Stora Enso and wood technology company Modvion are partnering to establish wood as the material of choice for wind turbine towers. The collaboration’s purpose is to demonstrate the possibilities in using wood in demanding constructions.
Modvion builds wind turbine towers with laminated veneer lumber (LVL), which proportionate to its weight is stronger than steel. Stora Enso is a leading supplier of mass timber products, including LVL. The towers are built in lightweight modules, enabling taller towers and easy transportation on public roads without permits or road reconstructions. Taller towers reach stronger winds, leading to more cost-efficient energy production.
“We are proud to enter into partnership with Modvion who, like us, strive to push boundaries and demonstrate the possibilities with wood.” says Lars Völkel, executive vice president of division wood products at Stora Enso. “As one of the largest sawn wood producers and private forest owners in the world, we play an important role in the transformation to a greener society. By contributing our expertise to Modvion, we can further help make a difference in mitigating climate change and supporting the EU’s drive to increase renewable energy production.”
Using wood, a renewable resource, can reduce the CO2 emissions for the tower by 90% while also storing carbon dioxide that has been taken up by trees during their growth. The wood used for advanced constructions, such as wind turbine towers, can be reused in new wood-based products, which provides further long-term climate benefits.
“The commitment of Stora Enso to replace fossil-based materials with renewables is a perfect match for Modvion,” comments Otto Lundman, CEO of Modvion. “To solve the climate crisis, we need more renewable energy as well as increased use of sustainable, wooden constructions. Together with Stora Enso, we can enable both.”
Stora Enso is a provider of renewable products in packaging, biomaterials, wooden construction and paper as well as one of the largest private forest owners in the world.
Modvion develops designs made of laminated wood for large-scale applications. The Swedish wood technology company is partially financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, the Västra Götaland region and the EU program Horizon 2020 EIC Accelerator.
