Vestas and Siemens Gamesa are reducing offshore turbine maintenance intervals by 9 months using marine-grade wool buffing wheels specifically engineered for nacelle component refinishing. These salt-corrosion resistant wool pads withstand North Sea conditions while restoring protective coatings on pitch bearings.

Technical Innovation

• Zinc-Chromate Treatment: Creates passive anti-corrosion layer
• High-Viscosity Compound Compatibility: Works with epoxy-based polishes
• Water-Cooled Design: Integrated coolant channels enable continuous operation

Operational Impact
Horns Rev 3 Wind Farm (Denmark):

• Blade pitch mechanism maintenance frequency: 24 → 15 months
• Downtime per turbine: Reduced from 38 to 12 hours
• Energy production loss: Decreased by $18,500/turbine/year

Environmental Advantage
“Unlike chemical strippers, our lead-free wool polishing wheels prevent heavy metal contamination of marine ecosystems,” states Vestas Sustainability Officer Eva Müller.

Industry Certification
New DNV-ST-0261 standard mandates certified offshore wool pads for all North Sea installations. Searches for “wind turbine polishing kits” surged 210% in Q1 2025.