GoldWind Technology, a company based in the Beijing Economical-Technological Development Area, launched a wind-power anchored base product after 17 months of research and development through its subsidiary Beijing Tianshan High-tech Wind Power Technology Co., Ltd. ("Tianshan High-tech"), closing an industrial gap in China.

With this innovative result that enables lower costs and longer life spans of wind power generators, the overall industry will benefit in an age of receding subsidies and equal-tariff grid connections.

Anchored Base (partial I)

Countries around the world have been increasingly prioritizing the development of wind power as a form of clean energy. 

In China, wind power generation technologies have been iterated with efficiency, in terms of generation systems as well as tower/base manufacturing and engineering. Power generators of a total height of over 200 meters (including the impellor) have been widely seen in mid-eastern China. In tower systems of such height the base connection components play a critical role. 

"Under the guidance of equal-tariff grid connection policies, the 'economic-style' wind power stations are under development," said Ou Cong, vice general-manager of Tianshan High-tech and executive director of the Wind Power Structure Branch of the China Steel Structure Association. "However, this does not mean just low cost, but rather wind power stations with controlled cost, longer life spans and higher quality." 

As the wind power generation sector has entered an age of equal-tariff grid connection, Tianshan High-tech is setting out to develop an anchored base product developed from existing products for "economic-style wind power stations". 

Anchor Cable Base (partial II)

Over the course of 17 months, Tianshan High-tech developed an innovative anchored base product after design, material sourcing, processing, trial, installation, and on-site testing. The product, capitalizing on its high strength, low weight and low cost, uses multiple small-diameter pre-stressed steel strands that have been widely used in projects, such as the Birds' Nest, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, the Three Gorges Dam, and several dozen wind-power structures. 

Wind Power Turbine 

The anchored product replaces the steel bar used in high-strength bolt connection products due to good economics, easy installation, and shorter implementation time. In terms of material technologies, using multiple steel strands has addressed a fundamental issue in conventional materials -- hydrogen embrittlement -- that leads to fracturing of the steel bars, enabling higher security redundancy of the base. The product also lowers purchase costs and addresses the issue of large-diameter steel tower transport for some overseas projects, thanks to its capacity to elevate the base and reduce the height of the main structure.  

Additionally, higher fire-proof performance of the concrete material in the base enables integrated design of the base and pre-fabrication of substations. In this way, the low-voltage side can use shorter cables, which helps cut overall project costs by three to five percent for tower and base structures. Even the land use can be reduced.

China has targeted bringing carbon emissions to a peak by 2030 and becoming carbon-neutral by 2060. In 2020, newly-installed wind power generation capacity reached 70 million kilowatts across China. According to projections, the wind power sector will continue to see robust demands before 2030. Overall, the market for the wind power base connection parts is valued at 1 to 1.5 billion yuan a year. 

Tianshan High-tech said it will launch its self-developed anchored base product, dually certified by China Central Certification and the China Classification Society, to address some pressing issues faced by the industry and facilitate construction of "economic-style wind power stations."