Exposure to environmental elements, high speeds, and harsh conditions can damage the leading edges of wind turbine blades, compromising the blades’ performance and cause premature failure.

WEICan’s location in a harsh coastal environment make them susceptible to wind turbine blade leading edge erosion. “Leading-edge erosion has been observed on WEICan’s blades since installation,” notes WEICan’s CEO, Scott Harper.

WEICan are interested in improving the durability of our wind turbine blade leading- edges for long-lasting operation.

In 2021, WEICan entered an agreement with Polytech to install their (ELLE) everlasting leading-edge protection material on the blades of all five turbines. The ELLE™ solution consists of pre-cast sections made of robust yet soft and flexible polyurethane shells. The shell’s surface is designed and dimensioned to absorb the kinetic energy from rain, hail, and airborne particles. As such, the shell provides optimal protection for the rigid fiberglass surface of the blade. The shell pattern is custom-made for each individual blade to ensure an optimal fit.

Harper states, “The leading edge protection provided by Polytech will extend the life of WEICan’s blades and minimize downtimes, which will decrease our operating costs.”

Application of Polytech on WEICan’s turbine blades