One of the most critical challenges faced in a wind turbine project is the degradation of the performance due to accumulated dust on the turbine rotors which causes changes in the aerodynamic properties of the airfoils resulting in energy losses. Although not all airborne dust can be controlled – a substantial amount of the dust is produced from untreated gravel roads throughout the project.

Dust is normally prevalent where there is wind and this will expose wind turbine airfoils to the above-mentioned degradation leading to a loss of performance, increased maintenance costs and decreased longevity.

The case study: Effect of dust on the performance of wind turbines by Aboelyazied M. Koliub and Mohammed G. Khalfallah Desalination 209 (2007) 209-220, outlines the effect dust has on Wind Power Projects. See an excerpt below or read the full article here