Wood - A game changer for the energy industry

There’s lots going on in terms of development in the renewable energy industry. An example is the work underway at the tech company Modvion in Gothenburg. They use modern and innovative technology to build sustainable wind turbines with wood as the material.

Just outside Skara stands Wind of Change, a fully functioning wind turbine supported by a 105 metre-high tower built of Nordic spruce. The world’s tallest wooden wind turbine tower. The turbine was assembled in 2023 and is technology company Modvion’s first commercial structure. Founded by David Olivegren, Otto Lundman and Joakim Örneblad together with Chalmers Ventures, the company is now able to manufacture and operate wind turbines with a design that uses wood instead of concrete and steel.

– We have come incredibly far. So far, in fact, that we have a machine, a full-scale, fully productive wind turbine with a total height of 150 metres. It supports a V90-megawatt platform and produces like any standard power plant, says David Olivegren.

Wind of Change embodies for the first time what this unique technology can look like on a commercial scale. The tower is built in seven sections consisting of a total of 28 modules. It reaches a total height of 150 metres including the blades. The modules are made of laminated wood that is glued together, making it possible to deliver wind towers with minimal environmental impact.

Breaking new ground

The technology that made Wind of Change possible comes from the partnership Modvion has with RISE, Research Institutes of Sweden. To certify the innovative wind turbines as machines, Modvion needed help from a qualified partner.

– We need to show that the machine will withstand all the extreme stresses it may be exposed to during its lifetime. To do this, we need help from an accredited testing institute, in our case RISE. Together, we define test areas to determine whether our calculations of the strengths and properties of the plants are correct. Tests are then carried out at RISE, says David Olivegren.

– Some of the test methods follow exact standards while others are customised. As it is a completely new field, it is not always entirely appropriate to use standardised methods. There is rarely one right way for something that is completely new. So a huge number of specialised methods have been designed during the trials with Modvion, a fantastically creative piece of work, adds Viktor Norbäck, research and development engineer at RISE.

Strength in a lightweight material

Wood has several advantages as a component material in wind turbines, not least for the climate. This is because you can help reduce carbon emissions by working strategically and, where appropriate, replacing traditional building materials such as concrete and steel with wood.

– The advantages are that it is a very light material that is also able to handle dynamic loads. The strength per unit weight is higher than for steel and concrete. This makes it an excellent material for building modular structures, says David Olivegren.

The works are designed for a long life. David Olivegren says that wooden structures remain stable for a long time, especially when they are protected.

– It takes an awful lot to change the climate in which the wooden tower lives. On the outside, it is protected by a strong coating and carefully assembled joints. So it is not affected by the external climate or moisture content and therefore lives in very even conditions.

Once the power plant has served its purpose, the wood that supported it will live on in other forms. The strong laminated structures of the towers can be dismantled and sawn into beams and columns used to build homes. In a third phase, the wood may eventually become paper.

Stable commodity prices open new doors

The technology makes it possible to build tall wind turbines at low cost. This is because the raw material prices for timber are not affected by trade barriers or the global economy in the same way as steel prices, for example. For energy producers, this is an attractive proposition because, due to cost efficiency, they can achieve higher power output and lower cost per kilowatt hour produced.

– It is also the case that we are not dependent on materials from any other region. We build in the material that is available where we are. When our manufacturing takes place in the Nordic region, we use Nordic spruce. When we expand and move across the Atlantic, we will buy American and Canadian spruce, says David Olivegren.

The winds of change are blowing in Gothenburg

Work is currently underway to launch the next generation of wind turbines. This time in partnership with Vestas, a global leader in wind power manufacturing. They will support the EnVentus platform and, in the future, other manufacturers’ large megawatt platforms.

– The wind power industry is changing forever. There’s a huge shift happening right now as we prove it works and roll out the next generation. It’s revolutionary for the industry and super exciting, says David Olivegren.

The transition in the electricity and energy industry will be monitored and highlighted at Elfack 2025. From 6 to 9 May, the entire industry will come together to meet future challenges and opportunities with a complete exhibition, meetings and discussions, an extensive seminar programme and educational activities.

Find out more about Elfack – Northern Europe’s premier meeting place for energy and electrification.