RWE is modernizing turbines in the US while preserving the existing foundations. By strengthening the foundations, older turbines can be updated and replaced with newer components. This concept of replacing only certain elements of the wind turbine is a first in the US. There are several options. (Photo: RWE)
Texas
When we think of repowering, we usually think of completely dismantling the existing wind farm and building a new wind farm on the same site. For the Champion wind farm in Texas, RWE has started to apply a different concept of repowering, which could be referred to as partial repowering.
RWE’s Champion wind farm in Texas featured wind turbines with a large rotor size of 2.3 MW. Sometimes it is necessary to reinforce certain components. For the 41 top-off turbines, the existing foundations had to be reinforced to withstand the increased loads of the longer turbine blades. As a first for RWE in the United States, the company is modernizing the wind turbines by using the existing foundations.
This provides a sustainable solution to update and replace older turbines with new, modern ones. The solution was found by installing a reinforced concrete collar around the existing foundation and securing it with 480 steel dowel rods that are more than an inch thick and six feet long.
Options
For this concept of replacing only certain elements of the wind turbine, several options are available:
- Rotor
- Rotor + nacelle (or certain parts of the drivetrain)
- Rotor + nacelle + upper tower section
The remaining components are retained, resulting in an upgrade of the wind turbine, which typically leads to higher energy generation and a longer lifespan.
View the OpenStreetMap of the Champion wind farm.
