The question is not whether your wind turbines will be struck by lightning. Rather, what the consequences will be.

Can you afford to let lightning strikes shut down your wind turbines?
As wind turbines are becoming taller and taller, and the blades correspondingly longer, it is increasingly likely that lightning will strike the tips of the blades. Depending on the location, topography, weather conditions and tower height, the same wind turbine may actually be struck by lightning more than 25 times a year.

At the same time, innovation in the wind turbine industry in recent years has led to an appreciable rise in the risk of shutdown and costly damage as a result of a lightning strike. Among the reasons for this are the increasing use of carbon fibre in the blades, combined with the fact that it is becoming more and more common to fit blades with electrical installations such as de-icing systems, lights, sensors and communication systems. Components of this kind increase the risk of lightning strikes – and can themselves suffer damage from the exceedingly strong electromagnetic fields generated when lightning strikes.

Complex challenges
The challenge of dealing with a lightning strike is incredibly complex and demands close interaction between a host of different disciplines. Lightning as a physical phenomenon is primarily electrical, whereas the mechanical solution comprises both components that conduct electricity and insulation materials.

The essence of the issue is that electrical engineers are required to map and explain the problem, while robust expertise in materials and production are needed to develop and produce the best possible solutions.

The best of two worlds
PolyTech is home to some of the world’s leading experts in all the requisite disciplines. As such, we cover the full range of skills from high voltage and electromagnetism to risk analyses, engineering design, simulation, lightning tests, high voltage tests, materials, tool manufacture, production, implementation and inspection.

Combined with our insight into modern wind turbine design, these numerous areas of expertise put us in a position to develop and produce customised solutions in the form of complex Lightning Protection Systems (LPS) for blades and nacelles, as well as overvoltage protection and shielding for the electrical systems and principal components in the wind turbine. Often in a close, confidential working relationship with our customer’s own development engineers.

Services that generate value
The broad and deep lightning skills at PolyTech also find expression in the numerous different services we supply. In this area, we provide assistance in the form of engineering design and sparring on a project basis, for example, and our range of services also includes the biggest and most advanced test laboratory in the world for full-scale lightning tests, modelling and simulation, risk analyses, on-site inspections and more.

Accredited peace of mind
The position of market leader in such a complex and critical field as lightning protection comes with a great deal of responsibility. Both in relation to the individual solution and, in particular, with regard to ensuring maximum peace of mind among producers, operators, financial players, insurers and other stakeholders.

This responsibility plays a crucial role at PolyTech and finds expression in several ways, including:

• DANAK-accreditation of our test laboratories
• A high level of security with stringent access procedures at our test facilities
• Physical and organisational shielding between customer-specific development projects and tests
• Physical shielding of blades and other components for testing
• High-level data security regarding the storage and exchange of confidential customer data

Why work with PolyTech on lightning protection for your turbines?

• The world’s leading experts
• Complete range of skills
• Customised solutions
• High-volume production in the United States, China and Denmark
• Engineering design
• Numerical modelling and simulation
• Accredited test facilities for testing materials, mechanical and electrical components, and systems
• In-house full-scale lightning test laboratory with international standard test capacity
• Risk analysis
• Inspection and maintenance
• Courses in lightning protection