Aging Wind Turbine Accidents Demand End to Renewable Energy Rush

A series of accidents involving aging wind turbines has prompted urgent calls to overhaul safety management across all renewable energy facilities. The fire at a wind farm in Yeongdeok, North Gyeongsang Province, that killed three workers on June 23 was effectively a foreseeable man-made disaster. Wind turbines standing 78 meters tall are structurally vulnerable to fire because they use air cooling for equipment heat and rely on lubricating oil. Yet they are classified as structures and are not subject to fire safety laws. Wind turbine fires carry a high risk of spreading into large-scale wildfires, making it imperative to close this safety management gap immediately.

The core issue is aging infrastructure. The Yeongdeok wind farm began commercial operation in 2005 and has already exceeded its 20-year design lifespan. Of the 875 wind turbines nationwide, 81 have reached their design lifespan and are exposed to accident risk. Last month, a turbine tower at the same complex collapsed, and fires broke out in Pyeongchang and Yeongcheon last year. Fire risks from solar panels and energy storage systems (ESS) are equally serious. Unlike nuclear power plants, which undergo rigorous continued-operation reviews upon expiration, renewable energy facilities face virtually no mandatory replacement or decommissioning requirements.

Despite this, the government appears fixated on speed alone. Its government-led renewable energy expansion policy has invited criticism of a "permit first, clean up later" approach. In December last year, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment announced a "Strategy to Promote Onshore Wind Power," setting deployment targets of 6 GW by 2030 and 12 GW by 2035. The goal is to increase supply and lower generation costs. Offshore wind and solar are in much the same situation. The Sun, Wind and Pension program is gaining momentum, but structural problems — community acceptance, deteriorating profitability and transmission grid infrastructure — remain on the back burner. Safety measures against fires and facility collapses are also failing to keep pace with the quantitative expansion of renewable energy.

The government must promptly establish safety manuals for wind and solar power at the national level and set standards for the replacement and decommissioning of aging facilities. Mandating accident-prevention technologies for local governments and private operators also warrants review. Expanding renewable energy for carbon neutrality is an irreversible trend. However, impatience that disregards safety risks inviting yet another disaster.