Tilt-Up Tower and Installation System to Reduce the Cost of Distributed Wind Turbines

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) states that wind power will provide 20% of the nation's electricity supply by 2030 and 35% by 2050 (DOE, 2015). The pursuit of these goals will require full utilization of the nationwide economic potential for distributed wind power; the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has cited this potential as 48 gigawatts by 2030 and 85 gigawatts by 2050. NREL has also estimated that, prior to capture, the capital cost associated with distributed wind turbine installations must be reduced 52% by 2030 and 71% by 2050 (NREL, 2016). If successful, the technology proposed herein will be a key mechanism in reaching the capital costs required to secure the full potential of distributed wind power in the United States. The proposed Small Business Innovation Research, Phase I effort is to research and develop a novel tilt-up tower and installation system for small-scale distributed wind turbines – an innovation capable of achieving a 12% reduction, approximately $923/kilowatt (kW), in the installed cost of 21-100kW wind turbines. The technology targets two of the most costly aspects of a distributed wind turbine project: tower systems and balance of station (e.g. transportation, assembly, and installation). The technical approach introduces several untested concepts to the small wind industry, including a reusable tilt-up fixture, telescoping tower sections, spiral welded pipe, and tower standardization across turbine makes/models. The Phase I research and development plan will overcome the technical challenges necessary to prove out technical and economic feasibility. If successful, the technical work plan will result in the design and analysis of a tower and installation system for a range of 85-100kW turbine makes/models. Afterwards, a Phase II technical effort will be pursued to conduct a safety, function, and loads test on a full-scale tower system prototype and an operational test with a wind turbine rated between 85-100kW. Together, the Phase I and II efforts will validate the technology and permit the product’s transition to Phase III via four targeted customer demonstration projects in New England, New York State, and Colorado. The proposed product will provide critical cost reductions to support greater, industry-wide competitiveness. The industry-wide cost reductions will thrust the distributed wind industry into a new era of cost-competitiveness and growth. The proliferation of distributed wind power will unlock gigawatts of untapped clean energy potential, accelerate the dominance of domestic small wind turbine manufacturers in global export markets, and create thousands of skilled job opportunities nationwide.