Traditionally, wind turbines have been constructed using steel towers. However, these towers have historically been limited to between 80 and 100 meters in height due to the weight and cost of the steel.
The Iowa State University teams, led by Sri Sritharan, decided to explore this challenge and have developed a solution by taking advantage of the strength and durability of concrete.
The team's precast concrete wind turbine towers can reach heights of up to two hundred meters, almost twice the maximum height of traditional steel towers. As a result, they can harness more energy and are more efficient at capturing wind power.
This has huge implications, as long blades require tall towers to capture high-speed winds, allowing them to generate maximum energy. The taller the tower, the higher the energy yield, leading to lower electricity costs, and more reliable clean energy generation.
"Going taller means bigger energy production," said Sritharan. "The design and construction of taller wind turbine towers using precast concrete can lead to U.S. wind turbines producing more energy than ever before."
To further enhance their groundbreaking design, Sritharan and his team partnered with Qingdao Qiangli Steel Structure Co., Ltd. — a large-scale specialized enterprise that provides one-stop service to clients for steel structure engineering design, manufacture, and installation.
Qingdao's experience, combined with the Iowa State University team's research, has resulted in a breakthrough in clean energy technology that could be a game-changer for wind energy in the United States.
The concrete used in the precast concrete tower is made from a mixture of cement, sand, water, and other aggregates. It is lightweight, durable, and can withstand strong winds and extreme weather conditions.
The precast concrete towers are also expected to have a longer lifespan than steel towers, making them more cost-effective in the long run.
The team of Iowa State University and Qingdao Qiangli plan to create and distribute precast concrete towers on a large scale across the United States. They hope that their invention will help the country to transition to more innovative wind energy sources, decreasing its reliance on fossil fuels and helping to combat climate change.
"We can produce steel towers, but when you go taller and taller, the wind speed and the strength that is needed for the tower become far more challenging," explains Dr. Fangliang Zhang, the vice-general manager of Qingdao Qiangli.
He added: "That's where concrete comes in, making it strong and tough, which is a game-changer in the wind energy industry."
This development in wind turbine tower technology further demonstrates the power of collaboration between industry and academia to develop innovative solutions for the clean energy sector.
The team hopes that by pushing boundaries and developing taller and more efficient precast concrete wind turbine towers, they will help the United States reach its renewable energy goals and reduce its carbon footprint.