Not a UFO a large load of frozen H2O - and the press comment is a load of bollocks

Folks mystified by the damaged windmill in Lincolnshire should read the post Thursday, August 30, 2007 Wind Energy as a source of electricity - benefits overblown ..

"After the industry's recent boom years, wind power providers and experts are now concerned. The facilities may not be as reliable and durable as producers claim.

Indeed, with thousands of mishaps, breakdowns and accidents having been reported in recent years, the difficulties seem to be mounting.

Gearboxes hiding inside the casings perched on top of the towering masts have short shelf lives, often crapping out before even five years is up. In some cases, fractures form along the rotors, or even in the foundation, after only limited operation.

Short circuits or overheated propellers have been known to cause fires. All this despite manufacturers' promises that the turbines would last at least 20 years."

Insurance costs increasing in Germany

Among insurers, who raced into the new market in the 1990s, wind power is now considered a risky sector. Industry giant Allianz was faced with around a thousand damage claims in 2006 alone. Jan Pohl, who works for Allianz in Munich, has calculated that on average "an operator has to expect damage to his facility every four years, not including malfunctions and uninsured breakdowns."Many insurance companies have learned their lessons and are now writing maintenance requirements -- requiring wind farmers to replace vulnerable components such as gearboxes every five years -- directly into their contracts.

A gearbox replacement can cost up to 10 % of the original construction price tag, enough to cut deep into anticipated profits. Indeed, many investors may be in for a nasty surprise. "Between 3,000 and 4,000 older facilities are currently due for new insurance policies," says Holger Martsfeld, head of technical insurance at Germany's leading wind turbine insurer Gothaer. "We know that many of these facilities have flaws."

Lots more at the link with pictures.

The problem in Lincolnshire wasnot little green men but simply ice build up on stationary blades which were then released, the load deformed and stripped a blade which hit another.

The missing one will be found somewhere