Wind Of Change – the world’s tallest wooden wind turbine tower
On March 4, we were in Skara—specifically in Ardala—to inaugurate the world’s tallest wooden wind turbine tower. Modvion’s and Varbergs Energi’s project— Wind Of Change —finally reached its goal, and seeing the wind farm come online for the first time was, to say the least, a milestone for everyone involved.
Modvion has managed the Wind Of Change project for the client Varbergs Energi. Renta has been involved and provided support with machinery from start to finish.
The wind turbine tower is equipped with a V90-2.0MW turbine from Vestas, the world’s leading wind turbine manufacturer. The 105-meter-tall tower is constructed in 7 sections with a total of 28 modules and has a total height of 150 meters, including the blades.
Wooden Wind Turbine Towers—A Revolution in Sustainable Energy
A wind turbine made of steel generates approximately 1,250 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions over its lifetime. In contrast, emissions from a wind turbine made of wood are a full 90% lower, which corresponds to approximately 125 metric tons of carbon dioxide in total. Both the manufacturing of the wooden wind turbine itself and each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of electricity generated thus result in significantly lower carbon dioxide emissions compared to fossil fuel alternatives.
– Building a 150-meter-tall wooden tower requires a structure that is, to say the least, durable. The tower beneath a wind turbine consists mostly of air, so there is room to build thicker walls using a material that offers higher strength-to-weight and strength-to-cost ratios than steel alternatives. That is why the decision was made to build the wind turbine out of laminated veneer lumber made from Scandinavian spruce, which is one of the strongest wood-based building materials relative to its weight, according to Varberg Municipality’s website.
Despite the challenges encountered, the goal has now been achieved
Building a wind turbine out of wood is not only innovative and forward-thinking, but it also proves that it actually works.
“It’s a unique project, to say the least, and seeing it successfully come to fruition serves as a demonstration that wooden wind turbines work,” says Daniel Randvik, project manager at Modvion.
But of course, the path to the goal hasn’t been entirely smooth. Daniel says they’ve encountered some challenges, but they’ve been instructive.
– It’s important to note that this has been a pilot project. We’ve taken small steps forward and hit the brakes. We’ve evaluated, reassessed, and had to come up with new solutions. One step back, two steps forward—but now we’ve finally reached our goal, and we’re looking forward to building the next tower.
The Inauguration—A Milestone
On March 4, the time had finally come to see “Wind of Change” come to life. Despite the cold air, the joy and pride of those in attendance kept us warm. The day was filled with festivities, inspiring speeches, and cheers. If you missed our previous video from the inauguration , you can watch it here.
