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CTE Wind Baltics is a highly experienced and specialized engineering office which is registered in Latvia’s Register of Construction Merchants.

This authorizes us to provide the structural part of the foundation design which includes the expertise of our inhouse certified structural engineer.

To summarize, the office holds the official licence for Latvia, which allows us to nationalize any WTG foundation design to be performed in Latvia.

In addition, CTE Wind Baltics counts with a professional liability insurance for certified specialists in Latvia, which is mandatory for structural engineering work.

Being part of CTE Wind, a company with 20+ years in this special field, benefits all customers from a large and worldwide experience.

Our one-stop service streamlines the foundation design phase, saving time and simplifying the process for clients.

Mark your calendar: October 22-24, 2024
This year’s theme: ” Scenarios for green industrialization policy – the role of the wind industry.”

CTE WIND Brazil Director Bernard Rigão da Silva will be present at the exhibition. This is your unique opportunity to meet the expert in wind turbine foundation design right in São Paulo!

Celebrating 20 years of CTE WIND experience in the wind energy industry and an impressive track record of designing 30,000 WTG foundations in 77 countries, #CTEWINDCIVILENGINEERING is at the forefront of innovation and sustainability.

Don’t miss this fantastic opportunity to be part of the Brazilian wind energy revolution.

Bernard (+55 (51) 98140.2190 / +55 (51) 98102.9478) will be available to discuss cost-effective wind turbine foundation design solutions. Secure your one-on-one meeting and take advantage of his wealth of expertise!

CTE Wind is celebrating its 20 years on the wind industry, specialized in WTG foundation design. During this time, foundations for over 30.000 WTGs worldwide have been designed by us.

An important number of them are rock anchored foundations. Several types can be applied, even some of them do not need the classical anchor cage.

These solutions provide, when the soil conditions are favourable, very small foundations that can often reduce the construction costs very effectively.

Projects performed by the team of CTE Wind International are found in Norway, Sweden, Finland, UK, Australia, Mexico, Spain, Uruguay, Namibia and more countries.

Get in touch for all topics around foundation design.

CTE Wind Expands Down Under: New Office Coming soon

Exciting news from the “Outback”! CTE Wind opens its doors in Australia, establishing a dedicated team ready to harness the wind energy potential. Joining forces with our Australian Sales Representative, Michael Wolff, is the experienced Ryan O’Flaherty.

Notably, Ryan brings essential local Professional Engineer (P.E.) licenses to the table, empowering our team to efficiently approve cost-effective foundation designs. Based on the picturesque Gold Coast, Queensland, on the other side of the Australian continent, Ryan’s strategic location positions us well for regional impact.

About CTE Wind International

CTE Wind Civil Engineering is an international engineering consulting firm specialized in the design of onshore wind turbine foundations. CTE Wind has been active in the wind energy sector since 2003.

As of 2023, CTE Wind has designed, value-engineered or peer-reviewed foundations for over 28,500 turbines in 75 countries. CTE Wind has offices in Brazil, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA and Asia. Most recently, the internationally successful company opened its North American office in 2020 in Denver CO, USA.

The company is a subsidiary of the CTE Group, a consulting firm, specialized in building and civil engineering. The CTE Group was founded in 1965 and today is one of the leaders in the structural engineering sector in France.

From 12 to 15 September 2023, Husum will become an energy hub for Germany and Northern Europe. CTE Wind participates for the first time in Husum with an own stand.

CTE Wind is pleased to announce its participation in Wind Husum, which will take place in Germany from 12 to 15 September 2023. As a major player in the renewable energy industry, CTE Wind is pleased to be part of an event that brings together all segments and players in the renewable energy sector in Germany and Northern Europe.

With around 600 exhibitors, 15,000 visitors and representatives from 55 nations, Wind Husum has become a major meeting place for the renewable energy industry. Participants return year after year different main reasons. The event has a rich history of over 30 years as a driver of renewable energy and offers real-world connections with industry professionals and experts.

CTE Wind looks forward to being part of this exciting event and contributing to its success.

SCHEDULE A MEETING

Alexander MARTIN CEO of CTE Wind International, along with the Spanish country Manager Pekka Maunu, and Sergio CARÈ LUCAS, Business Development Manager of de CTE Wind will attend at the largest renewables conference dedicated to the wind energy market in Europe and all over the world. This is an excellent opportunity for interested companies to meet our team, learn more about CTE Wind’s expertise in civil engineering and foundations and discuss future collaborations..

Do not hesitate to contact us to organize a meeting.
See you soon in Husum.

Contact-us

CTE Wind participates at the French national conference Colloque Nationale in Paris with an own stand.

CTE Wind is getting ready for the 13th National Wind Colloquium!

The National Wind Colloquium is the flagship event for wind energy in France, and this year, CTE Wind is thrilled to participate in its 13th edition. With over 2,700 participants and 110 exhibitors expected in Paris in October, CN2023 promises to be even more magnificent and stimulating than ever before. Over two full days, the colloquium will provide increased visibility and foster exchanges among stakeholders in the wind industry. CTE Wind, a specialist in wind turbine foundation design (WTG), will be present to share its expertise and innovative solutions. We are eager to engage with industry players, explore new collaboration opportunities, and contribute to the sustainable development of our sector.

SCHEDULE A MEETING

Alexander MARTIN CEO of CTE Wind France, Binh Tran, CTO, and Sergio CARÈ-LUCAS Business Developer of de CTE Wind International will be present at the largest French conference dedicated to the new trends of the wind energy market in France. This is an excellent opportunity for interested companies to meet our sales team, learn more about CTE Wind’s expertise in civil engineering and foundations and discuss future collaborations..

Do not hesitate to contact us to organize a meeting.
See you soon in Paris.

Contact us

CTE Wind, global leader in civil engineering for wind turbine foundaiton design, celebrates remarkable growth and presence in 75 countries.

CTE Wind has experienced remarkable growth since its establishment in 2003. Over the past decade, the company’s expansion has been particularly noteworthy. In 2012, CTE Wind successfully implemented projects in 23 countries, including Canada, South Africa, and Greece. France accounted for the majority share of these projects. Presently, CTE Wind has extended its reach to an impressive 75 countries worldwide.

One of CTE Wind’s significant achievements in 2012 was the design and development of the Tarfaya wind farm in Morocco, which was then the largest wind farm in the country. Spanning across 10,000 hectares of land, the Tarfaya wind farm boasts a total capacity of 301 MW and encompasses 131 turbines. This remarkable project played a pivotal role in helping Morocco reduce its reliance on fossil fuels and achieve its renewable energy goals.

The wind energy landscape has undergone substantial transformations in recent years. Not only are wind farms becoming larger in scale, with installations exceeding 150 wind turbines becoming the norm in certain countries, but the wind turbines themselves are also becoming more powerful. In 2012, the average wind turbine had a power rating between 1 and 2 MW. However, today it is more common to see turbines with a capacity of 4 to 6+ MW. Furthermore, there is ongoing development in the industry, with Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) working on onshore wind turbines that match the power output of offshore generators. It is anticipated that in the near future, we may witness the emergence of turbines with an astounding output of 8 to 10 MW. This progress raises important questions regarding the design and construction of wind turbine foundations. As CTE Wind continues to innovate and expand its presence in the global wind energy market, it remains at the forefront of these advancements, consistently adapting its expertise to meet the evolving needs and challenges of the industry.

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About CTE Wind

About CTE Wind – Experts in Foundation Design World Wide:We serve since 2003 the wind industry as civil / structural engineers for wind park owner, developers and EPC/BoP-contractors, often also directly for the OEMs. 27500 wind turbines in 75 countries. We provide geotechnical services, preliminary and final designs for wind turbine foundations, repowering and life time extension services.

CTE Wind Achieves AFNOR RSEProgression Certification for Corporate Social Responsibility.

The CSR team at CTE Wind is delighted to announce the attainment of the AFNOR RSEProgression certification, a testament to our unwavering commitment to corporate social responsibility. With pride, we diligently work every day to minimize our environmental impact and actively support local communities. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated employees, whose unwavering commitment and dedication have been instrumental in achieving this milestone. As we forge ahead, we remain determined to further our progress in CSR, serving as an exemplary model for other companies in the sector.

At CTE Wind, CSR is an integral part of our business philosophy. We are driven by the belief that responsible environmental stewardship and community support go hand in hand with our success in the renewable energy industry. Through our sustainable practices and community engagement, we are dedicated to shaping a cleaner, more sustainable future for generations to come.

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About CTE Wind

About CTE Wind – Experts in Foundation Design World Wide:We serve since 2003 the wind industry as civil / structural engineers for wind park owner, developers and EPC/BoP-contractors, often also directly for the OEMs. 27500 wind turbines in 75 countries. We provide geotechnical services, preliminary and final designs for wind turbine foundations, repowering and life time extension services.

CTE Wind commissioned the Spanish University of Burgos to carry out a series of tests with the Soft-Spot™^®. The structural tests are intended to prove once again if and how the resource-saving wind turbine foundation solution for “onshore” wind turbines works.

Burgos (ESP)/La Richardais (FRA) – The University of Burgos was entrusted with testing the patented Soft-Spot™^® foundation solution from CTE Wind Civil Engineering for its functioning and safety at the end of 2021. The results of the test campaign, which ended at the end of May, confirmed what had already been demonstrated from many certification bodies worldwide and in various finite element models (FEM): The Soft-Spot™^® works and is safe.

Gapping occurs later

The Soft-Spot™^® changes the stress distribution on the ground compared to a standard slab foundation. Due to central EPS soft layer, higher soil stresses are applied under the remaining ring.

As a result, a wind turbine with a Soft-Spot™^® foundation will gap much later than a foundation without a soft layer, with the same foundation diameter. This increases the stability.

Over 1000 wind turbines…

…use the Soft-Spot™^® worldwide. The first project with the patented CTE Wind solution has been in place in 2019 in Thailand in a wind farm with 60 turbines. Each turbine has a hub height of 157 meters. Originally, a shallow foundation with 1,192 cubic meters of concrete and a diameter of 27.4 meters was planned.

But the excavation was not allowed to exceed more than 25 meters diagonally. Thanks to the soft layer under the foundation, the diameter could be reduced to 24.5 meters; minus 210 cubic meters of concrete (-18 percent) and 11 tons of reinforcing steel (-9 percent). The certifying body of DNV in Hamburg ensured that everything proceeded correctly and according to international standards during the design phase.

About CTE Wind Civil Engineering and the Soft-Spot™^®

The Soft-Spot™^® was developed by the French company CTE Wind Civil Engineering SAS. CTE Wind is an international engineering company specializing in the design and calculation of onshore foundations for wind turbines. The solution optimizes the existing and well-functioning system of shallow foundations by integrating known knowledge from structural engineering. Thus, a soft layer (EPS) is simply placed under the center of the foundation so that the forces of the wind turbine are transferred into the ground in a ring shape instead of onto the entire surface.

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Two simply but effective foundation solutions are the rock anchor, designed for a wind park in Mexico and the high plinth solution for a wind farm in Chile. They are highly cost efficient, feasible and have proven to be very reliable in many projects.

Bilbao (ESP) – Special requests often demand tailormade solutions. But tailormade needs an high specialization and a lot of knowhow from the engineers in the specific field. In foundation design for wind turbine generator (WTG), this specific knowledge is not that common, except for CTE Wind International. Their senior engineers are often asked to find new design solutions. For this purpose, they resort to tried and tested instead of reinventing the wheel. Two simply but effective solutions are the rock anchor and the high plinth solution. They aren’t NEW solutions but are highly cost efficient, feasible and their reliability has been proved in many projects. This article features two project cases, among many others, where CTE Wind International designed a rock anchor for a wind park in Mexico and a high plinth foundation for a wind farm in Chile.

Cost savings thanks to rock anchor

In Mexico CTE Wind Ibérica was selected as WTG foundation designer by a Spanish EPC company. The project has more than 20 WTGs with concrete towers. The project analysis conducted by the Spanish expert in foundation design has led to the recommendation to deploy two different solutions in order to optimize the costs of project. In fact, the soil conditions showed that over a third of the wind turbines were planned on rocky ground. Rather than equipping all wind turbine with standard slab foundations, CTE Wind’s engineering team decided together with the customer to implement rock anchors. This solution uses the rock masses as a WTG foundation. In that way the construction company is able take advantage of the earth crust instead of building a slab foundation. The costs for the reinforced concrete and the construction work can be saved. But this solution is specially challenging as the engineers have to adapt the foundation, with an interface, between the concrete towers and the rock anchors. Not to forget the special design work of these anchors that needs to be done. Finally, the client was impressed and satisfied about the result. But more important: the project costs were below the initial budget.

High plinth for extra height

In another case, CTE Wind was approached by a global construction company and explained the challenge for its project in Chile, with over 35 WTGs. The customer needed an hub height of 4 meters more to increase the energy production and ensure the yield and so its income. They weren’t totally satisfied with a complex solution by one of CTE Wind’s competitors. That is why the construction company asked CTE Wind to find a simple, reliable, feasible and cost-effective solution. That is how the high plinth foundation was chosen: a solution already tested and implemented in multiple projects in Europe. The idea of this foundation is to reach higher hub height with a high pedestal. The tower stands 3 to 6 meters above the «ground level», keeping the gravity foundation independent from the tower system. Ideally the solution provides a longer anchor cage. CTE Wind’s engineering team designed the anchor cage for this project and determined the bolt length and steel quality. If needed CTE Wind can also prepare the detailed anchor cage drawing. After comparing the results of CTE Wind’s predesigns to the competitor’s solutions, the customer decided to go ahead with CTE Wind’s high plinth foundation. No difficulties in regards the construction have been reported. On the contrary, the Spanish expert of WTG foundation design was congratulated.

Porto Alegre (BRA) – CTE WIND Brasil, part of CTE Wind International, has been active in the Brazilian market since 2005. After 2.5 GW installed wind turbine power or over 1000 designed, value-engineered or peer-reviewed foundations the next years highlight will be the consolidation of the patented Soft-Spot® solution in the Brazilian market. The result of the astonishing solution is the significant optimization of the bill of quantities compared to a standard gravity foundation: Savings in concrete, decrease of the foundation diameter (less earthwork) and total weight reduction of reinforcement bars.

The Soft-spot® is implemented in various countries around the world. Over 50 wind farms around the globe, 750 wind turbines are using this resource saving solution. Argentina, Chile, France, Lithuania, Indonesia, Mexico, Netherland, Russia, Serbia, Sweden Thailand and Brazil. With two new projects, one under development in the state of Bahia with 52 foundations scheduled for construction in early 2021, and an other already finished wind farm with 37 Vestas wind turbines V150 4.2MW in Rio Grande do Norte, things are on his best way to accomplish CTE Winds goals to be responsive, efficient and reliable worldwide.

To learn more about the patented Soft-Spot® solution please contact our Brazilian sales team in Porto Alegre or go and visite our Solutions section.

If you want to learn more about CTE Wind Brasil you can read more articles about projects and news in OUR-PROJECTS & OUR-NEWS – sections. For more Information about OUR-SERVICES please CONTACT US.

Warsaw (POL) /La Richardais (FRA) – Poland biggest wind park with an estimated power output of 220 MW is currently in the assembly phase. The project is a complex of parcs on the Middle Seashore close to the Baltic sea and will have 81 wind turbines. It is scheduled for completion next year. CTE Wind made the foundation design for all WTGs trough his local office in Warsaw.

Since 2011 CTP – part of CTE Wind International – designed 777 WTG foundations for onshore power plants in Poland. CTPs office in Warsaw is responsible not only for Poland but also for all Baltic countries up to Kazakhstan. Commenting on the largest Polish project, Dariusz Krasowski, CEO and engineer of CTP, said: « We are delighted to have played an important role in this project. This shows the confidence of our customers in our designs and is also an encouragement for us to continue to perform well. »

If you want to learn more about CTE Wind International you can read more articles about projects and news in OUR-PROJECTS & OUR-NEWS – sections.
For more Information about OUR-SERVICES please CONTACT US.

About CTE Wind International

CTE Wind is an international engineering consulting firm specialized in the analysis and design of onshore wind turbine foundations. The company is active in the wind energy sector since 2003. Over the last 16 years CTE Wind calculated foundations for 15’000 turbines in 61 countries. CTE Wind has offices in France (HQ), Brazil, Asia, Poland, Portugal, Ireland and in Spain.

If you want to learn more about CTE Wind International you can read more articles about projects and news in OUR-PROJECTS & OUR-NEWS – sections. For more Information about OUR-SERVICES please CONTACT US.

ASEAN Wind Energy will be held in The Adora Center HCMC, Asia from 27-28 October 2022, celebrating Wind Developers’ Excellence of the Year with exciting new content. Set across five remarkable event’s featured sections, AWE 2022 is set to be the biggest and best yet.

CTE Wind partecipates in Hamburg with an own stand.

ASEAN Wind Energy is one of the world’s most prestigious international wind power events and APAC’s premier clean energy event. Constantly breaking new ground, it has set a precedent in Southeast Asia ever-growing renewable energy community. Showcasing the best wind turbines tech and solution from across the globe, AWE provides a unique and exciting platform to network and establish long-term business relations with global top wind farm operators, turbine manufacturers, investors & financiers, legal and advisory firms, construction & component manufacturers, logistics & ports, supply & grid operation and wind tech solution suppliers.

SCHEDULE A MEETING

Viet-Hung Nguyen CEO of CTV Wind Asia will attend tThe Largest Onshore & Offshore Wind Energy Event in ASEAN Region. This is an excellent opportunity for interested companies to meet our sales team, learn more about CTE Wind’s expertise in civil engineering and foundations and discuss future collaborations..

Do not hesitate to contact us to organize a meeting.
See you soon in Ho Chi Minh City.

Contact-us

With the Soft-Spot® CTE Wind Civil Engineering captures the spirit of the times. The success is not only due to the new design solution. It is more a result of the developers increasing projects requirements and the size of the turbines. CTE Wind masters both easily.

La Richardais (FRA) – CTE Wind International, expert in foundation design for wind turbine generators, has his finger on the pulse of time with the Soft-spot® solution. Trademarked and patented in France (patent pending worldwide), 750 wind turbines use the resource saving solution worldwide. Over the half of the 50 realized projects related to the Soft-Spot® are located in France.

Cost savings

The success of the civil engineering company CTE Wind is not only due to the Soft-Spot®. It mainly relies on the fact that CTE Wind can master the increasing requirements of the wind energy developers. Wind farms have to be designed in a way that saves resources and allows fast set-up times; two important factors which determine the construction costs of WTG foundations.

A further driver and important point why developers choose CTE Wind is the increasing size of the turbines. Four to five years ago, the hub height of wind turbines ranged between 80 and 90 meters. Today the average hub heights of CTE Winds projects are between 110 and 120 meters. Some of the final designs even had a hub height far above average. The highest hub height ever calculated by CTE Wind stands in Salzgitter Germany with 166 meters.

Adapting the design to soil conditions

CTE Wind adapts its foundations designs to the local soil conditions and in accordance with applicable national and international standards. To avoid extremely large foundations CTE Wind’s engineering team has found with the Soft-Spot® a good and reliable solution to meet the mentioned resource-saving requirements. The construction is very easy and it allows savings in concrete volume up to 15% and a total weight reduction of reinforcement bars of 7 to 9%. Thanks to the reduction of the foundation diameter the earthwork to be handled is also reduced. This leads to less surface use for the foundation.

The most common foundation scenario for concrete towers features a cellar. Since 2010, CTE Wind has provided foundation solutions for concrete towers in different variants. One such foundation solution is the hollow foundation solution.

One critical factor to be considered in a wind farm project is the type of wind turbine tower.  There are primarily two categories of wind turbine towers available in the market: tubular steel and concrete tower. The mix of both types is a hybrid tower. Independent from the selected tower system, the increased prevalence of higher hub heights leads to larger tower bases which challenges the tower manufacturers to develop new solutions or systems.

In addition to the various pros and cons of tubular steel versus concrete to be considered, the choice of the tower has an impact on the foundation. A steel tower nowadays almost always comes with an anchor cage. On the other hand, concrete towers need a tensioning system usually using cables anchored in the foundation. CTE Wind Civil Engineering has provided solutions for concrete towers in different variants for the last 11 years and counting.

Let us take a closer look at the different parts of the concrete tower foundation:

Foundation design of the outer shape

Like the toes and the ball of your feet, the outer shape prevents the wind turbine from tipping over. The foundation for concrete towers can be designed as standard gravity or deep foundation with piles. To save resources, CTE Winds Soft-Spot® solution (patent pending) or a ribbed (star) foundation could also be applied. Moreover, working with different tower manufacturers requires consideration for further variable construction criteria. CTE Wind is specialized in its knowledge and experience in factoring in said variables, such as the pre-stressed or post-tensioned cable system.

The foundation from inside

The most common concrete tower foundation scenario from the inside point of view features a cellar where cables are anchored and cable tensioning tools are placed. This kind of solution is often referred to as a “Hollow Foundation Solution” as shown in the picture. This design has a cellar to allow for access into the foundation and to tension the anchor cables of the tower. The reinforcement design for the hollow foundation solution is also substantially different from that of standard gravity foundations. Besides the customized interior formwork, special attention has to be paid to the design of the anchoring bulkheads where concentrated loads are applied to the concrete in very limited spaces.

Another option to anchor the tower to the foundation is to install protruding bolts out of the pedestal and into the tower where the cables can be connected. In this solution, the cellar is not necessary. The bolts are easy to access for tensioning. Lastly, and more seldomly used, is the combination of the concrete tower and foundation into a monolithic structure where only classic reinforcements are used but no tensioning elements are needed.  This type of solution can unfortunately lead to concrete cracks at the bottom tower section.

If you want to learn more about CTE Wind International and CTE Winds CONCRETE TOWER FOUNDATIONS SOLUTION please visite OUR-PROJECTS & OUR-NEWS – sections. For more Information about OUR-SERVICES please CONTACT US.