WoodCentral’s Post

🌬️ It's Time to Ditch Steel Wind Turbines for New Timber Tech! 🚧Contact Energy is eyeing a 55-tower wind farm near Wyndham, Southland, that could revolutionise the industry by potentially ditching traditional steel for engineered wood, echoing sustainable innovations seen in Europe. 🌍 Swedish startup Modvion is leading this charge, using laminated veneer lumber (LVL) for wood turbines across the EU. Their partnership with PEFC-certified Metsa Wood positions them to become Europe's largest LVL consumer, showcasing a leap towards eco-friendly energy production. 🔍 Traditional wind towers, predominantly built from steel, account for significant carbon emissions from production to installation. However, engineered wood towers, such as those by Modvion, capture carbon and offer a lighter, more cost-effective alternative, with each wooden tower locking away about 2000 tonnes of carbon. 🌱 Key Insights: 1️⃣ Carbon Capture: Wooden towers present an opportunity to sequester carbon, making wind farms even greener. 2️⃣ Cost-Effectiveness: Wood’s lighter weight reduces transportation costs, and its manufacturing process emits significantly less carbon than steel production. 3️⃣ Local Innovation: New Zealand's Nelson Pine Products and Techlam could potentially supply the timber for such transformative projects, bolstering local industry and sustainability efforts. 🤔 #questionforgroup: With the pressing need for sustainable energy solutions, how can we further encourage the transition from steel to timber in large-scale infrastructure projects? Can New Zealand become a pioneer in wooden wind turbine technology? 🔄 This move could signal a pivotal shift in approaching renewable energy infrastructure, blending traditional materials with modern engineering to combat climate change effectively. 🔗 Delve more deeply into how timber technology is set to transform the wind energy sector: https://lnkd.in/gpkT-A4J 🏷️ #windenergy #innovation #lvl #masstimber #renewables #energy #renewableenergy #construction #engineering #greenbuilding #netzero #steel #eu #europe #renewablepower #turbine #greentech #technology #futureleaders #future

[INNOVATION] Full-height timber wind turbine starts turning in Sweden! The 105-meter tower consists of 144 3mm-thick layers of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), which offers great strength-to-weight ratio. ⏩ Wood to overcome steel limitations ⏪ With demand on the rise for taller turbines it is becoming more and more difficult to transport traditional steel towers to site. Bridges, tunnels, roundabouts, etc. are just some of the obstacles that make on-site delivery particularly challenging. A challenge that can be overcome by using wood, as prefabricated modules are more easily transported and assembled on site. ⏩ Negative carbon footprint ⏪ In addition to providing green renewable energy, timber wind turbines' boast negative carbon footprint, thanks to a production process with lower emissions than traditional towers and the carbon storage provided by the timber structure. 👇 Read more: https://lnkd.in/eFNmEuwK 👇

[INSPIRING TIMBER]   🤔 Wind turbines turn to wood!   🌫✇ 105-meter tower ✇🌫 In February, we were sharing the story of this incredible 105-meter-high tower consisting of 144 3mm-thick layers of laminated veneer lumber (#LVL), made by Modvion and installed in the area of #Gothenburg, Sweden.   🌫✇ 20-meter blades ✇🌫 It is now fully recyclable timber blades which have been designed by Voodin Blade Technology and installed over a massive wind turbine in Germany.  Those new blades also use laminated veneer lumber and significantly reduce the environmental impact of existing fiberglass and carbon composite ones.   ⏩ Wood to overcome steel limitations ⏪ As the demand for taller turbines increases, transporting conventional steel towers to the site is growing increasingly challenging. Various obstacles like bridges, tunnels, and roundabouts make on-site delivery more and more difficult. However, this challenge can be overcome by using wood, as prefabricated modules offer easier transportation and assembly at the site. ⏩ Negative carbon footprint ⏪ In addition to providing green renewable energy, timber wind turbines boast negative carbon footprint, thanks to a production process with lower emissions than traditional towers and the carbon storage provided by the timber structure. ⏩ Fully recyclable ⏪ Today’s blades are typically made with fibreglass and epoxy resin and cannot be easily recycled. Thousands of blades end up in landfills. These new sustainable timber blades are not only lighter and reducing the overall dependency on fossil fuel extraction, they are also fully recyclable.   👉 https://lnkd.in/ggCx5mNi

Swedish start-up Modvion has constructed the world's tallest wooden turbine tower, standing at 150m, with a 2-megawatt generator supplying power for approximately 400 homes. Unlike traditional steel turbines, Modvion's tower is made of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), offering strength and flexibility. The company claims using wood eliminates the turbine's carbon footprint, making it carbon negative. Investors, including Vestas a renewable energy giant, see potential in taller wooden turbines addressing transport challenges. Modvion aims to build a taller turbine soon and plans to produce 100 wooden modular turbines annually by 2027. SSE Renewables in the UK is exploring wooden towers as an alternative to steel. It has been a great journey to follow, with only very recent technology investment from a major wind turbine Original Equipment Manufacturer applying the concept on a large commercial scale unit. Fingers crossed for the prototype testing being successful.🤞🏼 #RenewableEnergy #WindPower #Sustainability #WoodenTurbine #CleanEnergy #Innovation #CarbonNegative #GreenTechnology #FutureEnergy #ClimateAction #SwedishInnovation #EnergyTransition #LVL #GreenInvesting #WoodenTechnology

Carbon sink First full-height timber wind turbine opens in Sweden The world's first full-scale timber wind turbine has started turning in Sweden, with a tower built by wood technology company Modvion. The 105-metre-tall tower, located in the region of Skara, is Modvion's first commercial wind turbine tower, and follows on from a smaller 30-metre-high demonstration project the company completed in 2020. While its rotor blades and generator hub are made of conventional materials, the tower is made of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), a type of engineered wood made of thin veneer strips glued together and often used for beams and load-bearing building structures. The company says that this type of wood is not only strong enough to withstand the forces of a turning turbine, it is much more environmentally sustainable to build with than the currently used steel. While wind power plays an important role in providing the world with green renewable energy, there are still ample carbon emissions created during their construction — in part because of the steel towers. Modvion describes its wood towers as reducing the carbon emissions from wind turbine construction by over 100 per cent, due to the combination of a less emissions-heavy production process and the carbon storage provided by trees.

Wooden wind turbines? Why not?! Swedish start-up Modvion has achieved a pioneering feat by constructing the world's tallest wooden turbine tower, standing at 150m (492ft). The turbine utilses laminated veneer lumber (LVL) made from spruce for its thick walls, offering an innovative alternative to steel towers due to the renewable materials that it consists of. Modvion's tower-building approach involves stacking smaller, easily transported modules, a method they believe will enable the construction of taller towers in challenging locations. The use of wood instead of steel reduces the carbon footprint of the turbines, arguably making them carbon-negative as the carbon absorbed by the trees during their lifespan remains stored in the wood. Full article on the BBC: https://lnkd.in/dK4FZp9f

Powering Progress: Elster Repowering Wind Farm Site Takes Shape We're thrilled to share the incredible progress happening at the Elster Repowering wind farm in Saxony-Anhalt! 🎉 Here's a glimpse of our recent successes and upcoming milestones: ✅ Half of the concrete towers are now standing tall, marking a significant step forward in the project's realization. ✅ Wind farm cables have been smoothly pulled into the new substation, enhancing connectivity and efficiency. ✅ Exterior grounds and fencing of the substation are nearing completion, ensuring safety and security for all involved. ✅ Two 63/80 MVA transformers are set for delivery by the end of May, paving the way for further advancements. But that's not all! Our innovative hybrid towers, utilizing sustainable concrete technologies, are revolutionizing the industry. By reducing CO2 emissions by up to 40%, we're making substantial strides towards a greener future. 🌍💡 The Elster Repowering project isn't just big – it's monumental! With 50 older turbines being replaced by 16 more powerful units, we're maximizing efficiency and reducing the wind farm's footprint by a third. Yet, our installed capacity is set to soar to an impressive 105.6 MW, ensuring a substantial boost in clean energy production. 💪⚡ Upon its completion in 2025, this flagship project will generate 235 GWh of electricity annually, powering over 170,000 homes with clean, affordable energy. 🏡💡 We're committed to keeping you updated every step of the way as we continue to drive forward the European energy transition. Stay tuned for more exciting news! 🚀 #ElsterRepowering #GreenEnergy #SustainableFuture #VSB #greenandclean

📢Can't stop! won't stop! Keeping the pace is necessary! Improve it is mandatory!! 💡 🌍Sustainability is also that needs to be addressed to the increase of wind #onshore or #offshore installation. Sustainability of #economics and #finance. Sustainability on the #industrial manufacturing of components. Sustainability on the #supply chain. Sustainability on the #development of projects. Sustainability on the #construction. Sustainability on the #O&M. #sustainability #windeurope #projects #engineering #wind #energytransition

The world's tallest wooden wind turbine is now operational, introducing an alternative approach to #turbine #construction. Developed by Swedish company Modvion, this wooden structure challenges traditional steel towers with its lighter, #modular design aimed at facilitating transport and allowing for taller builds. The use of laminated veneer lumber in turbines is a step towards different logistical and environmental outcomes, potentially impacting the future of wind energy infrastructure. #WindEnergy #SustainableDevelopment #RenewableResources #GreenTechnology #RenewableEnergy https://lnkd.in/eDQhciqh

We are becoming more and more aware of the global environmental impact of the construction industry, we have put together some methods that you can utilise for renewable energy.