Why are wind turbines sometimes standing still, even though the wind is blowing?

There are a number of reasons why turbines actually stop temporarily. As the name of the technology implies, wind turbines are naturally dependent on wind. Measurements of local wind conditions on site guarantee that they are built in areas with sufficient wind. There are often other reasons for turbines to be temporarily shut down.

One reason is the delayed expansion of the grid and an oversupply of conventional electricity that stands in the way of an even more efficient use of wind energy. Occasionally, wind turbines have to be shut down when they are actually working most efficiently, namely when a lot of wind power is being fed into the grid in strong winds. In the future, these cases will decrease. There are two reasons for this:an optimised and efficient power grid will be able to absorb more wind power in the future and better balance supply and demand. The expansion of the grids will ensure the largest possible share of electricity from renewable energies in the long term and throughout Europe.

In addition, there are a number of reasons why the rotors of wind turbines do not rotate in some cases despite good wind conditions. Maintenance and repairs are often the reason for a temporary shutdown. Another reason for the stoppage may be the protection of birds and bats during breeding and flying out times. To protect residents, turbines are also switched off if they cast shadows on adjacent residential buildings for more than 30 minutes a day when the sun is low in the sky