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SPONSORS OF THE CONCRETE FOUNDATION FEATURE


THE USE OF CONCRETE FOR WIND FARMS


The Government’s Renewable Energy Strategy outlines how the UK aims to move towards generating 15 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.


Of this, wind is expected to account for over 40 per cent. To generate the electricity required, onshore and offshore wind farms will need to look to bigger turbines, rotor diameters, tower heights, remote locations and deeper water.


Concrete is already used in over 90 per cent of land based wind farms and can help achieve the increased scale needed. Its strength and durability performance in deep water has also been proved through its use in the oil exploration.


ONSHORE WIND FARMS


Precast concrete rings are used to create wind turbine towers while ready-mixed concrete is used for turbine bases and ground works. The addition of Hanson Regen® (ground granulated blastfurnace slag), a sustainable cement replacement product, can reduce the embodied CO2 emissions by over 900kg per tonne of concrete as well as improving durability.


Regen® was specified in the construction of the Clyde windfarm in Scotland because of its sustainable credentials. The site near Abington in South Lanarkshire will be Europe’s biggest on-shore windfarm with 165 wind turbines generating electricity for up to 370,000 homes.


The base of each turbine contains 350 cubic metres of concrete, with a cementitious content of 400kg per cubic metre. A Regen® content of 70 per cent was specified to ensure the structure met its environmental and durability criteria. Over 16,000 tonnes of Regen® will be used in the project – saving 86 tonnes of CO2 emissions.


OFFSHORE WIND FARMS


Offshore concrete gravity foundations can provide significant benefits particularly in water deeper than 20 metres. Hanson UK’s parent company, HeidelbergCement Group, has been developing prototype off-shore wind farm gravity basis for the last few years, including six for Thornton Bank off the Belgian coast. Each of the deep water concrete turbine bases contains 70 per cent Regen® to reduce CO2 emissions and provide resistance to sulphate and chlorine attack.


BENEFITS OF CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION


• Low maintenance • Design and construction flexibility • Material flexibility • Dynamic performance • Availability • Lifetime costs • Sustainable credentials • Suitability • Technical knowledge and experience


Hanson www.hanson.com/uk.


www.windenergynetwork.co.uk


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