Wind turbines are not only used in large-scale operations.  Small wind turbines can be the perfect power generation solution for single customers or isolated communities.  In our latest video, we explore the types and uses of these smaller operations.  At Civil Renewables, we have helped design cost-effective proprietary foundation systems for Small Wind Turbines (SWTs) intended for distributed applications.

In this blog entry, we will provide a review of the structural stability requirements for foundations of buildings and other structures as stipulated in US design standards. We start by reviewing US code content relevant to overall structural stability and, if found, foundation stability. This topic is of particular interest to designers of wind turbine foundations.

The 25th anniversary of Geostrata Magazine is celebrated through an excellent focus on construction QA/QC and emerging data management systems. The magazine is available for free consultation online but we thought of sharing brief summaries of these great articles here to entice our visitors to read this issue back to back.

Wind turbines allow us to convert the wind’s kinetic energy into clean electricity, but the last stage of their life cycle must also be considered.  In our latest video, we show a lighthearted overview of wind turbine recycling.

In our latest video, we dive into more details on how these critical foundations, made of reinforced concrete, are engineered to handle the immense forces generated by wind turbines. From the intricate rebar layout to the step-by-step construction process, you'll see how this system is optimized for constructability and reliability.

Geotechnical engineers talk amongst themselves using abbreviations that project stakeholders and even engineers from other trades struggle to decipher. In this compilation, we present the tip of the iceberg.

The gravity-base (or inverted-T) foundation is the most common system for supporting onshore wind turbine towers. In this video, we outline the key steps involved in constructing a gravity-base foundation.

A civil engineer's education primarily focuses on technical knowledge, which is vital for addressing the technical challenges of our society's infrastructures need and advancing the innovative tools we use to develop them. However, an equally important aspect of professional practice is ethics—understanding what is right and wrong.

Explore the unique features and specifications of the anchor bolt cage, an advanced system critical to the stability and durability of wind turbines!

In 100 out of 144 days since March 8, California met its electricity demand entirely with renewable energy for part of each day. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric power supplied the grid for durations ranging from minutes to ten hours. This milestone underscores the reliability of renewables in high-demand regions. However, further efforts are needed to ensure consistent electricity production during unfavorable weather conditions.

A new report by the think tank Energy Innovation highlights drivers of climbing electricity rates in the US.

Anchored wind turbine foundations work beautifully when they do, but when they don’t, they are a nightmare. That’s why “to anchor or not to anchor” is a fundamental question that has to be thoroughly evaluated when contemplating an anchored wind turbine foundation. In this post, we discuss this efficient wind turbine foundation system and why it should be reserved to particular geotechnical settings.

Community solar is an innovative solution that can help democratize solar energy. This model enables multiple participants to benefit from a single, off-site solar farm. By subscribing to a share of the solar energy produced, participants receive credits on their electricity bills without the installation of solar panels on the roofs of their homes or businesses.

Mother Nature handed out several invaluable lessons over the last two weeks of May 2024: on May 17, strong weather events downed multiple transmission line towers in the Houston area, and on May 20-21, tornadoes destroyed several wind turbines in southwest Iowa. What lessons should we draw from these back-to-back events? Is this a wake-up call? If it is, what is the message of the call? What are the consequences associated with these types of failures and what are the weak links in our nation’s power system? Do we need to rethink how we design wind turbines, or do we need to work harder to slow down the accelerating pattern of more frequent and more extreme weather events? Let’s explore!

US stakeholders are invited to offer input on IEC design standards relative to wind turbine support structures and their foundations through the US mirror committee coordinated by Jomaa Ben Hassine. Current activity includes Amendment 1 and Edition 2 of IEC 61400-6. Find out how to get involved in this community blog entry.

The ACI Foundation Technology Forum is the annual rendez-vous for those dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest in concrete materials and technology. This year, it is taking place in Santa Fe, New Mexico, on May 14-16 and the early-bird registration window closes this Friday, April 23. So, hurry up and register!

“ACI Code-323 Low-Carbon Concrete - Code Requirements and Commentary” is a draft ACI standard currently open for public discussion from March 31 to May 15, 2024. So, what’s Low-Carbon Concrete (LCC) and how does this Code propose to achieve it?

With the first batch of utility-scale wind projects built in the first years of this millennium reaching their 20-year design life, there is increased interest in repowering through life extension and remaining life assessments. What if the question of expected service life had been considered during project design? Well, now there is an ACI design specification intended just for the purpose of providing minimum requirements for performing a service life prediction for new concrete structures. Public comments are being sought on ACI CODE-365. Read more about it here.

In this blog entry, we intend to maintain a list publications of relevance to Civil Renewables, Inc., and by extension, to our clients and our colleagues within the industry.

We welcome addition proposals in the comments sections.

As the industry migrated from the popular octagonal shape and mostly settled on the perfectly round shape, have we reached the limits of shape optimization of shallow wind turbine foundations? In this blog, we present a historical account of this question and explore potential future optimization trends.