Wind turbines are much more than just large rotors that generate electricity. In the background, a modular interaction of software, sensors and hardware ensures that the turbines turn themselves to the wind direction, adapt to changing weather conditions and detect technical faults. Complex test techniques safeguard every single function - from flashing lights to safety precautions in the event of a lightning strike.
In this episode, I talk to Florian Wartenberg about testing wind turbines. Software meets steel, sensors and weather. We talk about modular control systems, safety logic and interfaces that are simulated in the lab and verified in the field. There are tests in a hardware-in-the-loop setup in the basement and the Danish test center in Oesterild. The biggest testers in the room remain wind and weather. That's why fleet data, analytics and predictive maintenance flow into every decision. We discuss regulation from lightning protection to the Cyber Resilience Act, onshore vs. offshore and updates over the air.
"The more modular you are, the better you can adapt to weather conditions, customer requirements and regulations." - Florian Wartenberg
Florian Wartenberg is an experienced expert in software quality and testing in the field of embedded systems. At Vestas, he leads international teams in the quality assurance of turbine control software and drives strategic improvements in software verification. His focus is on making quality measurable and making the business value of testing initiatives visible. Florian is an active speaker at conferences and guest lecturer at universities.
Wind turbines are more than just large rotors that generate electricity. Behind every wind turbine is a complex interplay of technology, electronics and software. Florian Wartenberg explains how testing is carried out in the podcast with Richie . Here's a look behind the scenes: What needs to be tested, what does it look like, and what challenges do companies face in this area?
Everyone in the industry is familiar with testing a car. But testing a wind turbine is different. The entire system is heavily dependent on weather and environmental influences. Unlike in the laboratory, the influencing factors cannot simply be simulated. Wind direction, speed, lightning strikes and even legal regulations are real challenges. This is why many tests can only take place outside, on real wind turbines.
One special feature is the large number of variants: each turbine is often adapted to the customer's wishes or new regulations. This makes the system modular, as Florian Wartenberg explains. Individual components can be replaced or improved, similar to cars. However, this is not yet possible everywhere - often completely new turbines have to be built.
The process is modular: Each subsystem - such as the rotor blade control system or the safety system - is first tested individually. This is done in the laboratory using simulations and models. Later, all parts are tested in the real hardware, for example on a prototype turbine. Finally, field testing is carried out at system level. The companies often have contracts with energy providers so that tests can be carried out on real systems.
In the laboratory, simulators and hardware in the loop systems help to simulate the behavior before the software is used on a real turbine. This allows developers to try things out and identify errors even without the large hardware.
Wind turbines are complex. They align themselves with the wind, turn their "little house" upwards and adjust the rotor blades accordingly. Inside are the generator, gearbox and current transformer. All of this is controlled by central software. According to the current software, there are over 160 subsystems in a turbine - from lightning protection to countless sensors for wind, temperature, vibration or smoke.
The goal: the turbine must run safely, efficiently and in compliance with regulations. For example, some countries require everything to be stopped immediately in the event of a lightning strike, while others do not. The software has a modular structure, but runs in a system on central "control nodes". A controller is separated for safety in order to better avoid errors.
Nobody can control the weather. That's why the teams use data from real turbines to continuously improve the software. A dedicated data science team evaluates millions of sensor data, recognizes patterns, searches for errors or plans repairs before the turbine stops. A lot of effort goes into predicting problems and optimizing operation.
There are also special test techniques for safety, power outages or lightning strikes - often with real hardware, sometimes simulated. Some tests, such as overvoltage and high voltage, can only be verified with real hardware.
Tests are automated. The main language in the industry is C++. Many teams use internal, specially developed frameworks, but well-known tools are also used. The results run through CI/CD pipelines, as in other industries. Particularly important tests concern security and cyber protection, as wind turbines are now connected to the internet and regulations are becoming increasingly strict.
Modularity is growing - and with it complexity. More and more variants require new strategies to ensure that everything fits together and can be tested. The interaction between sales and development is becoming more important so that something is not sold that cannot be covered technically.
The issue of updates is also playing an increasingly important role. As with smartphones, it is expected that software can be updated easily and securely. This creates new tasks in security and in the test process.