Combating the risk of lightning in the Central United Sates with :EVENT LIGHTNING

A leading independent renewable power producer manages wind farms in a high lightning region in the Central United Sates and other parts of the world. Over the years, their operations suffered from multiple lightning-related incidents. In search of a reliable, actionable lightning detection system, the customer set out to test solutions that could help them better understand and manage lightning events on site.

A side-by-side test of detection technologies

To evaluate performance under real storm conditions, the customer installed two systems on different turbines:

• A high-end competitor’s solution integrated inside the blades and
• EOLOGIX-PING’s cost-effective, tower-mounted :EVENT LIGHTNING system

 

In spring, on April 26, both the DTN weather and the :EVENT LIGHTNING system recorded a lightning strike on a turbine. No activity was detected by the competitor’s system installed directly in the blades. Within two months, :EVENT LIGHTNING detected a total of 11 lightning strikes (16 strokes) on 4 turbines at this particular wind farm. This discrepancy revealed the blind spot of the competitor’s system.

 

As the sensitivity of the EOLOGIX-PING lightning detection systems is higher than most other systems, they can also detect lower peak current lightning strikes (e.g. :ANALYZER LIGHTNING minimum threshold 1kA vs. :EVENT LIGHTNING approx. 0.5kA). The probability of strike close to the turbine into the ground (e.g. 10-20 m away) is much lower than a direct impact into the turbine, which is why continuous systems installed directly on the tower are often a more reliable solution.

Why :EVENT LIGHTNING stood out

Higher sensitivity

Detected lower-intensity strikes missed by other systems.

 

Simple installation

The customer was able to equip many turbines in less time – without climbing, without access to the blades, without downtime. This saves time, effort and money.

 

Rapid onboarding

After a brief onboarding by EOLOGIX-PING support, the system was quickly up and running in under 30 minutes and the customer was equipped with alerts and a dashboard view.

 

Cost efficiency

Cost-effective solution with reliable performance.

 

The contrast was clear: where other systems failed, :EVENT LIGHTNING delivered critical, validated strike data, enabling faster, more informed maintenance decisions.

Conclusion

In a high lightning-prone region, where lightning is a constant operational threat, the customer needed a dependable detection solution. EOLOGIX-PING’s :EVENT LIGHTNING not only proved more sensitive and accurate but also easier and more cost-effective to deploy. For the customer, it wasn’t just about detecting lightning. It was about detecting the right strikes at the right time, with the least operational hassle.