Wind turbines last longer than ever thanks to continuous engineering improvements. Gearboxes in wind turbines, more than those in any other application, tend to fail prematurely. In fact, at some wind ...

Six Northern Power 100 kW direct drive wind turbines produce power for Unalakleet, Alaska. The turbines are owned by Unalakleet Valley Electric Cooperative. Photo courtesy STG Inc. For years, wind ...

• Gearboxes with high step-up ratios tend to give horizontal wind turbines poor efficiency when wind speeds are low. • One way to eliminate wind-turbine bird kills: Locate turbines far out at sea.

Gearboxes in general are a result of over 80 years of accumulated engineering knowledge. So why do gearboxes for wind turbines sometimes fail after seven to 11 years — way less than the anticipated 20 ...