An Approach for Reducing Wind Turbine Tower Weight by 70 Percent by Combining an Innovative On-Site Manufacturing Method with a Novel Tower Design

70462 The construction of taller towers for wind turbines would increase energy production, but significant technical and economic barriers exist, including: (1) the need for very tall cranes for the erection of tall (100 meter) towers, and (2) the cost of constructing and erecting a taller tower is significant ($15, 000/meter). This project will develop and demonstrate an alternative approach for the manufacturing and erection of tall towers that would remove these barriers. Phase I will develop a lightweight composite tower design that can be manufactured, assembled, and erected on site. The 86.8 meter tall tower, identified in windpact turbine design studies published by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, will be used as a benchmark for the design. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The technology should be commerically viable for wind turbine towers, electrical transmission and distribution towers, telecommunication towers, and highway sign bridges.