Abstract
The electro-geometrical method (EGM) has been adopted for lightning protection design of transmission lines. In this paper, probability calculations of direct lightning strokes to wind turbines are carried out by using the EGM. The distributions of the peak values of lightning current mentioned in various documents are based on observational results of lightning strokes onto structures. These distributions are different from those corresponding to lightning strokes from a thundercloud to the surface of the ground. Therefore, we have estimated the peak value of the lightning current and the probability of shielding failure by using the EGM. In addition, the equivalent collection areas of structures were calculated on the basis of an assumed lightning striking angle in three-dimensional space.
