The carbon footprint of renewable energy is significantly smaller than that of traditional, non-renewable energy production methods. Therefore, it is not surprising that the use of wind power is skyrocketing. Wind energy technology is expected to provide the largest contribution to the EU renewable energy targets for 2030. To reach the 40% renewable energy target by 2030, as set by the European Commission, Europe needs to install more than 30 GW of wind energy per annum. This means approximately 5,000 new turbines every year, and no less than 75% of this capacity is anticipated to be built onshore. This is where Peikko’s foundation solutions excel as they enable a sustainable and fast assembly.
Speed up production with a solid foundation
As the share of wind is growing steadily in the energy mix, it is more important than ever to start wind energy production in a new wind park as soon as possible. Optimization in production not only translates into lower CO2 emissions, but also brings about improved efficiency and shorter lead times.
Receiving the whole foundation at the site in a single delivery speeds up construction time. Peikko has a strong expertise in the wind energy field and a global factory network. Over 10 years, Peikko has served clients around the world by designing and delivering components to over 3,000 wind turbine foundations.
Keeping both planning and on-site support in the same pair of hands allows for optimization of overall costs and facilitates work before and during the foundation construction.
Accurately designed turbine foundations with minimum emissions
Today’s foundation solutions answer the call for increasingly large units. The most recent type of turbine produces close to 7 megawatts, and the rotor hub height of the corresponding tower exceeds 170 meters. The foundations of such a tower need thorough planning, exact calculations, and a significant amount of concrete mixed on site with dense steel reinforcement.
From the environmental viewpoint, planning optimization must allow the wind park to make do with fewer building materials. That is where advanced planning software comes to play. It calculates the exact amount of reinforced concrete needed for the foundations of a wind turbine burdened by dynamic wind forces. A professional design takes into account the different rock and soil types in your wind park and helps you assess the costs of foundations, leading to more detailed scheduling.
Unique foundation solutions to answer different needs
Since the ground at a building site is always unique and given that wind turbines come in different sizes, alternative foundation solutions are needed. Every foundation can be optimized for its location by choosing the correct design and right design parameters. The aim is to use less steel and concrete, which results in reducing the carbon footprint by between 25 and 75 percent as compared to traditional methods. Peikko can also conduct CO2 studies and constantly seeks ways to lower emissions.
Reaching global climate targets is more important than ever, and at Peikko we are dedicated to finding the right solutions to the future challenges. With fast action and close collaboration as our methods of co-operation, we build towards an ever-growing number of optimized, focused, and well-planned wind power parks that will produce safe and sustainable energy for many decades to come.
