Posted by Vanja Landeck - 28 March, 2022
Onshore wind is the most cost-effective form of renewable energy, producing electricity more cheaply than coal, gas, nuclear and other renewables. In 2020, 108 GW of onshore wind was installed worldwide – almost doubling 2019 growth. Master Builders Solutions’ research into the application of chemistry in the wind energy sector has put us at the forefront of construction chemicals for wind turbines. The central goal of adding value is baked into our high-strength grout solutions, which speed up installation and increase the lifespan of wind turbines, from the foundations to the blades. Discover how our MasterFlow grouts are making a difference to clean-power generation.
The engineering challenge
When employing grouting techniques to install onshore wind turbines on foundations, the grout specified must provide high resistance to dynamic loads. During the lifetime of the wind park, it will have to absorb enormous vibrations, torque and wind power continuously.
As well as withstanding the ongoing effects of the weather, high-performance grouts must be able to accommodate increasing turbine sizes and, consequently, engineering demands. The move towards renewable energy is gathering pace as the planet strives to overcome its reliance on fossil fuels and move towards net zero. At the same time, towers are getting taller to capture more wind energy at higher altitudes. As a result, standard grouts are no longer sufficient to secure the tower base flange area of a wind turbine.
Onshore heights for utility-scale land-based wind turbines have increased 59% since 1998-1999, to about 90 meters in 2020. To put this into perspective, that’s roughly the same height as the Statue of Liberty! As wind towers get bigger, grouts have to offer higher initial strength development, earlier fastening and tensioning of anchors and metallic aggregate for fatigue resistance – all essential to avoid premature failure.
A track record for Onshore turbine installation
Get the foundations right, and you can look forward to long-term fatigue resistance for onshore wind turbines. The grouting of wind towers to the base is a critical stage in their construction – a potential point of weakness that is too important to compromise on.
Master Builders Solutions’ onshore grout business has built a global reputation and client base as the appetite for wind energy has grown. So far, we’re proud to have achieved some major milestones with our tried-and-tested high-strength grouts for wind energy that set us apart.
- More than 400 projects in 50 countries worldwide
- More than 28 million kgs of wind-turning grout material applied
- Ten globally operating wind turbine manufacturers as clients
- 100 licensed contractors certified and recertified worldwide
Better by chemistry
Our range of warrantied and certified ultra-high-performance grouts for anchoring onshore wind towers draws on our heritage of specialist grout experience alongside the latest plasticizer technology and our nanotechnology formulation for cementitious mortars. Better grouts bring added toughness and energy absorption, combining excellent performance to meet the highest market demands with reduced whole-life costs, supporting profitable wind energy generation.
The properties of our independently validated grouts are tailored to speed up installation. Each product is designed to accelerate progress and make optimum use of weather windows through rapid early strength build-up to excellent flowability, extended workability, excellent pumpability and shrinkage compensation.
Licensed applicators trained for success
Correct installation is critical to ensure a long-lasting solution – no matter how suitable the grout is, unskilled application can cause issues. From the very start, our licensed applicator scheme has ensured conformity to high installation standards by industry-leading contractors. We work closely with our certified applicators, who are regularly trained by our experts, so that they have an in-depth understanding of how to handle and apply our MasterFlow grouts as they install wind towers.
Only applicators who have demonstrated their capability to install our grouts to the highest standards using specialist equipment over a significant period of time receive licensed applicator standards. Our scheme is stringent, giving owners the reassurance of consistent quality delivered by experienced personnel committed to training and re-training.
If you’re involved in making low-cost, low-carbon onshore wind happen, find out more about our range of high-strength grouts for onshore wind solutions here: https://www.master-builders-solutions.com/en-gb/solutions/for-wind-energy-foundations-and-towers
