RCAM Technologies and the University of California, Irvine developed, demonstrated, and tested a 3D printing technology with concrete for building low-cost ultra-tall wind turbine towers on-site at wind plants that capture more wind energy from faster winds aloft and by enabling the use of larger wind turbines. 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) reduces the transportation and logistics constraints by manufacturing structurally efficient large-diameter towers within or near the wind plant by using low cost regionally available concrete and reinforcement materials. The 3DCP tower proved to be a feasible concept that offers new transformative design possibilities that reduce carbon footprint using lower carbon materials compared to steel, reducing manufacturing labor and transportation emissions, and eliminating concrete formwork.
Wind energy is prominent in the future of renewables, but tall towers and modern land-based wind turbines are too large to transport over roads or rail due to their extremely large dimensions. RCAM’s concrete additive manufacturing technology allows for wind turbine towers to be constructed at or near the installation site that are up to twice as tall as conventional steel towers.
The project, which was funded by the California Energy Commission Grant EPC-17-023, reduced technological and economic barriers to upgrading, re-powering, and expanding wind power generation in California by enabling cost effective deployment of taller towers built onsite. The project increased new and re-powered wind capacity in California by increasing the wind energy captured from faster winds aloft and facilitating larger wind turbine installations. The new wind energy deployments will increase net jobs constructing and operating wind plants in California.
