- Wooden towers set to reduce carbon footprint from future wind turbines
- RWE has signed a Letter of Intent to include Modvion’s wooden wind turbine towers in future wind energy projects
Modvion and RWE Renewables Sweden AB are entering a partnership to supply wooden towers to RWE’s future onshore wind farms. As one of the world’s leading companies in renewable energy, RWE has ambitious plans to increase its production capacity while reducing its carbon footprint. The goal with the partnership is to verify the wooden tower technology and prepare for RWE to equip future wind farms with wooden towers, once the towers are available in the market.
Lars Borisson, Head of Onshore Origination & Development Nordics at RWE Renewables:
“We see that modular towers in laminated wood have significant market potential and can contribute to lowering the cost of new renewable electricity production by replacing steel and concrete with environmentally friendly and climate-smart wood. RWE will be assessing Modvion’s wooden tower for potential use in future wind farms.”
Even if steel continues to be used to construct many parts of the wind turbines, wooden towers have the potential to become an important complementary material in tower construction. According to a Sifo survey carried out by Modvion, almost four out of ten Swedes feel more positive about wind power if the towers are built of wood.
Maria-Lina Hedlund, CFO and acting CEO at Modvion:
“Our technology can help the wind industry dramatically reduce emissions, while facilitating taller towers to reach stronger winds. It’s great to see leading companies like RWE looking to support innovation that enables renewable energy from renewable materials.”
The wind industry wants taller turbines and Modvion’s patented wind turbine tower provides a cost-effective solution. Laminated wood is stronger than steel proportionate to its weight, which means lighter towers and less need for expensive reinforcements. The towers are built in modules that can be easily transported, without the need for expensive special transports, road closures and lengthy permit procedures. Growing trees bind carbon dioxide, which is stored in the wood products that act as a carbon sink. Building using wood enables radical emission reductions compared to conventional materials such as steel and concrete.
“The aim is to further increase the sustainability of wind power. Turbine towers made out of wood have the potential to be an important component in helping the wind power industry become fully carbon neutral. As one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, this partnership aligns well with RWE’s goal of becoming a carbon-neutral company by 2040”, says Borisson.
Wood is a renewable material that enables radical reductions in emissions. According to a life-cycle analysis from the Swedish research institute RISE, using a wooden tower reduces emissions by 90% when compared to a conventional steel tower of the same height and load. Considering that wood also stores carbon, the tower’s climate impact is actually lower.
“A conventional tower is responsible for the largest portion of emissions that arise from the production of wind turbines. By using wood, the tower becomes carbon negative, storing more carbon than is emitted during production”, says Hedlund.
Modvion will be installing their first commercial wind turbine during 2023. The wooden tower will be installed with a 2-megawatt wind turbine on top and, including the blades, will stand 150 metres tall. Subsequently, Modvion has plans for a 6-megawatt installation, which will be one of the largest turbines used on land.
For more information about RWE Renewables in the Nordic countries, please visit: se.rwe.com/en/
For more press releases from RWE Renewables Sweden AB, please visit: se.rwe.com/en/press/
For more information about Modvion, please visit: Modvion.com
For further inquiries:
Amanda Weidstam
Communications Manager
RWE Renewables Sweden AB
M +46 72 085 25 23
E amanda.weidstam@rwe.com
Sara Woodgate
Communications Manager
Modvion
M +46 (0) 76 031 0450
E sara.woodgate@modvion.com
Press photos
High-resolution press images from Modvion can be found here.
RWE
RWE is leading the way to a green energy world. With an extensive investment and growth strategy, the company will expand its powerful, green generation capacity to 50 gigawatts internationally by 2030. RWE is investing more than €50 billion gross for this purpose in this decade. The portfolio is based on offshore and onshore wind, solar, hydrogen, batteries, biomass and gas.
RWE Supply & Trading provides tailored energy solutions for large customers. RWE has locations in the attractive markets of Europe, North America and the Asia-Pacific region. The company is responsibly phasing out nuclear energy and coal. Government-mandated phaseout roadmaps have been defined for both of these energy sources. RWE employs around 19,000 people worldwide and has a clear target: to get to net zero by 2040. On its way there, the company has set itself ambitious targets for all activities that cause greenhouse gas emissions. The Science Based Targets initiative has confirmed that these emission reduction targets are in line with the Paris Agreement. Very much in the spirit of the company’s purpose: Our energy for a sustainable life.
About Modvion
Swedish wood technology company Modvion develops demanding designs made of laminated wood, nature’s carbon fibre, for large-scale applications. Wooden designs enable radical reductions in emissions by replacing emission-heavy material such as steel and concrete. Thanks to their patented module system, Modvion has been able to develop wind towers at decreased manufacturing costs and more efficient transportation for installations of tall towers. The operation is part-financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, the Västra Götaland region and the EU program Horizon 2020 EIC Accelerator.
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