Repair of wind turbine blades: Experience and observations from India – A Review

Abstract. A large expansion of wind energy is planned in India. On the other side, older wind turbines are approaching the end of their lifetime in some cases. Improvement and quality of maintenance technologies of wind turbines are therefore very important for the successful expansion and support of wind energy generation in India. In this paper, the strategies, main challenges and procedures of wind turbine blade repair in India are summarized. The influence of location and climate, methods of damage identification and evaluation of the severity of blade damage, as well as steps involved in leading-edge erosion, laminate, foam, web, and serration damage repair are presented. This overview of the current situation, methods, and technologies should provide the basis for the optimization of repair technologies, development of new techniques and thus to the improvement of the reliability of wind energy generation in India.