The Future for Wind Turbines

Photo by Zhang Feng Sheng on Unsplash

Never underestimate what the simple combination of wood and glue can do. In 2023, we were all blown away by the establishment of the world’s tallest wooden turbine just outside Gothenburg, Sweden, standing at 492 feet tall. This ingenious innovation made use of thin layers of wood that were glued and compressed into cylinders to form the tower. Living under the growing threat of climate change on a daily basis, the call for renewable energy is louder than ever before. Global warming is occurring at a rate that has not been seen in the past 10,000 years and the effect of this has been massive, from falling biodiversity and increased occurrences of extreme weather events.  These wooden turbines have the potential to propel us towards sustainability, illuminating a fresh supply of energy within the industry and responding to the economic forces driving demand.

Photo by Chris LeBoutillier on Unsplash

The core of the wooden wind turbine revolution lies in a simple yet powerful concept- using the power of wind in a more sustainable way. Wind turbines are to a great degree made of steel (to be more specific, more than half of their total mass is steel).  There has been a large increase in the growth in wind electricity generation from 6 billion to 380 billion kilowatt hours from 2000 to 2021 in the United States of America. However, the growing demand only serves to call for more steel, which comes with logistical challenges. Specifically, transporting large metal components to turbine sites poses a significant inconvenience, as many in the wind industry assert; this limitation hinders the potential height that new steel turbines can attain.  Moreover, using steel for wind turbines can be counterproductive due to its negative impact on the climate. This is where the prospect of wooden wind turbines comes in as a sustainable substitute for turbines made of steel. As the company Modvion that built this wooden turbine said, by using wood and glue, the towers can be constructed in tinier and easily transported modules, leading to not only a more efficient substitute but also one that is cost effective. This implies a potential surge in demand for careers within the wind energy sector, seeking skilled workers capable of contributing to economic growth. It leads us towards the possibility of an economically advantageous solution rooted in sustainability on the supply side of this equation.

Now, what drives the demand for structures like wooden turbines? The answer lies in their attractiveness for the well-being of society. By opting for wood over steel, these turbines offer a unique advantage- the complete elimination of the carbon footprint typically associated with conventional wind turbines. The key lies in the natural carbon sequestration process of trees. When the trees are alive, they absorb the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. When these trees are harvested for wooden turbines and the carbon within them is preserved, it prevents emission into the atmosphere. As long as the wood is not subject to rot or burning, this practice effectively mitigates the contribution to climate change by avoiding the release of stored carbon. This approach has the potential to align with government initiatives and respond to societal demand, pushing us toward meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement. By attracting more investments in a low carbon future, it contributes to a collective effort to live in harmony with our environment. This impact is far-reaching, influencing governments, businesses, and communities to set targets and work towards creating a healthier environment, ultimately combating the adverse effects of climate change that affect us all.

Markets are fast. Hence, with these incentives on the demand side, working towards a massive transition towards wooden turbines can quickly construct the new norm in the industry. Looking ahead, the introduction of the wooden wind turbines appears promising. The anticipated surge in market adoption has the potential to trigger not only economic growth within the wind power industry but also contribute to broader societal development.  As sustainability becomes a core global topic in climate conversations, government interventions are creating opportunities for wooden turbines to play a crucial role in the worldwide shift towards clean energy. This has the potential to reshape the renewable energy industry, welcoming a future that is not only more sustainable but also resilient, with lasting benefits for generations to follow.