Estimating the Risk of Self-Initiated Upward Lightning to Onshore Wind Turbines and Towers

Abstract: Field observations has shown that wind turbinesare especially exposed to lightning strikes. The probability forlightning strikes to offshore wind turbines has been analysed ina previous article. In this project the probability for upwardself-initiated lightning strikes to onshore wind turbines anda lightning protection tower was analysed. This was done bycollecting elevation data and recreating the site topographyin COMSOL Mutliphysics 5.5, and also by collecting weatherdata which were analysed in MATLAB. The probability for thecritical electrostatic field was then calculated and analysed. Theresult shows that the risk of lightning strike is correlated to thetopography and cloud height.