Max Bögl unveils 'next-gen' hybrid tower

GERMANY: Tower specialist Max Bögl has launched the next generation of its hybrid turbine tower, which it says is "more cost effective".

Max Bögl claimed its next generation hybrid turbine tower is quicker and cheaper to install

The German firm said its "2.0 concept" means turbines can be installed at "the hub heights demanded by the market".

It has also made the manufacture and installation of the towers more cost effective, according to the company.

Changes from the first generation of hybrid tower include simplified pre-tensioning, higher fatigues strengths, lower stress peaks and fewer tendons, the engineering firm said.

Further, the internal lift and ladder will be installed at the same time as the concrete section of the tower.

This parallel installation reduces assembly time, the company added.

Finally, Max Bögl claimed, the segments of the tower can be transported by standard trucks, removing the need for heavy lift vehicles.

"The market demands more cost-effective wind turbines to meet the new challenges created by [Germany’s] Renewable Energy Sources Act.

"Turbine technology is becoming more powerful, and rotors are constantly getting bigger and heavier," said Max Bögl Wind CEO Josef Knitl.

"Our hybrid tower 2.0 is capable of meeting both structural as well as economic requirements. This allows for the continued expansion of renewable energies under the new market conditions," Knitl added.