GE Renewable Energy, Cobod and LafargeHolcim have announced that they will partner to co-develop wind turbines with optimized 3D printed concrete bases, reaching heights up to 200 meters. The partners will produce ultimately a wind turbine prototype with a printed pedestal, and a production ready printer and materials range to scale up production. The first prototype, a 10-meter high tower pedestal, was successfully printed in October 2019 in Copenhagen.GE Renewable Energy will provide expertise related to the design, manufacture and commercialisation of wind turbines, Cobod will focus on the robotics automation and 3D printing and LafargeHolcim will design the tailor-made concrete material, its processing and application.
Traditionally built in steel or precast concrete, wind turbine towers have typically been limited to a height of under 100 meters, as the width of the base cannot exceed the 4.5-meter diameter that can be transported by road, without excessive additional costs. Printing a variable height base directly on-site with 3D-printed concrete technology will enable the construction of towers up to 150 to 200 meters tall.