Falmouth Notus Clean Energy Wind Turbine Mystery

The Notus Clean Energy wind turbine was installed in 2010 in the Falmouth Technology Park. It is a Vestas model V-82, rated 1.65 megawatt , 400 feet tall.

Saturday, February 24, 2018 neighbors of the privately owned wind turbine noticed a massive crane taking the blades off the wind turbine.

The turbine is the same type Vestas wind turbine as those owned by the Town of Falmouth wind turbines that have been shut down by the Massachusetts Superior Court.

When asked how their news media are doing on reporting different political issues fairly, especially negative news about commercial wind turbines people are far more mixed in their sentiments, with many saying their media do not deliver.

The project of taking down the blades has gone on well over three days in which case you would think the massive crane and blade removal would be a newsworthy story.

Replacing blades on a wind turbine is not an easy task. Blades range up to 180 feet in length and weigh 7 to 10 tons or more. Combined with hub heights that can exceed 400 feet and locations that are, by definition, subject to prevailing winds, replacing blades becomes challenging. Now add in the cost of a special mobile crane capable of hoisting the weight to the required heights as much as $150,000.00 for the first three days and $50,000.00 each additional day plus the scheduling challenges of getting equipment onsite, blade replacement can become a major expense in both time and capital.

If repairs can not be made to blades all three blades need to be replaced at a cost of around one million dollars per blade.

The Notus Clean Energy wind turbine was installed with a special permit in which case the specifications of the turbines are noted in the special permit.

Wind Turbine gearbox exchange