Project description
Going higher to produce more power
High altitude wind power plants are the future of wind energy production. Since wind tends to blow faster and more constantly the higher you go, taller towers can lower the cost of energy. The EU-funded Modvion project is developing the next generation of cost-efficient tall towers. Specifically, it will bring to market the first ever modular wind turbine tower made from laminated wood (LVL), which can be built with a larger diameter base and have 55 % more strength than steel per weight. Compared to the traditional steel tower, the wooden tower is also better for the environment, with CO2 storage instead of emissions. A 150 m tall first commercial installation near Gothenburg, Sweden, will be used as a demonstrator and the basis for research into the development of other wind turbine components.
Objective
In the next 10 years, European wind power capacity will double. To maximize energy output & turbine efficiency, one of the most promising innovations is high altitude wind power plants. By building taller towers, we can exploit up to 2x stronger winds, lowering the cost of energy.
Modvion is a wood construction engineering company founded in 2016. Our mission is to develop & bring to market the next generation of cost-efficient tall towers for wind turbines in engineered wood – nature's carbon fibre. Modvion’s team grew constantly, with highly specialized people joining the team. This led to our first patent and, currently, another pending patent.
We bring to market the first ever modular wind turbine tower made from laminated wood (LVL). Using Modvion technology, towers can be built, with a larger diameter base. This increases its strength, thus leading to taller & stronger towers. By using engineered wood such as LVL, we were able to develop a structure with 55% more strength than steel per weight.
Modvion’s innovative tower comes in modules that are optimized for strength, ease of transportation & can be efficiently assembled at the installation site. This enables us to go well beyond 150 meters at costs by up to 40% lower resulting in a 6% lower cost of energy.
Modvion is currently preparing the installation of a 30-meter prototype near Gothenburg, Sweden that will be used both as a demonstrator, as well as research basis for the development of other wind turbine components.
In terms of environmental impact, our product shows a zero impact and, compared to alternatives, this impact goes well beyond other market alternatives. As a system made of wood, our turbine tower holds the CO2 captured by trees during their growth & trapped in the tower and can cut 2,000 tons of CO2 per 150m tower when replacing a traditional steel tower.
Through this EIC Accelerator project, we intend to reach TRL9 with our wind turbine tower & start full commercial scale operations.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2Coordinator
412 92 Goteborg
Sweden
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.