Speira is collaborating with Bayards Aluminium Solutions, a world leader in the design and manufacturing of large-scale complex aluminum equipment and structures, to advocate for the use of aluminum as a more environmentally friendly alternative for the construction of the nacelles of modern wind turbines. Compared to conventional materials, aluminum provides clear advantages for the environment and efficiency.
“We see aluminum as a key material for the sustainable further development of the wind power industry,” said Reinhard Pritzlaff, technical advisor at Speira. “Its recyclability and technical properties make it an ideal solution for minimizing the ecological footprint of modern onshore and offshore wind turbines.”
The renewable energy is continually expanding, which requires sustainable solutions in order to keep its ecological footprint as small as possible. Whether for new installations or repowering, the technology utilized need to not only be optimized for maximum energy yield, but also need materials solutions that meet performance requirements while also being able to achieve a sustainable life cycle.
Conventional methods of constructing wind turbine nacelles (the covers housing the power generating components of a wind turbine) include glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GRP) or steel. GRP, a commonly used material in wind turbines, is based on petrochemical raw materials and is difficult or almost impossible to recycle. By comparison, aluminum sets standards in terms of sustainability, with 100% of the material able to be reused after each life cycle without any loss of quality. Recycling also only requires 5% of the energy of the original primary production — an advantage that significantly reduces CO₂ emissions and makes aluminum a so-called “permanent” metal. This is why aluminium components retain their high economic value even at the end of their life cycle.
“With Aluminium, we create almost closed material circularity that improves the environmental balance of wind turbines,” said Pritzlaff. ” This is not only good for nature — the energy-saving recycling also makes economic sense.”
Aluminium also offers advantages over steel. It not only has a significantly lower weight, which makes it easier to transport and install the nacelles, but it is also highly resistant to corrosion. Nacelle cladding made of aluminum is maintenance-free and can be integrated into the nacelle’s waste heat management system thanks to aluminum’s superior thermal conductivity. This means, for example, that the necessary heat exchangers can be smaller. Despite its lower weight, aluminum meets all the strength and durability requirements that are crucial for modern wind turbines.
With this in mind, Speira and Bayards have developed a developed a modular concept for nacelle cladding using aluminum. The initial calculations for the design show promising results, providing 18% less weight compared to GRP constructions, 67% less CO₂ emissions during production, and 100% recyclability after each life cycle.
“Our modular concept with aluminum not only brings ecological benefits, but also shows that sustainability, efficiency, and flexibility can go hand in hand,” explained Herman Langerak at Bayards Aluminium Solutions.
The wind power industry is facing the challenge of combining an increasing demand for renewable energy with sustainable solutions. As this new nacelle design shows, aluminum offers one way to achieve these goals.
“Now is the time to actively drive material change in wind power,” emphasized Pritzlaff. “We want to add our materials expertise to the industry’s technical learning curve. With aluminum, we are opening up a new dimension of sustainability.”
