This month it has been successfully assembled the first concrete wind turbine tower in Saudi Arabia, at the Shaqra wind farm (PIF5).

The tower, designed by ESTEYCO for Goldwind’s GWH204-10.5 MW wind turbine, reaches a hub height of 148 metres, and consists of 30 precast concrete rings and a short steel top adapter.

Its successful assembly represents an important milestone in the deployment of high-rise concrete towers for the next generation of high-power wind turbines in the world.

ESTEYCO has been responsible for the complete design of the tower, in collaboration with Tianshan, together with providing technical support throughout its execution. The design has been certified by DNV, providing independent third-party verification of the structural solution.

The PIF5 programme includes two major onshore wind projects in Saudi Arabia: the 2 GW Starah Wind Project and the 1 GW Shaqra Wind Project, both located in the central region of the country. Developed by ACWA Power, the projects form part of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious renewable energy programme and are currently progressing towards construction.

The completion of the first tower at PE Shaqra further demonstrates ESTEYCO’s ability to take advanced concrete tower solutions from engineering design through to full-scale implementation, strengthening its international track record in high-rise wind towers and contributing to the continued development of onshore wind energy in new and demanding markets.