“It solves one of the biggest challenges for the wind industry in the coming decades”

Wind power is a key source of renewable energy in the UK and a London-based start-up is poised to solve a common problem in the industry, particularly for installations in hard-to-reach locations.

According to a report by Interesting Engineering, Sense Wind recently completed the first test of its “self-installing” tower system at the Tormywheel wind farm in Scotland.

The pioneering Sense (Self Erecting Nacelle and Service System) test involved a 6 megawatt (MW) turbine with a tripod frame, modular tower and mounting system that allowed the rotor nacelle section to be remotely transported to the summit without the need for large and specialist lifting systems.

“The SENSEWind 6MW demonstration project, with its new tower design, addresses one of the biggest challenges facing the wind industry in the coming decades – how to economically transport and construct large turbines with tall towers in remote locations,” said Chris Walker, CEO of Muirhall Energy (which commissioned the site in 2017) and a member of the Sense Wind board.

Technicians will still be needed to assemble the rotors and nacelle at ground level and attach them to the rail system that will transport them to the top, where they will also need to be bolted down.

The automated system reduces maintenance costs and increases worker safety while speeding up the turbine assembly and maintenance process. In addition, the rail system includes standard steel pipe components commonly used in the oil and gas industry, which are now being reused in this green technology venture.

The company hopes to introduce the automated system to commercial onshore markets in 2027 and to deploy it in fixed-bottom offshore projects by 2030.

These actions are in line with the UK’s aim to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, as well as the more ambitious target of generating 100% of its electricity from zero carbon sources by 2035.

In 2023, the country will have installed more than 11,000 wind turbines with a combined output of 30 gigawatts, evenly distributed between onshore and offshore farms. It is clear that the country has seen the benefits of harnessing this natural resource from a traditionally windy island.

The UK recently set a record by generating 56% of the country’s electricity demand in just half an hour last December during a storm.

Because wind turbine installation and maintenance require skilled technicians, even with Sense Wind’s groundbreaking automation tools, this renewable energy sector is a great source of jobs in the area. And as a clean, non-polluting source of energy, it’s ideally suited to remote, rural areas.

The push towards wind power has already proven effective. According to GreenMatch, “in October 2023, wind power was the dominant source of electricity generation in the UK, accounting for 33.7% of total electricity generated.”

Sense Wind’s work can only help boost the country’s use of this renewable energy source. The company also plans to expand into the offshore sector soon.

Sense Wind CEO Julian Brown explained: “By solving the logistics and cost challenge of towers, we see the Sense solution being used in onshore wind projects with tall towers, as well as in offshore wind projects with fixed bottoms as a competitive alternative to very large monopiles. The design can also be easily integrated into the structure of many leading floating foundation concepts.”

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