Wind turbine manufacturer Enercon has announced a partnership with Salzgitter and TM Group to produce a pioneering lower-emissions steel tower, marking a significant milestone in Germany's push towards more sustainable wind turbine production.
The collaboration will involve Enercon working alongside Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH, a subsidiary of Salzgitter, and TM Group company SMB Schönebecker Maschinenbau GmbH. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint of steel production for wind turbine towers, a key component in the industry's sustainability efforts.
The new steel tower components are set to be utilized in early 2025 on an E-138 EP3 wind turbine, part of the Diepholzer Bruch wind farm project in Lower Saxony, Germany. This will make it one of the first onshore wind turbines in Europe and the first in Germany to feature a tower made from lower-emissions steel, often referred to as “green steel.
Enercon's global procurement director for towers, Stefan Frey, expressed optimism about the project, stating: “Working together with such strong partners from the steel industry means we are making significant progress in our mission to integrate sustainability systematically and measurably in our products and processes.” He added that by combining expertise, the partners aim to reduce the CO2 footprint of the steel tower by more than 70%.
The steel used for the tower will be produced using a CO2-reduced process, involving slabs from Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH's sister company, Peiner Träger GmbH, and other European partners. These slabs are made entirely from scrap in an electric arc furnace, which helps lower emissions compared to traditional steel production methods.
Thorsten Gintaut, managing director of sales at Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH, highlighted the importance of the project, stating: “We are working closely with strong research and industry partners to achieve a steel production that is as climate-neutral as possible. We are therefore very pleased to be producing the first lower-emissions tower for a wind turbine in Germany together with Enercon and other companies from the steel industry.”
The initiative marks a significant step in the transition towards more sustainable wind energy infrastructure, with Enercon aiming to offer a more eco-friendly tower option for future projects while maintaining high standards of quality and cutting-edge technology.
