insource everything,” he said. “A portion of our operations are always outsourced, which introduces competitive market pressure on our internal teams. That helps us understand where we are still delivering value for the money. That’s also the potential downside of this philosophy: If you do everything internally, how do you know that you’re still best in class?”
Focused on renewables
At the heart of Boralex’s mission is to be a pure renewable energy company, according to Wilmar.
“That has a couple of important implications: First, it means that we are entirely focused on renewable energy, so we don’t have the usual trade-offs about where to invest, whether that’s coal, gas, or nuclear — for us, it’s renewable energy,” he said. “That focus has other benefits as well. I see it resonate when attracting new talent and team members. I get feedback that people really like to work for a 100 percent renewable energy player, and our message to the market is clear and undiluted. That is one of the key philosophies that we have: that we want to be a pure renewable energy player.”
Working with communities
Boralex is also committed to be close to, and work with, the communities that will become home to renewable projects, according to Wilmar. “You might think that every corporation would say that, but with our Canadian heritage and our long history of working with First Nations, we know just how important it really is,” he said.
There isn’t similar indigenous involvement in the U.K., but those Canadian relationships fuel how Boralex approaches community engagement in other areas, according to Wilmar.
“If you look at our most recent large wind project in Canada, which has just become operational, that is 50 percent owned by First Nations,” he said. “That’s not a token amount. It’s very material. That means that you really have to work together as partners. That mindset resonates through the whole company, because it shows we are capable of doing 50 percent joint ventures with local people that are not developing wind farms day in, day out. It certainly adds complexity, but if you can get it right — and I think we do get it right — it demonstrates that we can deliver real local benefits.”
This is important as Wilmar points out that wherever wind farms are constructed, there often can be a layer of opposition.
“Turbines are visible; not everyone likes them; that is just a fact of life; we can’t hide away from that,” he said. “For us, it’s crucial to show how our projects benefit local communities and local people. It is not just about generating energy, but it’s also about delivering tangible local value.”
Since Boralex supplies its own turbine maintenance, it can effectively set its own maintenance programs. (Courtesy: Boralex)
Moving into a more renewables world
That community involvement has never been more essential as the world moves into more and more renewable energy options, according to Wilmar.
“We are definitely moving toward a 100 percent low carbon energy system, and that means we have to think much more carefully about how everything fits together,” he said. “One of the challenges is that the wind doesn’t always blow, and the sun doesn’t always shine, so the business model has to evolve.”
In that vein, Wilmar sees battery storage as a necessary player in keeping energy needs constant.
“Battery storage is starting to play a major role,” he said. “Strictly speaking, it is not energy generation, but it allows us to store renewable energy and use it at a later moment. Demand for renewable energy is constant, and in some grids, Scotland is a good example, we’re already seeing systems that operate at 100 percent renewable energy.”
‘Cornerstone of the grid’
But as the global energy grid becomes more complicated, the need for renewables becomes even more evident, and Wilmar sees Boralex continuing to have a hand in that successful transition.
“Renewables will become a cornerstone of the grid,” he said. “In the past, we relied on gas-fired power stations or other sources of energy; now, we have to step up and provide that stability ourselves. At the same time, we have to drive the cost down. That’s true in every country we operate in, but especially in Europe, where the cost of energy is a major political issue. We need to bring that cost of electricity down, while at the same time generating stable revenues for our shareholders. There is definitely pressure there.”
In addition, Wilmar said projects will have to move past being designed as standalone facilities.
“In the past, you might just have a wind farm or just a solar farm,” he said. “Now it is all about combining what I call the holy trinity: solar, wind, and battery storage. Integrating and managing those technologies will be challenging for us, but in a positive way, and it’s something I’m genuinely excited about.”
The U.S. offshore wind pipeline contracted sharply over the past year, falling to 23 projects from 45, as developers face a closing window for tax credits, a freeze on federal leasing, and new trade frictions, according to a new report from the Energy Industries Council (EIC), the energy supply chain trade association and provider of project data, events and market insights.
The EIC US Offshore Wind Insight Report revealed that, over the same period (Q3 2024-Q3 2025), planned capacity fell to 25.4 GW from 55.9 GW.
Policy changes are the main driver behind the drop. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) establishes two deadlines for incentive eligibility: start construction by July 4, 2026, to secure tax-credit eligibility for up to four years, or begin service by December 31, 2027. The EIC report finds roughly 83 percent of projects are not aligned with these dates.
The EIC U.S. Offshore Wind Insight Report said the U.S. offshore wind pipeline fell to 23 projects this year. (Courtesy: EIC )
Manufacturing support under tax codes 45X and 48C also winds down after 2027. Concurrently, domestic content requirements, which rose from 20 percent under the Inflation Reduction Act to 27.5 percent under the OBBBA, are set to increase further to 35 percent for projects starting after January 2026, tightening options for developers who source major components from abroad.
Federal leasing opportunities have diminished. A Day 1 presidential memorandum withdrew offshore areas from new leasing, and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management later pulled back designated wind-energy areas in multiple regions, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic. Several states have followed suit, canceling or delaying offshore wind tenders.
Trade measures have added to cost pressure, with duties of 10 percent to 15 percent on goods from the EU and U.K. and a rise to 50 percent on some steel and aluminum lines hitting blades, towers, nacelles, and cables. The Department of Transportation rescinded $679 million in port grants, slowing critical quayside upgrades.
The report cites stop-work costs of up to $50 million a week on the Empire Wind project and more than $15 million a week on Revolution Wind.
While a few projects such as Empire and Revolution are resuming construction, others remain stalled as developers reassess portfolios or redirect investment to markets outside the U.S.
California is an exception, albeit a limited one. The state has incorporated offshore wind ports into a five-year infrastructure plan and secured bond funding, including $475 million for ports and a $20 million award for the Port of Long Beach.
The CADEMO floating project, a 60-MW venture in state waters targeting a 2028 operational date, remains unaffected by federal outer shelf reversals.
The offshore wind industry’s supply chain is hedging its bets. About 81 percent of firms active in U.S. offshore wind also work in upstream oil and gas, with broad overlap in other energy sectors.
This diversification underpins supply-chain resilience and enables companies to extend their activity into other markets such as Canada, but it also risks eroding momentum in the U.S. as capacity and focus move elsewhere.
“This reinforces the uncertainty of the (U.S. offshore wind) industry, as opposed to its wholesale cancellation,” write the report’s authors, Beatriz Corcino, EIC Energy Analyst, and Kevin Pedrosa, EIC Senior Supply Chain Analyst. They add that the contraction reflects delays and re-evaluations rather than a collapse of long-term potential.
Clearer policy signals, the report notes, will be crucial for restoring investor confidence and restarting growth.
“Policy clarity will be decisive in determining whether these projects move forward or stay in limbo,” said Rebecca Groundwater, EIC Global Head of External Affairs. “Stable, predictable frameworks are what investors need to turn uncertainty into action and position the U.S. to reclaim momentum in offshore wind development.”
DN Media Group AS (Recharge), Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH, Enterprise Singapore, and the Singapore Tourism Board, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on a series of wind-energy conferences and exhibitions in Singapore from 2026 to 2029. Under the MOU, EnterpriseSG and STB will support Recharge and HMC to organize the two-day Recharge Wind Power Summit Asia-Pacific powered by WindEnergy Hamburg in Singapore in 2026, and the flagship three-day WindEnergy Asia-Pacific powered by Recharge in Singapore in 2027 and 2029.
Wind energy groups are working with Singapore to bring conferences and exhibitions to the country. (Courtesy: WindEnergy Hamburg)
The groups signed the MOU during the Recharge Wind Power Summit 2025, marking WindEnergy Hamburg`s first expansion outside Europe. The partnership will leverage the success and reach of WindEnergy Hamburg, a leading wind industry event organizer with 1,600 exhibitors and 43,000 participants from 100 countries, and Recharge – the top global source for renewable energy news and business intelligence.
The events will drive APAC’s wind industry growth and bring together global and regional companies in the global offshore-wind supply chains. Attendees can expect to participate in conferences and trade fairs, plenaries, roundtables, networking sessions as well as site visits to Singapore’s offshore wind supply-chain companies. These activities aim to facilitate business development, policy dialogue, and knowledge exchange among industry leaders, policymakers, financiers, innovators, and regional supply chain players.
Wind energy stands at an inflection point in Asia-Pacific (APAC) where countries with abundant wind resources such as Australia, India, Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Vietnam have unveiled wind-energy targets and rolled out feasibility studies and auctions. The region is the largest wind market with 607.5 GW of wind power installed in 2024.
To unlock the potential of wind power in APAC, coordinated efforts between governments, industry, and academia are required to encourage greater dialogue, best practice exchange, and collaboration. The WindEnergy Asia-Pacific and Recharge Wind Power Summit Asia-Pacific events will establish platforms for stakeholders to convene and create opportunities to accelerate the rollout of offshore and onshore wind in APAC and beyond.
This article conducts an in-depth failure analysis on the phenomenon of bolt fracture of wind-turbine blades in a certain wind farm. By means of macroscopic inspection, composition analysis, microstructure examination, and mechanical property tests of bolts, the key factors leading to bolt fracture were deeply explored, and corresponding improvement suggestions were put forward. The research results show bolt fracture is mainly closely related to excessive preload and material defects. This article aims to provide useful references for enhancing the safety of wind power equipment.
1Introduction
Against the backdrop of the increasing global emphasis on renewable energy, especially wind energy, the wind power industry has shown a rapid development trend. However, the reliability of wind-power generation equipment is of vital significance for ensuring the stability of the power supply. In recent years, with the continuous increase in the service life of fans, failure problems of various components of fans have occurred frequently, bringing many challenges to subsequent maintenance work. Especially as the key fasteners of fans, the bolts’ breakage will directly endanger the operational safety of the fans [1-2]. This article conducts an in-depth analysis of the bolt fracture event of a wind-turbine blade in a certain wind farm [3-4], revealing its failure mechanism, with the aim of providing practical and effective suggestions for the maintenance and improvement of similar equipment [5-6].
2 Research Content
The H17 fan is an EN-115/2.2 type fan produced by Envision Energy Co., LTD. Its blade model is TMT-56.5-G170107F, the bolt specification is M36↔518 mm, the performance grade reaches 10.9, and the material selected is 42CrMoA. The nut specification is M36, with a performance grade of 10 and made of No. 45 steel [7-8]. In this incide turbine blades and the pitch bearing, five bolts of Blade B broke, and four were submitted for inspection, including those shown in Figure 1 [9-10].
Figure 1: Photos of the bolts submitted for inspection.
Macroscopic inspection, elemental composition analysis [11], microstructure analysis, and mechanical property tests were conducted on the broken bolts (eight pieces) and intact bolts (two pieces were randomly inspected) submitted for inspection [12].
2.1 Macroscopic examination
The macroscopic morphology of the fracture surface of the submitted bolts is shown in Figure 2. The opening positions of all the bolts are at the lower part of the picture, and the fracture positions of the bolts on both sides are at the first thread of the nut and the screw at the engagement position.
Figure 2: Macroscopic inspection photos of bolts (fracture surface and thread).
Typical fatigue fracture characteristics of bolt 2025-JS-007 are visible: fatigue source zone (Zone I), spread zone (visible fatigue arc, Zone II), and instantaneous fracture zone (Zone III). Several stripes (yellow arrows) were observed in the middle of the fracture expansion zone of bolts 2025-JS-006, 2025-JS-010, and 2025-JS-012, indicating, that during the fracture process, the crack underwent multiple expansions and then stopped expanding again. Step morphology appears at the crack source of bolts 2025-JS-006, 2025-JS-008, 2025-JS-010, and 2025-JS-012. Each fracture surface cracks from the lower part of the photo, and the expansion area shows a radial pattern. Moreover, the radial pattern occupies the majority of the overall area of the fracture surface, which conforms to the macroscopic morphological characteristics of rapid fracture.
There was no obvious macroscopic plastic deformation at each fracture. Most of the bolts have rust on the thread between the nut position and the smooth rod, and there are also mechanical scratches at the tip of the thread, as indicated by the white arrow in Figure 2i.
Typical fatigue fracture characteristics of bolt 2025-JS-007 are visible: fatigue source zone (Zone I), spread zone (visible fatigue arc, Zone II), and instantaneous fracture zone (Zone III). Several stripes (yellow arrows) were observed in the middle of the fracture expansion zone of bolts 2025-JS-006, 2025-JS-010, and 2025-JS-012, indicating that, during the fracture process, the crack underwent multiple expansions and then stopped expanding again. Step morphology appears at the crack source of bolts 2025-JS-006, 2025-JS-008, 2025-JS-010, and 2025-JS-012. Each fracture surface cracks from the lower part of the photo, and the expansion area shows a radial pattern. Moreover, the radial pattern occupies the majority of the overall area of the fracture surface, which conforms to the macroscopic morphological characteristics of rapid fracture.
There was no obvious macroscopic plastic deformation at each fracture. Most of the bolts have rust on the thread between the nut position and the smooth rod, and there are also mechanical scratches at the tip of the thread, as indicated by the white arrow in Figure 2i.
2.2 Composition analysis
The composition analysis of the base material of the submitted bolts was conducted, and the results showed the chemical composition of the base material of the submitted bolts all met the standard requirements.
2.3 Microstructure analysis
The typical microstructure of the fracture surface of a bolt is shown in Figure 3. Step morphology can be seen in the crack source areas of multiple bolts, such as bolt 2025-JS-006 (arrow in Figure 3a), and mechanical damage traces can be seen in the fatigue source area of bolt 2025-JS-007 (arrow in Figure 3b).
Figure 3: Microstructure Morphology of the fracture surface.
Combined with the macroscopic observation results, the bolt cracks originate from the defects at the bottom of the thread (such as damage notches, etc.). In the radial area of the fracture surface, secondary cracks can be observed (arrows in Figures 3c, 3d, and 3f), as well as the morphology of nucleation at inclusions (Figure 3g). At the same time, there are a large number of tear ridges, a small number of dimms (bands), and small facets. These features conform to the typical morphology of quasi-cleavage fracture surfaces. The typical microstructure of the fracture section of a bolt is shown in Figure 4. The microstructure near the bottom of the thread near the bolt fracture surface is refined, and the grain deformation streamline is consistent with the thread shape, and no obvious decarburization or carburization layer is observed (Figure 4b). The bottom of the thread near the bolt fracture surface is uneven at several places, with defects such as protrusion, missing blocks, and folding (Figure 4c, Figures 4e-4h). These defects are prone to becoming the source of crack initiation. There are a few inclusions in the core of the bolt, and the core structure is tempered sorbite. No obvious abnormalities are found in the metallographic structure (Figures 4i and 4j).
Figure 4: Microstructure Morphology of the fracture surface (longitudinal section).
2.4. Mechanical property test
2.4.1 Brinell hardness test
The Brinell hardness test was conducted on the cross-section of the threaded area of the broken bolt, and the measurement results are shown in Table 1. The test results show the hardness of the inspected bolts all meets the hardness requirements (316-375HBW) for bolts with performance grade 10.9 as stipulated in GB/T 3098.1-2010.
Table 1: The Brinell hardness measurement results of each submitted bolt.
2.4.2 Tension test at room temperature
Room temperature tensile tests were conducted on the randomly inspected bolts, and the test results are shown in Table 2, except that the tensile strength of two tensile specimens of bolt 2025-JS-003 (with intact shape) and one tensile specimen of bolt 2025-JS-009 (broken) does not conform to the provisions of GB/T 3098.1-2010 for performance bolts of grade 10.9, the tensile strength, specified plastic elongation strength, and elongation after fracture of other specimens all meet the requirements of relevant standards.
Table 2: Results of Tensile Properties at Room Temperature.
2.4.3 Low temperature impact test
The low-temperature (minus-20°C) Charpy pendulum impact test was conducted on a random inspection of the submitted bolts. The test results are shown in Table 3. The test results show the randomly inspected bolts all meet the low-temperature impact performance requirements (KV2³27 J) for bolts with performance grade 10.9 as stipulated in GB/T 3098.1-2010.
Table 3: Results of Low-temperature impact Performance of the submitted bolts.
3 Conclusions
1: The results of the component analysis show the base material composition of the submitted bolts all comply with the standard requirements.
2: The results of mechanical property tests show: 1) The hardness, impact toughness, specified plastic extension strength, elongation after fracture, and low-temperature impact performance of the inspected bolts all meet the relevant standard requirements. 2) For one broken bolt (2025-JS-009, tensile strength 1030 MPa) and one unbroken bolt (2025-JS-003), the tensile strengths of the two tensile specimens (with tensile strengths of 1,038 MPa and 1,039 MPa) were slightly lower than the provisions of GB/T 3098.1-2010 for grade 10.9 performance bolts (Rm³1040 MPa), while the tensile strengths of the other specimens all met the requirements of relevant standards. Considering the design safety factor, the tensile strength of the three samples not meeting the standard is basically unrelated to the bolt fracture this time.
3: The metallographic examination results show the microstructure near the bottom of the adjacent thread on the longitudinal section of the bolt is refined, the grain deformation streamline is consistent with the thread shape, and no obvious decarburization or carburization layer is observed. The bottom of several parts of the bolt near the thread is uneven, with multiple defects such as protrusion, missing blocks, and folding, which can easily become the crack source for crack initiation. There are a few inclusions in the core of the bolt. The core structure is tempered sorbite, and no abnormalities are found in the metallographic structure.
4: Macroscopic inspection revealed the eight bolts submitted for inspection were distributed on the side of the pitch bearing and the blade side. The fracture occurred at the first thread of the engagement position between the nut and the screw, which was the location with the greatest stress on the bolts. No obvious macroscopic plastic deformation, such as necking, was observed at each fracture surface. Most of the bolts have rust on the thread between the nut position and the smooth rod, and there are mechanical scratches at the tip of the thread.
5: The fracture analysis results show: 1) Macroscopically, the bolt 2025-JS-007 exhibits typical macroscopic fatigue fracture characteristics. Several stripes were observed in the middle of the fracture expansion zone of bolts 2025-JS-006, 2025-JS-010, and 2025-JS-012, indicating the crack expanded several times and then stopped expanding again during the fracture process. The step morphology at the crack source of bolts 2025-JS-006, 2025-JS-008, 2025-JS-010, and 2025-JS-012 can be seen. The expansion zones of each fracture surface present radial patterns, which conform to the macroscopic morphological characteristics of rapid fracture. The rapidly expanding area of the radial pattern occupies the main part of the overall area of the fracture surface, indicating the bolt is subjected to a relatively large stress, that is, the preload force on the bolt is too large. 2) Microscopically, mechanical damage traces can be seen in the crack source area of bolt 2025-JS-007. Combined with macroscopic observation results, the bolt cracks initiate from the defects at the bottom of the thread (such as wear notches, etc.), the morphology of secondary cracks and nucleation at inclusions can be observed in the radial area of the fracture surface. A large number of tear ridges, a small number of dimples (bands), and small facets coexist simultaneously, which conforms to the typical quasi-cleavage fracture surface characteristic morphology.
According to the tensile test results, it can be known the plasticity of the bolts is good, but there is no obvious plastic deformation at the fracture surface macroscopically, and the radial area of most bolts occupies most of the fracture surface area. Microscopically, it shows a quasi-cleavage fracture morphology, indicating the fracture force of most bolts is relatively large.
Based on the above analysis, the main reasons for the bolt fracture are excessive preload on the bolt and the existence of original defects such as protrusion, missing pieces, and folding at the bottom of the thread. At the position of the first thread where the bolt and nut are engaged, the bolt bears the maximum tensile stress. Under the action of preload and operational fatigue load, cracks initiate at the defects caused by thread processing at the bottom of the teeth, etc. Some bolts experience fatigue under the alternating stress caused by the rotation of the blades, leading to crack propagation. Some bolts, due to the changes in force caused by blade movement (such as retracting the blade, etc.), sometimes pause or resume crack propagation. When the effective cross-sectional area of a fatigued bolt is insufficient as the fatigue crack expands, it will break. When the force on other bolts undergoes sudden changes (for example, another bolt loosens or breaks), it will break rapidly when the force exceeds the material strength.
4 Suggestions
1. Strictly control the preload of the bolts: During the installation process, it is essential to use torque tools that meet the standards to ensure the applied preload is strictly controlled within the design range, so as to avoid the bolts being subjected to excessive stress due to excessive preload.
2. Material procurement and inspection: During the acceptance process of new materials upon their entry into the warehouse, the comprehensive performance of tensile strength and toughness should be strictly controlled. Especially for the bolt materials used in the working environment where fans are prone to fatigue, it is necessary to ensure they have sufficient strength and toughness to resist the influence of fatigue loads.
3. Conduct two inspections of the torque and appearance of the pitch bolts of the wind turbine each year: For wind turbines with broken blade bolts, the frequency of torque inspection is increased to check whether the bolts are loose or damaged. We regularly carry out ultrasonic testing of bolts in accordance with the requirements of the regulations to detect bolts that have developed cracks but have not yet broken. Especially when there are significant changes in working conditions, the wind force is about to reach the design value, or the vibration signal is abnormal, bolt inspection should be carried out. If the bolts of the fan crack frequently, it is recommended to install a real-time monitoring device for bolt load to diagnose the working conditions that cause sudden changes in bolt load.
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FairWind recently signed a strategic partnership agreement with Japanese turbine operations and maintenance specialist Wind Energy Partners (WEP).
The partnership will bring together the company’s onshore and offshore installation, pre-assembly and service expertise with WEP’s preventative maintenance, blade maintenance, and repair experience.
The partnership marks the latest phase in FairWind’s Asia Pacific growth strategy following the announcement in December that FairWind acquired Cosmic Group, an Australian wind installation and maintenance provider.
Jack-up vessel undertaking offshore installation off the coast of Kitakyushu, Japan. (Courtesy: FairWind)
Founded in 2020, WEP is headquartered in Yokohama with seven additional strategic bases across the country. Through the collaboration, FairWind will gain access to WEP’s established local network, infrastructure, and regulatory expertise in Japan, while WEP will benefit from FairWind’s global experience in onshore and offshore wind installation and maintenance.
The partnership will enable the two companies to provide enhanced service reliability, faster response times, and innovative solutions to the Japanese wind market.
“This partnership is a significant milestone for FairWind as we expand our footprint in Asia Pacific,” said Matt Crossan, APAC regional director at FairWind. “Japan’s wind sector is still in its relative infancy when compared to Europe, but with strong government support and increasing investment driving expansion, there is considerable opportunity for FairWind and WEP to support the growing number of onshore and offshore turbines.”
“FairWind’s proven track record and commitment to quality align perfectly with WEP’s mission,” said Kaoru Saito, president of WEP. “The alliance reflects the growing demand for specialized wind-turbine maintenance services in Japan, and we are excited to build on our current relationship to drive greater safety and reliability across our customers assets.”
Founded in 2008, FairWind is headquartered in Vejle, Denmark, and offers full-scope wind turbine services across the lifecycle of renewable energy assets.
Exel Composites’s joint venture Kineco Exel Composites India, has reached volume production capacity at its new Banda facility. Excel is a manufacturer of pultruded composites.
The factory is purpose-built to serve the wind-energy sector, expanding Exel’s existing delivery capability in other regions. The site is now fully operational with dedicated lines for carbon fiber products used in turbine blades.
Exel Composites’ new India plant celebrated the start of volume shipments of wind-energy components. (Courtesy: Exel Composites)
“Reaching volume production capacity in India marks a leap in our long-term plans to support the wind industry,” said Kari Loukola, executive vice president of industrial solutions at Exel Composites. “By localizing our pultrusion capabilities in India, we can supply high-performance components close to the point of use, helping our customers meet their business goals.”
Completed in 2024, the plant was developed by Exel Composites and long-standing partner Kineco Group, with its machinery and layout tailored for high-volume production of carbon fiber components. The first full customer approvals have been achieved, and the volume shipments of carbon fiber flats have started, marking the start of sustained deliveries to major wind energy manufacturers in the region.
These flats, used in turbine blades as structural reinforcements such as in spar caps, are designed to handle the rising mechanical loads as blade lengths increase. The demand for components like those has grown rapidly as India added a further 4.15 GW to its wind capacity in 2024, bringing the total to 50 GW.
“This is what our customers have been waiting for — locally made, IEC 61400-5 certified products delivered at volume,” said Rohit Verlekar, chief operating officer at KECI. “Our team has worked hard to get to this point, and we’re ready to meet both the technical and logistical expectations of our customers.”
The facility dedicates most of its capacity to wind components, including flats, joiners, and bolt fixtures.
