Measuring Force, Enabling Green Energy: Load Cell Applications in Renewables 📰
24th Nov 2025As the switch to renewables gathers pace, force and weight measurement are becoming ever more critical to building, operating and maintaining a greener infrastructure.
Precise, reliable load data keeps equipment efficient, safe and operational – from the torque on wind turbine bolts to the line tensions on tidal installations and the weight verification of subsea components.
LCM Systems has been supplying measurement solutions to power generation for decades. The rapid growth of solar, wind, hydro and marine energy has expanded the range of applications and the performance demands placed on load cells.
Why force measurement matters in renewables
Renewable assets combine large structures, dynamic environments and long service lives. In wind turbines, loads on equipment can change with every gust. In hydro and tidal, components face constant immersion and corrosion risks. With solar, the trackers and structures experience variable cyclical thermal and wind loads.
Measuring these readings accurately enables asset owners to make informed load decisions, secure in the knowledge their equipment is within operational and safety limits. LCM Systems’ portfolio spans both standard products and individually designed measurement equipment which can handle everything from straightforward tensile measurements to complex multi-axis force monitoring.
Wind energy: from bolt tensioning to lifting and balance
Wind turbines rely on correctly tensioned bolts throughout the nacelle, hub and tower. Over-tightening accelerates fatigue; under-tightening compromises joint integrity.
Washer-type load cells used for bolt tensioning allow technicians to set, verify and trend bolt loads during installation and service – improving reliability and reducing manual inspection burdens.
LCM Systems’ WAS washer/through-hole range is designed for continuous tension monitoring, with options for simple handheld readouts or integrated systems with alarms when thresholds are breached. That makes condition-based maintenance practical for hard-to-access fasteners.
Around the turbine, load links and load shackles support safe lifting during erection and major component exchange, while crane and hoist monitoring systems protect personnel and plant.
LCM Systems supplies the load cells and associated instrumentation for complete crane load monitoring solutions – ensuring clear, dependable readouts on the ground or at height.
Solar and battery sites: structural assurance and installation efficiency
Utility-scale solar and battery installations are delivered at speed, often over challenging terrain. Measuring pile loads, frame uplift and tracker actuator forces helps contractors to commission quickly and to specification.
During operations, periodic verification of structural loads mitigates the risk of progressive loosening or localised overstress from wind events.
LCM Systems’ broad catalogue of tension, compression and beam load cells – together with amplifiers and handheld indicators – gives EPC and O&M teams flexible options for temporary tests and permanent monitoring.
Hydro and tidal: built for subsea, sealed for the elements
Marine renewables call for devices that can withstand immersion, pressure, impact and corrosion. LCM Systems designs load pins and shackles in high-strength alloys, with robust sealing for prolonged exposure to seawater.
For example, a 25-tonne subsea load shackle manufactured for a UK tidal turbine company was specified with no stainless-steel components so was finished with specialist coatings for durability. These are the kinds of practical material and sealing choices that keep sensors dependable in harsh subsea conditions.
On vessels and at quaysides, towing and mooring tensions must be measured to prevent overloads and to extend the life of lines. LCM Systems supplies integrated tension monitoring using load pins in hooks or winches, as well as simple, rapidly deployable solutions using load shackles or load links in the line path.
For renewables operators, that means safer cable lay, barge positioning and component transfer, with clear data for the crew and automatic warnings when limits are approached.
Hazardous areas and ATEX: certified confidence
Biomass plants, hydrogen pilot facilities and some battery and grid assets include zones that are classified as hazardous. Measurement in these areas demands ATEX/IECEx-certified devices and matching displays or transmitters.
LCM Systems provides ATEX/IECEx load pins, shackles, links and instrumentation with outputs that integrate with site control systems. Recent examples include high-capacity certified load pins for mooring and berthing systems. The load pins were supplied with integral 4-20 mA outputs and armoured cabling. Specifying certified hardware from the outset streamlines approvals and helps to keep projects on schedule.
Wireless telemetry and practical readouts H2
Renewable assets are distributed and often remote. Wireless load cells and telemetry modules remove the cabling burden, speed up installation and improve safety by eliminating trip hazards.
LCM Systems’ wireless load shackles and load links pair with handheld indicators for on-the-spot checks, or with receivers and gateways for SCADA integration.
The T24-HS-LS handheld display, for example, serves as a simple, battery-powered readout, while the T24-HA indicator provides viewing of load data from up to 12 load cells.
Whether the requirement is a quick proof load test or continuous monitoring, there is an instrumentation solution that fits the job.
Standard products, custom engineering
While many renewable applications can be addressed with standard load pins, shackles, load links and load cells, others call for custom geometry, dual-bridge redundancy, subsea connectors, unique coatings or unusual capacities.
LCM Systems combines an extensive off-the-shelf range along with in-house custom design, machining and test capability, drawing on more than 30 years of experience in hostile environments.
That mix helps project teams to balance cost, lead time and performance, while ensuring that measurement isn’t the bottleneck in project delivery.
Building a data-driven maintenance strategy
Once load measurements are captured, they unlock smarter maintenance. Fluctuating bolt tension prevents unplanned downtime in wind. Verifying lift loads improves contractor control and documentation. A coherent approach pairs the right sensor with appropriate conditioning and display, then brings the data into the site’s control or asset management system.
LCM Systems’ load measurement and monitoring solutions spans the sensor, the amplifier or transmitter, and the local or remote display – making it simpler to create reliable, end-to-end solutions.
The path to lower risk and higher output
Every kilowatt of clean energy depends on components working within design limits. Measuring those forces accurately is the best way to protect people, assets and production.
Whether you need a washer cell to verify bolt tension on a wind hub, a wireless load shackle for a one-off heavy lift, an ATEX-certified load pin for a biomass conveyor, or a fully engineered subsea solution for a tidal array, LCM Systems can specify, supply and support the right equipment for the job.
Once you’ve explored the renewable energy sector overview, browsed products and instrumentation, please contact our team to discuss tailoring a solution to your exact requirements.
Interested in strengthening your renewable project with dependable force measurement?