As global wind energy powers ahead in the race toward net zero, the industry faces a significant challenge: how do we keep giant turbine blades spinning efficiently and affordably for decades to come?
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Operations and maintenance (O&M) costs accumulate up to a quarter of a turbine’s total lifetime expenditure, and gearbox maintenance alone represents a significant portion of this expenditure. For offshore wind farms, where access is limited and weather windows are tight, even a simple oil change can mean costly downtime and significant logistical challenges.
Fill for life is a new approach that supports turbines turning for longer, with fewer interruptions, less waste, and lower lifetime costs*.
Why does the wind sector need fill for life?
Wind power is no longer a niche industry. In Europe alone, it supports more than 370,000 jobs and contributes more than €52bn to EU GDP . Globally, the market is growing fast, particularly offshore, where capacity is expected to expand by 17% a year between 2025 and 2035.
However, with that growth comes complexity. Turbines are getting larger and more powerful, pushing past 10 MW offshore and 4 MW onshore, and featuring increasingly sophisticated gearboxes and generator systems. While that means more energy generation per unit, it also means more components to maintain and a higher risk of costly failures.
Traditionally, turbine gear oils have needed changing every three to five years. Each change involves draining and replacing hundreds of litres of lubricant, as well as the expense of specialist crews, access equipment, and disposal.
Fill-for-life replaces this routine with ultra-stable lubricants, advanced filtration, and predictive maintenance tools to extend oil life. In addition to being good news for the bottom line, fewer oil changes can help result in fewer emissions, less waste, and reduced human risk, particularly in challenging offshore environments. This sustainability win aligns with the clean-energy mission of the wind sector itself.
The science behind the solution
ExxonMobil’s Mobil SHC Gear 320 WindPower™ lubricant has been developed and tested over more than six years, built on next-generation synthetic base fluid technology designed to help resist oxidation, degradation, and micro-pitting. Every drop of oil is filtered before being filled and continuously purified during operation, and regular analysis of oil condition provides valuable insight for predictive maintenance, allowing operators to catch problems early and prevent costly downtime.
Laboratory and field tests across three continents – validated by the global quality body DNV – have confirmed the lubricant’s durability and demonstrated its protection against wear, corrosion, and foaming, while maintaining performance even at extreme temperatures.
This longevity has been made possible through research, from accelerated life testing in controlled laboratory environments to five-year field trials across multiple turbine models and locations. ExxonMobil’s engineers studied everything from bearing life and seal compatibility to scuffing resistance and gearbox coatings before fine-tuning the formulation.
The benefits for operators are clear: With fewer oil changes, reduced downtime, simplified logistics, and lower O&M costs can come. There’s no need to store or dispose of large volumes of waste oil, no expensive cranes or service crews to coordinate, and no offshore trips dictated by weather.
Built for the next generation of wind power
As turbines grow in size and complexity, the industry’s lubrication demands are evolving. Mobil SHC Gear 320 WindPower™ has already gained recognition from major OEMs who are getting ahead of the curve. In the global push for renewable energy, efficiency matters as much as capacity. By rethinking something as fundamental as lubrication, ExxonMobil has found a way to extend the life of vital assets, helping to reduce operational complexity and lower costs, all while supporting the energy transition.
Download the complete report below to explore the science, testing, and future potential behind this groundbreaking innovation.
*Results vary based on operating conditions
**Follow OEM recommendations.
