The SAFETOWER project main objective is the development of an integrated design concept for large wind energy towers with increased base diameters taking into consideration the requirements of onsite conditions. The integrated concept includes an optimised tower design regarding total tower mass, fabrication and erection conditions.

The project intends to introduce an alternative system of certification to allow workers with previously unrecognized welding competences and experience, to have these competences properly and officially recognized.



The major objectives are to:

Prove the technical viability of the monolithic wind tower using High Strength Steel by numerical simulation, mechanical testing and model scale manufacturing;
Improve wind tower overall behaviour to fatigue;
Overcome overall transport limitations for larger towers and ensure accessibility of the best onshore locations;
Tailor manufacturing safe methods for wind towers erected in remote areas in terms of mobile factory layout, assembly procedures and overall logistics procedures;
Carry out cost benefit analysis for the SAFETOWER design.



The partnership is composed of:

Instituto de Soldadura e Qualidade (ISQ), Portugal
Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Universität Hannover (LUH), Germany
Centro Sviluppo Materiali (CSM), Italy
Fundacion ITMA (ITMA), Spain
Onderzoekscentrum voor Aanwending van Staal (OCAS), Belgium
Gamesa Innovation and Technology (GAMESA), Spain
Siag Schaaf Industrie AG (SIAG), Germany
Germanischer Lloyd, Competence Centre Renewables Certification (GL RC),Germany
European Welding Federation (EWF), Portugal