It was a bizarre picture: on Wednesday, part of a wind turbine near Zeewolde in Flevoland broke off due to the strong wind. This caused enormous havoc and miraculously there were no casualties. Is something like this possible in North Holland, where there are also a large number of windmills?
‘No’, is the short answer from Chris Westra, an expert in the field of wind turbines and wind energy. He wrote the book ‘Zet ze op zee’ about this. He explains how the accident in Flevoland could have happened. “In Zeewolde there were still very old two-blade turbines. The maximum period that such a turbine lasts is about twenty years. These have been there for almost 24 years.”
“Just like in traffic, accidents sometimes happen,” he explains. “These turbines were too old. Then something like this can happen. The turbines have been there too long. I’m surprised they haven’t been replaced sooner.”
No worries
According to Westra, the inhabitants of North Holland do not have to worry about collapsing windmills. “You don’t come across this type anymore. They have been everywhere, including in North Holland, but not anymore.”
Robert Portier, spokesman for Vattenfall, confirms that the outdated type of windmill in Zeewolde is no longer in North Holland. The energy provider manages the Princess Ariane Wind Park in Wieringermeer. “Only there, in Zeewolde, did we still have that type of windmills. You can still encounter them, for example on the land of farmers. But we no longer have them in North Holland anyway.” Westra: “The modern windmills, which are now everywhere in the Netherlands and are still being installed, last much longer.”
See the images of the demolished windmill below. Image: Broadcasting Flevoland
To ensure safety, a commercial company inspects the turbines twice a year. In addition, all turbines are examined several times a year. “You can compare that to the inspection of a car,” says Portier. “Things such as filters always have to be replaced there.”
According to the spokesperson, it is not surprising that the inspection is done by commercial companies. “That also happens with a lot of other things, such as vacuum cleaners or cars. That does not alter the fact that there are certain guidelines. We assume that the inspection in Zeewolde went well, but we did not see this coming either.”
In any case, Vattenfall’s turbines in North Holland are safe, Portier assures. “We only have turbines with three blades and they are a lot more stable.” Westra also has a reassuring thought for everyone who lives or drives near a windmill. “I once did a study into the chance of a fatal accident with a wind turbine. It is nil. It is no problem at all that they are built near highways and residential areas.”