Key standards to know
- IEC 61400‑24:2019 + Amd.1:2024 — Lightning protection for wind turbines; 2024 amendment adds guidance on lightning monitoring systems (Annex L) and references IECRE certification docs. IEC WebstoreIteh Standards
Documented issues (with direct evidence)
- Lightning is a leading cause of blade/turbine damage and downtime. DNV states lightning damage is the single largest cause of unplanned downtime and the most common insurance claim for wind owners. An ORE Catapult case study documents repair of offshore blade lightning strike damage discovered at End‑of‑Warranty. DNV ore.catapult.org.uk
- Blade damage mechanisms are well‑documented. Lab/field studies show arc attachment can cause cracks, carbonization, and internal damage paths in composite blades. University of Strathclyde ipstconf.org
Typical challenges
- Edition drift & incomplete flow‑down of IEC 61400‑24 updates (e.g., monitoring requirements from Amd.1:2024) into owner specs and maintenance plans. Iteh Standards
- Inadequate strike detection & post‑event inspection, letting latent damage progress to costly failures. ore.catapult.org.uk
Best Practice playbook
- Adopt the current edition set — Update owner’s technical requirements to IEC 61400‑24:2019 + Amd.1:2024 and align certification artifacts (IECRE OD‑501). Iteh Standards
- Instrument for lightning detection — Specify blade/tower strike counters/monitoring and wire into CMMS; trigger NDT (UT, thermography) after any detected high‑energy event. Iteh Standards
- Codify post‑strike inspections — Use a standardized repair decision tree (tip cap to root), as illustrated by ORE Catapult’s documented lightning repair case. ore.catapult.org.uk
- Design for environment — Confirm receptors, down‑conductors, bonding, and grounding are engineered for local isokeraunic levels per IEC 61400‑24. IEC Webstore
