Lightning occurrence on wind turbines

Abstract:
The increased demand for renewable energy has led to an increase of wind turbine farm installations around the world. Wind turbines are tall structures that can exceed 150 m in height thanks to the development of the technology applied in their construction. However, the higher the wind turbine, the greater the chances that lightning strikes will occur to or will be initiated from them, consequently, there is a greater need to make lightning protection systems more effective. The questions involving the efficiency of the lightning protection systems used in wind turbines are strongly related to the knowledge of the physical parameters of lightning currents. The present work aims to describe the physical processes involved in both the connection of downward lightning and the development of upward lightning on wind turbines. The main objective of the study will be to understand the characteristics of these lightning on wind turbines and compare them with lightning on static structures. Based on them, parameters can be defined to improve lightning protection systems, and an evaluation of the impact of wind farms on the lightning density in the region where they are installed could be studied.