Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy Innovation & Technology S.l.

Gamesa Innovation & Technology, S.l.

Joan Montanyá Puig

Victor March Nomen

Gloria Solà De Las Fuentes

Oscar A Van Der Velde

A smart wind turbine blade and lightning protection system for smart wind turbine blades thereof is provided. More in particular, it relates to a smart wind turbine blade including a lightning protection system including active components such as the type for de-icing systems, sensors and/or flaps among others wherein the path of the lightning current is guided to avoid the hub preventing currents to flow through the bearings which may causes significant damage to them and also to the metallic cabinet from where active components are electrically fed.

Smart wind turbine blade with active components comprising a lightning protection system

A method for warning about lightning activity in wind farms which is suitable for predicting the generation of upward lightning originating from the wind-driven power generators the wind farm and for warning about the possible generation is provided. To that end, in the method the presence or absence of a storm cell in the wind farm and/or in the vicinity thereof, within a radius of less than 400 km, is detected; the local electric field in the wind farm is measured, at least one atmospheric condition is identified or measured under given premises, and the probabilities of the generation of upward lightning originating from the wind-driven power generators of the wind farm are determined depending on the result of the measurements, identifications and detections, a warning signal being transmitted in the event that the determined probability exceeds a given threshold value.

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Castellnou de Bages, Spain

Joan Montanyá Puig