Keystone Tower Systems has begun commercial production of the first utility-scale spiral-welded towers at its new factory in Pampa, Texas.
Keystone’s new factory has brought back to life the site of a former oil and gas facility in Pampa, with a technology familiar to pipeline producers.
With 40 employees already on site, the company intends to scale to become one of the largest employers in the region.
The first tower will be delivered this summer to a project in Texas.
Keystone has also added new board member Vikas Anand, formerly the CEO of GE Renewable Energy Onshore Wind Americas and co-founder of GoGreen Investments Corporation.
Anand said: “Keystone’s technology is an example of the innovative breakthroughs we need to make wind energy one of the primary electricity sources throughout the country and the world.”
Keystone Tower Systems has invested more than 10 years into developing tapered spiral welding to address wind tower logistics constraints.
The spiral welding equipment can be operated directly on-site at a wind project, allowing steel to be shipped in as flat sheets, then rolled and welded at the project site into 20- to 25-foot diameter towers.
By making towers on-site larger in diameter than can be shipped, it is possible to cost-effectively reach hub heights in excess of 500 feet, said Keystone.
“Spiral-welded towers have many advantages,” said Keystone CEO Eric Smith.
“To deliver the most advanced towers on the market, we’ve designed them in close partnership with the world’s largest turbine OEMs.
“Spiral welding makes possible a new level of automation, which will result in the fastest production and highest quality the industry has ever seen.”