Wind Energy

RenewableUK statement on the fire at Ardrossan wind farm, North Ayrshire

The 328ft (100m) tall wind turbine, at Ardrossan Wind Farm, near the A78 in North Ayrshire, was destroyed after it exploded into flames which could be seen "far and wide". Wind speeds of 165 miles per hour caused many wind turbines in the UK to automatically stop running.

Robert Norris, Head of Communications at RenewableUK, the trade association representing the wind energy industry, said:

“This was a small fire which lasted a short time. It was extinguished before the fire brigade arrived. No one was hurt in the incident. The incident is being thoroughly investigated and until we have more inform0ation it is unhelpful to speculate on the cause.

The wind power industry always maintains the highest standards of health and safety, which is why incidents like this are extremely rare. To put this into context, there are just under 3,000 onshore wind turbines in 298 wind farms across the UK operating on average for over 22 million hours a year, generating clean electricity. As the trade body representing the industry, RenewableUK is constantly striving to encourage best practice, always erring on the side of caution in issues concerning health and safety. We are proud of the industry’s excellent health and safety record.”

www.renewableuk.com