Standardisation in the Face of Geopolitics

International standardisation continues despite geopolitical tensions – as demonstrated by this year’s Annual Meeting of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Technical Committee 88, held at Bachmann electronic in Feldkirch. Amid rising geopolitical tensions, experts from 15 countries are advancing wind energy through collaboration. In an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the event, Jonathan Hughes, Chair of IEC TC 88, explained how grid integration, new materials, and climate change are shaping standards development – and why international collaboration remains indispensable.

TC-88 is a large, diverse and growing group. Our standards cover all components within the Wind Turbine System, including various foundation types, where we are focusing on adapting them for offshore and floating offshore foundations. The question is how we can apply the established design standards for onshore turbines to these new contexts, including changes in materials. During this year’s Plenary, for example, we discussed the use of concrete and hybrid materials rather than just Steel in towers. 

Another major challenge is grid integration, as market requirements vary significantly, despite similar needs. We not only need to review the electrical impacts but also on the whole system. For example, during the plenary, we discussed how the potential impact of grid-forming activities on the mechanical drivetrain components could be included, and how to ensure long-term reliability and proper maintenance when turbines are used for grid-forming purposes.

In fact, there are very few national deviations in wind turbine standards. Today, we had representation from CENELEC discussing European harmonization, as well as broader standardization efforts. The challenges primarily lie in aligning with other areas, such as global planning regulations, which differ by region, and grid codes. Additionally, we must account for regional risks: in the North Sea, for instance, there is an elevated risk of rain erosion, while in arid countries, sand and high temperatures pose challenges.

All these factors are considered in TC-88’s work, particularly regarding sustainability and adaptation to global climate change. If a structure was originally designed for a 1-in-50-year event, but that event now occurs annually, will it still last 50 years? These are the challenges we face, and they affect the entire world. Today we’ve seen collaboration between countries that, based on external politics, might not otherwise engage in dialogue. Yet, they freely exchange ideas and knowledge.

There is strong collaboration between IEC and ISO. Today, we heard about the cooperation in structural engineering with the relevant ISO working groups, which is the largest area of overlap, as well as in bearings and drivetrain components. Additionally, there are joint working groups with other IEC technical committees on generators and other standards. This afternoon, we will discuss about user groups and the relationship between turbine control systems and broader control systems through the OPC Foundation.

All these efforts contribute to global collaboration, regardless of location. Hopefully, international standardization will continue to rise above political tensions, as long as governments support this work. Of course, there are risks, such as in the U.S. with NREL, which has been a major research player but may now provide less support. However, other partners have stepped up to fill the gap.

Collaboration with IEA Wind could always be stronger, but we already see excellent cooperation in areas like LIDAR technology and wind measurements, where standardization and research projects work closely together in IEC MT50 and IEA Wind Task 52. The same applies to drivetrain testing with collaboration with IEA Wind Task 35. Overall, it’s working very well, thanks to the dedication of individual experts who bring everything together no matter where they work, anywhere in the world.