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TÜV SÜD has Certified the DESIGN BASIS and CONCEPT DESIGN EVALUATION of HWS´ AirBASE foundation for onshore wind turbine generators (WTG).

The design evaluation has included the review of a real case scenario for one of the existing biggest wind turbines in the market, a 5.7 MW with a 150 m high steel tower.

The Certification process started last November 2020 and has lasted for around 6 months. Within the project, TÜV SÜD has performed a profound analysis of a new design methodology required to assess this innovative WTG support system. The technical validation included the review of the geotechnical and structural design, as well as the details of the construction process. The design was proved to comply with IEC21400-22:2010 and other applicable standards like Eurocode 2, Eurocode 3, Eurocode 7, and EIC61400-6.

The work required around 1,750 hours of engineering and the development of near 50 advanced finite element models, among which some general and local models of the soil-structure interaction were analysed. These models were performed in collaboration with the Spanish structural engineering firm INGZERO (www.ingzero.com).

This Certification is a major milestone for the commercialization of the AirBASE and paves the way for the market launch worldwide. In fact, it already created a lot of interest and traction among the key players of the wind sector.

To finalise the development process that started in December 2018 with the patent of the technology, HWS expects to build a pilot in Q1-2022.

About AirBASE technology

AirBASE concept disrupts current structural wind foundation systems by transferring the loads to the soil through four independent supports, which are connected to two/four precast posttensioned girders placed in a cross-shape. This way, the load transfer from structure to soil is optimized, which can become important as the wind turbine size increases.

The AirBASE foundation can be used for any wind turbine, with unlimited rated power, for any wind tower, made in steel or concrete, and any soil conditions.

The bigger the turbine, the higher the cost-effectiveness of the AirBASE.

Its main advantage is the cost reduction: savings can reach up to 35% in certain markets. Other advantages are the industrialization and standardization of the product, which reduces the risk of projects by enhancing the quality control process and reducing construction time and on-site resources.