Article -> Article Details
| Title | Wind Power Plants Installing Tall Wind Towers to Optimize Electricity Generation |
|---|---|
| Category | Business --> Business Services |
| Meta Keywords | Wind Tower Market |
| Owner | industrytrends |
| Description | |
| The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) states that the global capacity of onshore and offshore wind power plants stood at 500 GW in 2018. Additionally, as per the IRENA, the installed capacity of offshore wind power plants stood at 34,367 MW and that of onshore plants stood at 698,909 MW in 2020. The increasing installation of wind energy plants can be credited to the mounting concerns regarding environmental pollution, depleting fossil fuel reserves, and rising public awareness about renewable energy sources. The selection of wind towers is based on the weight and structure of the nacelle. The strength of such towers depends on the type, weight, and gauge of the material used in their construction. At present, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, WINDAR Renovables, KGW Schweriner Maschinen-und Anlagenbau GmbH Suzlon Energy Ltd., CS Wind Corporation, Trinity Structural Towers Inc., General Electric Company, Siemens AG, and, Shanghai Taisheng Wind Power Equipment Co. Ltd. are offering tubular steel, hybrid, concrete, guyed-pole, and lattice towers for wind power plants. The increasing installation of all these types of wind towers can essentially be attributed to the rising government support for renewable power projects. For instance, the National Offshore Wind Energy Policy of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, India, aims to install 5-GW offshore wind power plants by 2022 and 30-GW installations by 2030. Furthermore, the National Institute of Wind Energy (NIWE) estimates the optimum wind energy potential at 695.50 GW at 120 meters and 302 GW at 100 meters of hub height. According to P&S Intelligence, Asia-Pacific (APAC) dominated the wind tower market in the preceding years due to the high energy demand and significant growth in the wind energy industry. In recent years, China has installed the largest number of wind towers due to the presence of a large number of wind power plants in the country. According to the IRENA, the installed capacity of wind energy in China increased from 58 GW in 2019 to 111 GW in 2020. Thus, the shift toward renewable energy sources, rising government support for establishing wind power plants, and soaring concerns regarding air pollution caused due to fossil fuel combustion will propel the installation of wind towers. There are several types of wind towers, each with its set of benefits. Of these, tubular steel towers, which are conical in shape, are the most popular. They offer higher strength to the nacelle and turbine as they are wider at their base and narrow at the top, which also helps save material. Being made from steel makes them ideal for heavy turbines. Even more advantageous are lattice towers, which are made from welded steel instead of sheets of the material, which reduces the investment. Moreover, these towers can be as long as required, and the transportation of the components is also easier. Another benefit of such variants is that they let the wind pass through their base, which reduces the resistance and pressure on the overall tower. Then, there are guyed pole towers, which are created narrower than tubular towers and supported by wires. The inherent advantage of these towers is less material usage, which ultimately results in cost savings; they are ideal for smaller turbines and shorter towers. For highly perched turbines, hybrid towers made from steel and concrete are used. With the world continuously focusing on renewable energy generation to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels at thermal power plants and, ultimately, decrease the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the demand for all these types of wind towers will continue to rise. As per the GWEC, despite the restrictions imposed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 proved to be the best year for wind energy no record, with 93-GW capacity additions. All these types of towers are installed on the mainland and in the sea. Of these, they will be installed at a higher rate offshore in the coming years. This is because for onshore wind plants, a vast area of land is needed, as the individual towers need to be quite apart from each other to make maximum use of the wind. Since the land area is reducing due to rapid urbanization, offshore installation of wind plants is picking up; almost 70% of the earth is sea. As per the IEA, offshore wind capacity additions already grew by 20% in 2018 from 2017. Asia-Pacific (APAC) has been the largest wind tower market till now, with China and India accounting for the highest and fourth-highest installed capacities in 2020, respectively, as per the IRENA. Moreover, according to the IEA, worldwide capacity additions till 2022 are expected to be led by Vietnam and South Korea, apart from France. Moreover, for 2021, the IEA expects onshore wind capacity additions to grow significantly in India. Further, as much as half the global increase in onshore wind capacity has been in China. Hence, with the world looking at alternative ways to produce electricity, the demand for wind towers will burgeon. | |