OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES AND PERFORMANCE DEGRADATION PATTERNS IN MODERN WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF GRID INTEGRATION AND MAINTENANCE ISSUES
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Abstract
this paper presents a comprehensive analysis of operational issues in modern wind energy systems, based on a 36-month study of 450 turbines. The results show that blade-related failures (32.4%) and gearbox malfunctions (24.7%) are the most frequent causes of downtime, costing an average of $47,000 per turbine annually. Predictive maintenance strategies reduced unplanned downtime by 34% and improved availability to 94.2%. Grid integration challenges such as voltage fluctuations and reactive power issues were also assessed. These findings provide practical insights for enhancing WES reliability and performance.
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