The demand for renewable energy has resulted in the rapid development of wind energy worldwide. In spite of the COVID-19 pandemic, the wind industry recorded a record-breaking year in 2020 – global onshore wind capacity has quadrupled since 2009, reaching more than 700 gigawatts last year. Cleaner, greener transport has been a major driver in the adoption of renewable energy: in the European Union, 8.0% of the energy used for transport in 2018 was renewable, up from 7.1% in 2017, 3.9% in 2008, and 1.4% in 2004. This upward trend is only likely to continue, and the challenge is now for wind farms to keep pace.
So what is the impact of increasing demand on wind energy infrastructure as we move towards net zero? The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) estimates that we need to increase wind power three times faster over the next 10 years to stand a chance of meeting net zero by 2050. Onshore wind is already an established, mainstream energy source that competes on the same level as new coal and gas plants in terms of cost, often beating operating costs. Accelerating onshore wind energy deployment means more wind farms, larger turbines and a focus on optimizing wind-plant performance and whole-life considerations to avoid unnecessary maintenance and downtime.
Compare these giant structures to the typical wind turbines of the 1990s, when hub heights and rotor diameters were around 30m – clearly, the already considerable physical load involved in installing and operating wind towers has increased significantly. As turbines become ‘supersized’, getting the grout right has never been more important!
Wind turbines pose a unique challenge. Their safe, lasting installation is highly dependent on the design of and correct interaction between all components. Fixing the base of the wind tower requires a grout with high resistance to dynamic loads. As increased reliance on wind energy and larger turbine structures become the norm, Master Builders Solutions’ commitment to sustainability and innovation has driven the development and launch of the ultra-high strength grout for onshore steel towers: MasterFlow 9400.
MasterFlow 9400 has been specially developed for grouting wind turbine installations that are installed using pre-stressing techniques, such as base plate grouting of onshore wind turbines. It promises long-term, maintenance-free durability while guaranteeing safer, faster and more profitable wind farm installation.
Robust and reliable MasterFlow 9400 is certified for use in fixing all steel towers, whether concrete foundations are of an above-plinth, shallow-trench or deep-trench design. It has been specially formulated for applications where shrinkage-compensating grout is required. When mixed with water, it is uniform, smooth, pumpable and features high initial and final strength properties.
MasterFlow 9400 can be applied in: above-plinth foundations, with consumption of around 0.8t of grout; shallow trench systems with a consumption of approximately 1-3t of grout; and deep trench systems, with a consumption of 4-12t of grout.