Our News

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.

Dear friends of CTE Wind,

Are wind turbine foundations important to you?

Flawless since 2003, the international civil and geotechnical engineering team of CTE Wind brings the most responsive, efficient and reliable foundation solutions to the wind energy business. CTE Wind is headquartered in France and has offices in Brazil, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Asia and since this year also in the US. As a true global company, we can serve all our customers around the globe with the same responsiveness and know-how.

Regardless of power and hub heights, our consulting, analysis and design services for onshore wind turbine foundations are always adapted to the specific soil conditions. That is how we achieved to design, value-engineer or peer-review foundations for over 17 500 turbines in 67 countries. Our ongoing R+D activities and DNV-GL certified design method defines ourselves as real experts in foundations design for wind turbines.

Do you have questions about wind turbine foundations?

We attach to this mail our new company brochure. Our Sales-Team and engineers are there for any subsequent exchange, question, advise or project reference you need. Please get in touch with us we are looking forward to your answer.

                                                                                                                                            Sincerely yours

CTE Wind Civil Engineering Team

Get ready for the next hdt (Haus der Technik) convention in Essen about civil and geo technical topics in wind power projects. CTE Wind’s CEO Alexander MARTIN will join the event as speaker.

Modern wind turbines with their large hub heights and rotor diameters place very high demands on the ground. Therefore, the proper and professional execution of the geotechnical site investigation and foundation consulting, including the required stability verifications not only for the wind turbine foundations, but also for the stability of the crawler or mobile crane used, is of very high importance. The site-specific optimization of the wind turbine foundations and the use of methods for improving the subsoil can often lead to potential savings in the foundations of the wind turbine.

Best Case Scenarios

The conference deals with the proper and professional execution of geotechnical site investigations and foundation consulting for the subsoil of wind turbines and their access roads. The scientific correlations will be explained and approved procedures for site investigation and ground improvement/foundations will be presented using case studies.

The event will take place in Essen, Germany the 7th and 8th of December 2022

Do not hesitate to contact us to learn more about hdt courses.

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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.

Experts in Foundation Design

From 1 to 12 MW wind turbines

According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance in 2019 developers worldwide have globally
commissioned a little over 45GW of onshore wind turbines. CTE Wind designed, valueengineered
or peer-reviewed foundations close to 1,500 WTG-foundations around the globe,
which represents around 5 GW of the installed onshore wind energy in 2019. A good result
for the 30 engineers working together worldwide. CTE Wind is an international engineering
consulting firm, headquartered in France, and specialized in the analysis and design of
onshore wind turbine foundations. Its engineering services lead to inventive foundation
solutions for wind turbines. In Rotterdam, they have designed the foundation for GE’s giant
12 MW Haliade X. But they are also with familiar with smaller 1 MW machines carried by
wooden towers. «Thanks to our experienced civil, structural and geotechnical senior
engineers the design of those wind turbine foundations worldwide are only a little challenge
to us», said Alexander MARTIN, CEO of CTE Wind International, «regardless if it is for new
turbine models from the top manufacturers or less common WTG-models from smaller or
local manufacturers», he added.

Biggest wind park in France, Poland and Spain

The sum of all experiences made since 2003 is the reason why CTE Wind’s engineering
team with offices in Brazil, Poland, Portugal, Spain, USA and Asia are often the first
choice for OEMS, wind park developers and EPC/BoP contractors. «That is how we
achieved to do over 17,500 wind turbines in 67 countries and without any failures», continues
MARTIN. One of CTE Winds main goals is to deliver foundation designs that optimizes the
use of resources and help to save concrete and reinforcement steel. Such a solution is the
patented SOFT-SPOT®, a gravity foundation with a soft layer under the anchor cage. Each
project receives an adapted design solution to the specific soil conditions. In Finland CTE
Wind designed a rock anchor solution when its engineers also designed a near-shore
foundation in Asias Mekong-Delta. «The trust of our customers leads us not only to
design special and new solutions but also the foundations for the biggest wind parks in
France, Spain and Poland. We are thrilled when we can play an important role in a wind farm
project. This shows the confidence of our customers in our designs and is also an
encouragement for us to continue to perform well», he ends.

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.