In recent weeks, the first WH6.25N-182 “3060 hybrid” wind tower, a standardized and modularized tower that was independently developed and manufactured by Shanghai Electric Wind Power Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Shanghai Electric Wind Power”), was hoisted at the Chaoshuishan desert, symbolizing the commercialization of this product.

The last few years see a wide range of applications of the steel-concrete hybrid tower in regions with a low wind speed and high wind shear value due to its high rigidity, security, stability and low raw material cost. The “3060 hybrid tower” solution designed is customized by Shanghai Electric Wind Power for the new large-capacity turbine under all circumstances with high profitability.

With properties of standardization, high accuracy and adjustable walls, the new hybrid tower adopts a modular design approach that reduces design and manufacturing time, and addresses issues that arise from different production lines, automatic and digital, by using highly accurate adjustable wall mold (the thickness of the duct piece can be either 30mm or 60mm) despite different parameters demanded by various projects, tower types and mold producers.

So far, this product has 13 patents for horizontal molds, tooling that adjusts wall thickness, tooling and tools for assembling duct pieces and others. Shanghai Electric Wind Power implements whole-process quality control by developing more than 100 documents and standardized systems in this aspect for 36 procedures including duct production, transportation and installation, mold assembly, hoisting, delivery and assembly tools. While molds are primarily used by Shanghai Electric Wind Power’s turbines, they also have ports for other turbine producers, which makes it possible to share factories and molds with multiple suppliers and build a new inclusive ecosystem.

With business units for blades, drive chain and hybrid tower formed respectively, Shanghai Electric Wind Power accelerates technological penetration of core parts, such as the hybrid tower, and their supply chain-related businesses to gain thorough control over core parts from design technologies to manufacturing procedures, and to enhance its competitiveness on the tech side.