Draft IEC 61400-24 wind turbines: lightning protection blades

Abstract

Wind turbine blades are the most exposed parts of the turbine, and would experience the full impact from the electric fields as associated with the lightning attachment process, the lightning currents, and the magnetic field associated with lightning currents.At some point in time hopes were high that lightning would not strike blades made of non-conducting material only, but practical experiences have clearly demonstrated that this is not the case. Lightning does in fact strike blades without any metallic components, and whenever a lightning arc is formed inside the blade damage is severe.