Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Operating at extremes: tech note on turbine operation in cold climates

By Paul Dvorak | November 1, 2011

It’s no surprise that wind turbines are operating in areas where temperatures tests the machinery to its limits. Turbines are usually designed to operate in a temperature range from –10 to +40°C, but at some installations temperatures can drop to -40°C. To ensure that turbines work well in cold climates, GL Renewables Certification has issued an update to its technical note “Certification of Wind Turbines for Extreme Temperatures.”

Building on previous revisions, project experience, and cold-chamber testing, this is the fourth revision of the note since its introduction. GL first issued the note in 2005 and has been revising and updating it ever since, to reflect advances in technology and growing expertise gained through the continued turbine testing at extreme temperatures, in the field and lab.

The latest technical note provides information on load assumptions, safety and control systems, manuals, rotor blades, nacelle covers and spinners, machinery components, strength verification, building structures, and electrical installations.

A site is considered a cold climate if minimum temperatures below -20°C have been observed during long-term measurements on an average of more than nine days a year, for a minimum of one hour. If a site fulfils these conditions then cold climate requirements should be considered in the design of the turbine.

GL Renewables Certification has a long history of working with turbines under such extremes of temperature, having certified several projects in sub-artic areas, including Rushlake Creek in Saskatchewan, Canada as well as the Chanarambie, Viking and Stoneray projects in Minnesota. In addition, many components and wind turbines have been successfully assessed on former editions of this Technical Note.

GL Renewables Certification
www.gl-group.com/glrenewables


Filed Under: News, Projects
Tagged With: Cold, extreme temperatures, gl
 

About The Author

Paul Dvorak

Related Articles Read More >

Richardson Electronics to deliver pitch energy modules to TransAlta wind fleets
Equinor halts work on Empire Wind offshore project after federal government order
ARESCA wants input on offshore wind standards
US wind market has worst install year since 2013

Podcasts

Wind Spotlight: Looking back at a year of Thrive with ZF Wind Power
See More >

Windpower Engineering & Development Digital Edition

Digital Edition

Browse the most current issue of Windpower Engineering & Development and back issues in an easy to use high quality format. Clip, share and download with the leading wind power engineering magazine today.

Windpower Engineering & Development
  • Wind Articles
  • Solar Power World
  • Subscribe to Windpower Engineering
  • About Us/Contact Us

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy | Advertising

Search Windpower Engineering & Development

  • Home
  • Articles
    • Most recent posts
    • News
    • Featured
  • Resources
    • Digital issues
    • Podcasts
    • Suppliers
    • Webinars
    • Events
  • Videos
  • 2025 Leadership
    • 2024 Winners
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
  • Magazine
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe