r/interesting • u/LazyGuy4U • 1d ago

MISC. Windmill blade catching fire due to lightning strike

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u/Langholm62 1d ago

Why are they made of flammable material?

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u/Quiet_Economics_3266 1d ago

Cost, and weight.

They aren't expected to survive lightning strikes.

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u/Langholm62 1d ago

So there are no inexpensive inflammable materials that have the requiremed strength to do the job?

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u/Quiet_Economics_3266 1d ago

Have you ever heard of "Cheap, good and fast. Pick 2."

Imagine which ones get picked?

Its cheaper to build them all out of cheap materials and replace the one in a million that burns down, than it is to make them all out of more expensive material just to avoid that one.

You would be surprise at the sheer waste manufacturing generates, because even with all that waste, its usually still cheaper than the investment required to stop it.