hidden costs of going green.

[balljoint_]

awhile ago there were some posts on inefficiencies of going green.

One that is rarely mentioned is the continual rebuilding of wind turbine gear boxes. Its been a problem since inception:

"The wind energy industry has experienced high gearbox failure rates from its inception [1]. Early wind turbine
designs were fraught with fundamental gearbox design errors compounded by consistent under-estimation of
the operating loads. The industry has learned from these problems over the past two decades with wind
turbine manufacturers, gear designers, bearing manufacturers, consultants, and lubrication engineers all
working together to improve load prediction, design, fabrication, and operation."

taken from http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy07osti/41548.pdf

that was in '07. This is 2013s version.

"Gearboxes in wind turbines have not been achieving their expected design life; however, they commonly meet and exceed the design criteria specified in current standards in the gear, bearing, and wind turbine industry as well as third-party certification criteria."

taken from http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy13osti/58190.pdf

annual budget:

http://www.nrel.gov/about/funding_history.html

[Barbecueboy]

Interesting post........wonder if any of the auto/ racing industy gearbox folks have been sought out for any opinions on correcting the chronic problem of gearbox failure in the turbines.

[Clayton_Wetter]

I'm sure they we are talking about green flags and green gas fumes. For heavens sakes there seems to be nothing to talk about now here on the Tailgate section.