ORE Catapult is leading a research consortium to develop more efficient and sustainable steel onshore wind turbine towers using UK-produced materials.
ORE Catapult said the project has secured £174,000 SMART Flexible Innovation Support from the Welsh Government and includes Tata Steel UK, RWE, Bute Energy, Hutchinson Engineering and Ledwood.
The organisation added that the initiative will focus on using thin strip, coil-based low emission steel produced in electric arc furnaces to create lighter and more efficient tower structures.
Most wind turbine towers in the UK currently rely on imported thick steel plate, creating a potential bottleneck for renewable energy projects.
The new design approach uses methods from the marine and aerospace sectors and is intended to meet current industry standards while enabling integration with existing turbine and foundation designs.
“This innovation represents a major step forward in wind turbine tower design, with the potential to significantly enhance technical performance while also delivering substantial economic and environmental benefits for Wales and the wider UK,” said Dr Cristina Garcia-Duffy, director of research and engineering at ORE Catapult.
“By combining low emission steel with advanced engineering and design techniques, we are targeting meaningful reductions in both lifecycle costs and carbon emissions.”
“This investment demonstrates our commitment to building a greener, stronger Welsh economy. By backing homegrown innovation and locally produced low emission steel, we are helping to create high-value jobs, strengthen our supply chains, and position Wales at the forefront of the global offshore wind revolution,” said Rebecca Evans, cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning in the Welsh Government.