Case Studies Windspire Wind Turbine Project

Situation: Windspire is a new approach to wind power. The 30-foot high vertical Windspire turbines have the ability to capture wind in all directions. Even though they can be grouped together in large wind fields, residential and business owners are a large percentage of their clientale, installing one to five units to supplement their power needs. Without the tall towers of traditional wind turbines, Windspire’s slender, vertical turbines fall within most zoning guidelines. Windspire turbines originally used auger-cast concrete piers for the turbine’s foundation. This required a minimum of two mobilizations, a delay in installing the turbines as the concrete has to cure several days, installations are often in remote areas requiring concrete to be shipped in over long distances, high water tables at the site requiring casing to be used to place the auger-cast piers. All of these things increased the cost of Windspire’s turbines. What they needed was an instant foundation system to speed installation and lower costs.

Solution: Known as a leader in the foundation industry, Windspire sought out Ram Jack to design a foundation system that was strong, efficient, quick to install, and would lower installation costs. Ram Jack’s engineering department custom designed an 8-5/8-inch diameter helical pile to meet their needs. The helical pile designed to resist up to 130 mph winds allowing the turbine to be installed immediately after the pile is installed, can be installed quickly at sites with high water tables and can be installed in all weather conditions.

Conclusion: Windspire has distributors across the U.S. They needed a partner with enough trained installers to meet their service needs. Ram Jack currently has 55 installers across the US, Canada, Puerto Rico and South America. When you need a better foundation, Ram Jack is always nearby!

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