Description
The project aims to develop a self-installing telescopic tower which for the first time shall allow for crane-free installation of towers and turbines, also profiting from the structural efficiency and economy of industrialized precast concrete. For offshore wind, where the current need for heavy-lift vessels imposes great constraints and costs, the new technology will mean a huge leap, integrating tower and foundation and becoming the first one to remove the need of scarce and expensive vessels. Such patent-pending concept uses a gravity based foundation configured to act as a buoyant platform to carry the tower together with the complete wind turbine. Each unit can be fully assembled onshore, towed to the site, ballasted to the seabed and erected to its final configuration, without the dependence on specialized vessels and significantly reducing overall costs. The theoretical development is almost completed and commercial contacts show the potential of the concept. Thus, the project is ready to enter the experimental demonstration and the certification processes, as indispensable de-risking steps for market introduction.
Summary of project results
Nowadays, the foundations typology is one of the few elements in the wind field which has not been subjected to relevant evolution and due to the development of Wind Turbine Generators WTG, increasing their hub height and nominal power, the foundation materials were increased considerably. This project develops a design which reduces the costs of foundations for WTG by increasing the industrializing capacity and optimizing the construction periods, leading into a conceptual patented typology of precast foundation, thanks to the wide and singular experience ESTEYCO holds with the precast concrete towers and their extensive experience in foundation design and knowledge in geotechnical engineering. The project is focused in aspects like the patent procedures, a complete technical development of the solution which is completed with the certification of the solution by an international recognized certification body, its experimental analysis and final implementation in the wind energy market and real installation. These objectives were achieved with success obtaining a foundation solution which is considered to have a good reception in the wind industry.
Summary of bilateral results