In a pioneering move towards sustainable energy infrastructure, Sweden has become the site of the world’s first full-scale timber wind turbine. Standing at an impressive height of 105 meters, the tower was constructed by Modvion, a wood technology company. While the rotor blades and generator hub adhere to conventional materials, the tower itself is made of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), an engineered wood comprised of thin veneer strips bonded together. This innovative approach not only withstands the forces exerted by a turning turbine but also represents a significant environmental shift from traditional steel towers. Modvion asserts that using LVL reduces carbon emissions from wind turbine construction by over 100%, owing to a less emissions-intensive production process and the carbon storage capacity provided by trees.

The advantages of Modvion’s wooden towers extend beyond environmental benefits. Chief Financial Officer Maria-Lina Hedlund emphasizes the towers’ significant reduction in carbon emissions during production, claiming that they emit 90% less than their steel counterparts. Additionally, the lightweight nature of LVL translates to a more efficient design, reducing the overall material requirements. Hedlund describes LVL as having a construction similar to carbon fiber, emphasizing its high strength-to-weight ratio. The modular construction of LVL also addresses logistical challenges associated with transporting ever-growing steel towers, signaling a potential shift towards modular construction methods in the wind power industry. Modvion’s innovative approach not only sets a new standard for sustainable wind energy but also showcases the versatility of timber technology in broader construction applications.

Companies are searching for ways to deal with the tens of thousands of blades that have reached the end of their lives.

A wind turbine’s blades can be longer than a Boeing 747 wing, so at the end of their lifespan they can’t just be hauled away. First, you need to saw through the lissome fiberglass using a diamond-encrusted industrial saw to create three pieces small enough to be strapped to a tractor-trailer.

Tens of thousands of aging blades are coming down from steel towers around the world and most have nowhere to go but landfills. In the U.S. alone, about 8,000 will be removed in each of the next four years.

Wind turbines harness the kinetic energy of wind and convert it into mechanical energy to generate electricity. Electricity generated in this way is self-replenishing and produces no emissions harmful to our earth’s atmosphere, which is why it’s considered a form of renewable energy.

But for a form of energy to be considered truly ‘green’ – where it has a zero or less-than-zero impact on the environment across its lifespan in terms of waste and emissions – it’s important to also consider its end-of-life environmental impact.

Could wind turbines become 100% sustainable?

For wind turbines to be considered totally sustainable they must be built from 100% recyclable products. That’s why engineers across the world are now focusing efforts on designs that use materials such as thermoplastics that are biodegradable, or that can be reconstituted at the end of their lives.

Needless to say, even in their current form, the positive environmental impact of wind turbines far outweighs the negative, in terms of the critical role they play in reaching a net zero future.

The future of offshore wind energy might just look different thanks to a new technology developed by SeaTwirl. The company makes vertical wind turbines, and they can be installed in places that were hard to reach by previous models of turbines.

With SeaTwirl, wind energy could be harvested even in the harshest sea conditions, as they have a more durable structure. They can even face hurricanes, which makes them the future of offshore wind energy. The tower on SeaTwirl’s turbines is connected to a sub-sea structure and starts rotating in windy weather then transforming the harvested resource into energy.
Thanks to the modular structure of the wind turbine and its underwater parts, the entire structure can rotate in the blow of the wind without getting damaged on the open sea. These high-tech turbines can be installed in deep water as well as they can be anchored efficiently thanks to the in-built mooring lines.

Creating energy self-sufficiency has been an objective for people ever since electric power has become a necessity. But for a long time, doing that meant impacting the ecological balance of the environment around. Arun and Anoop George from Kerala, India have managed to achieve that, whilst also reducing dependence on state power grids and localizing an affordable renewable energy solution. All this without harming the environment! The secret lies in the small, ceiling fan-sized wind turbine that can generate 5 kWh per day, with just a one-time cost of $750! The low-cost wind turbine which generates enough electricity to power an entire house for a lifetime the green start-up Avant Garde has come up with, is planned to be suited in residential, commercial, agricultural and village electrification areas. Also, the prototype is highly scalable for power capacities of 300 kW or even higher. Once mass production is under way, the costs are said to decrease further.

According to the Global Wind Energy Council, India ranks fourth in terms of global installed wind power capacity, after China, the US, and Germany.

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Turn a car alternator into alternative energy by building this cheap and easy homemade wind generator.

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