Innovation in Wind Turbine Foundations: The SOFT-SPOT® Solution

The pursuit of solutions that combine structural efficiency, cost reduction, and sustainability has driven the development of new technologies in the wind energy sector.

CTE Wind Civil Engineering presents the results of the technical studies conducted in Brazil on the SOFT-SPOT® solution — an innovative shallow foundation system featuring a central core of EPS (expanded polystyrene), validated in over 4,000 foundations across 46 countries.

Key results from recent projects developed in Brazil with turbine capacities ranging from 4.5 MW to 8.4 MW:
• Up to 13% reduction in excavation volume
• Up to 12% savings in concrete use
• Around 7% average reduction in steel consumption
• Up to 15% reduction in CO₂ emissions per foundation

These optimizations represent a significant improvement compared to conventional shallow foundation designs commonly used in the Brazilian market.

How it works:
The introduction of a central EPS layer beneath the foundation base redistributes vertical stresses, transforming the structure into a more efficient and stable ring system. This configuration enables smaller, more economical, and environmentally friendly foundations — without compromising structural performance.

Technical validation:
The theoretical basis, design methodologies, and numerical analyses supporting this technology comply with Brazilian and international standards. In addition, the system’s performance has been experimentally validated by the University of Burgos (Spain), confirming its expected behavior under eccentric loading conditions.

Contact us to assess how the SOFT-SPOT® solution can optimize your foundation design:
🌍 Global: wind@cte-sa.com
      Brazil: b.rigao@cte-sa.com