In a groundbreaking achievement, Swedish startup Modvion has successfully constructed the world’s tallest wooden wind turbine tower, reaching a remarkable height of 492 feet (150 meters) to the topmost blade tip. Utilizing a modular design and employing spruce wood, the tower is manufactured off-site and assembled later.
2-Megawatt Wooden Wonder Lights Up 400 Homes
This innovative structure, now operational and feeding electricity into the Swedish grid, houses a powerful 2-megawatt generator capable of illuminating around 400 homes.
Modvion’s trailblazing efforts mark a significant leap forward in redefining the future of wind power infrastructure.
Wooden Marvel Transforming Wind Power
Crafted from 144 layers of laminated veneer lumber (LVL), predominantly spruce, the world’s tallest wooden wind turbine tower is an eco-friendly marvel. This innovative design, replacing conventional steel, has revolutionized renewable energy.
Wood’s lighter weight enables the construction of taller turbines with fewer materials, while the tower’s modular design facilitates easy transportation and assembly in remote areas. To ensure stability, the components are held together with steel fittings, affixed using adhesive instead of welding.
A Carbon-Negative Solution
Transitioning from steel to wood not only addresses transportation challenges but also eliminates the carbon footprint of wind turbines, making them carbon-negative.
As trees grow, they absorb carbon dioxide, and this carbon remains sequestered in the wood, as long as it is not burned or left to decay. The turbine towers’ production utilizes over 200 spruce trees, but the startup affirms a commitment to sustainability, having planted more trees than harvested.
