Lubricants for wind power plants

We often hear about ‘eco-friendly wind power’, since wind energy does not pollute our environment with hazardous emissions. What we don’t hear about quite as often is the kind of products required to keep wind turbines up and running. And that’s a shame, because it may turn out that power generated by wind farms is not as environmentally friendly as we’d all like to think.

A leak in the hydraulic system, for example, will contaminate the ground unless the oil in the system is biodegradable. Hydraulic oils based on mineral oils are not broken down in nature, and can therefore cause harm to land and watercourses.

The benefits of environmentally adapted lubricants for wind turbines

• Synthetic lubricants reduce friction and allow for easier start-up in low temperatures. They also increase the oil’s life span at high temperatures. All in all, they entail less wear on components and lower maintenance costs.
• Tried and tested, long-lasting gear oils mean a longer drain interval and lower environmental impact.
• Biodegradable hydraulic oils with a wide temperature range mean reliable operation. If the oil should leak into the surroundings, it is broken down and will not contaminate land or water sources. This type of oil has long been used in the forest industry.
• Bolts in the foundation can be protected using lubricants based on renewable raw materials.

Moreover, choosing environmentally adapted lubrication products when building new wind turbines brings benefits in the environmental consequence analysis. These positive aspects can then be built on, by choosing primarily environmentally sound lubricants.