Press Releases
January 15, 2005
Wind Tower Systems receives $1.5 million Grant from the California Energy Commission to Demonstrate Low Speed Wind Turbine
The California Energy Commission (CEC) announced on November 12th that Wind Tower Systems (WT), a Utah based technology company has been selected as one of three technology teams awarded a grant for the CEC’s “Expanded Wind Regime Turbine Technology and Intermittency Management Demonstration” project solicitation. Wind Tower Systems, a Heber City company, received $1.5 million to demonstrate its composite wind turbine tower at a site in California in Dec. ’05. The tower product was specifically selected for demonstration of expanded wind resources at greater heights using the new technology.
Previously, WT received two consecutive grants from the United States Department of Energy (DOE) for $850,000 to develop, engineer, and test the components of a 80 meter, 1.5 megawatt, lightweight wind turbine tower that uses a unique space frame geometry of carbon composite tubes. This funding also supported the engineering of a crane-less elevator lifting system for installation of the turbine and blades. A final 80 meter and preliminary 125 meter tower design along with subscale testing have been completed with help from Brigham Young University and Southern Utah University. Full scale tube manufacturing as well as ultimate and fatigue testing at Brigham Young University will begin in late winter and is scheduled for completion in June ‘05.
The CEC grant money will offset some of the remaining costs to manufacture the crane-less elevator lifting system. WT will then use 50 percent matching funds to purchase the 1.5 MW wind turbine to be used for testing and certification of a 80m tower/turbine combination at the California test site. This demonstration is the first step towards certification of the world’s tallest tower for MW class turbines at 125m expected in ’08. “At standard heights, the lower weight, on-site assembly, and crane-less installation will enable small projects as well as logistically difficult sites such as ridgetops, islands, and other remote areas lacking roads infrastructure and crane access while the taller 125m tower is unique in its ability to capture more wind at greater heights at low cost” says Tracy Livingston, President of Wind Tower Systems. “This will enable the development of Class 3 wind sites, which historically have been uneconomical to develop. Many areas are known to have a vast number of Class 3 wind sites that could be economically developed with this new technology,” added Livingston. According to the company, the taller tower is expected to demonstrate a substantial reduction in costs of energy in even low wind shear locals.
Wasatch Wind, an affiliate of Wind Tower Systems, is involved in project development for locations particularly suitable to the new tower system. The company is also building a small community based wind farm in Spanish Fork Canyon. Currently, this wind farm is engaged in the permitting process with Spanish Fork City and has installed an 82 meter IsoTruss meteorological tower to verify the wind speeds.
Date: Jan. 15, 2005
Contact: Public Relations at Wasatch Wind.
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