All-Steel Towers: A Sunset in the Wind Power Market?

All-Steel Towers: A Sunset in the Wind Power Market?All-steel towers were once the go-to choice for the wind power industry. However, as wind turbine capacities continue to climb and blade lengths increase, the "golden age" of all-steel towers seems to be coming to an end

All-Steel Towers: A Sunset in the Wind Power Market?

All-steel towers were once the go-to choice for the wind power industry. However, as wind turbine capacities continue to climb and blade lengths increase, the "golden age" of all-steel towers seems to be coming to an end.

High Costs and Flexibility Deficiencies: The "Fatal Weaknesses" of All-Steel Towers

As wind turbine capacities continue to rise, blade lengths have also increased to ensure power generation. Take the 131-meter onshore wind turbine blade launched by Sany Heavy Industry as an example; a turbine equipped with such a long blade requires a tower height of at least 140 meters. When tower heights reach 140 meters, the high cost of all-steel towers becomes an insurmountable obstacle.

Expert data shows that a 140-meter or taller hybrid tower can reduce costs by 30% to 50% compared to a conventional steel tower. As the wind wheel diameter further increases, the cost advantage of hybrid towers becomes even more evident. For a turbine with a 200-meter wind wheel diameter, compared to a 165-meter turbine, the overall load on the system will increase by 40% under the same wind speed, leading to a significant increase in steel usage for steel towers.

Besides cost issues, steel towers also suffer from flexibility deficiencies, particularly in scenarios with heights exceeding 140 meters and wind wheel diameters exceeding 150 meters. To control costs, the flexibility deficiencies of steel towers become more pronounced. To avoid resonance problems caused by the flexibility of steel towers, turbines need to optimize their control strategies, which can result in some power generation losses.

The Rise of Hybrid Towers: Gaining Market Share

It is precisely because of the cost and flexibility problems of all-steel towers that hybrid towers have gradually become the market mainstream. Hybrid towers, which use a combination of steel and concrete, can ensure both tower strength and stability while effectively reducing costs. Statistical data shows that the proportion of hybrid towers in the new wind power market reached 30% in 2023, and this proportion is accelerating annually. It is expected that in the next 2-3 years, the share of hybrid towers in the onshore wind power market will exceed 50%.

Hybrid Tower Design and Manufacturing Companies: Opportunities and Challenges Await

The rise of hybrid towers has created new development opportunities for hybrid tower design and manufacturing companies, while also presenting new challenges. The key to seizing these opportunities lies in the company's product design capabilities and technological level.

However, the hybrid tower market is not without risks. There have been two previous instances of mass quality problems with hybrid towers, resulting in substantial compensation. Some companies have "fallen before dawn" in the face of explosive market growth.

The "Sunset" of All-Steel Towers: Future Outlook

As onshore wind turbine capacities continue to break through, turbines exceeding 15 MW will gradually enter the market. With such large capacity models, tower heights will inevitably become higher, making the advantages of hybrid towers even more evident. Therefore, the position of all-steel towers in the onshore wind power market will continue to decline, eventually being replaced by hybrid towers.

Although the market share of all-steel towers will gradually shrink, it does not mean they will completely disappear. In some special scenarios, such as offshore wind power and special terrains, all-steel towers still have advantages.

In conclusion, as the wind power industry continues to evolve, the "sunset" of all-steel towers is inevitable. The rise of hybrid towers will bring new development momentum to the wind power industry. In the future, hybrid tower design and manufacturing companies will play an even more important role in market competition.

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