The latest target in a LafargeHolcim Ltd. investigation of 3D-printed concrete elements or structures is a pedestal for a new class of turbines, 150-200 meters high, that have the potential to harness one-third or more energy than the shorter towers dotting wind farms the world over. After participating in a 10-meter scale model printing late last year, the Swiss concrete, cement and aggregates giant has entered a partnership with GE Renewable Energy and Copenhagen-based COBOD International A/S to develop supertall wind turbines with optimized, 3D-printed bases. GE Renewable Energy will provide expertise related to turbine design, manufacture and commercialization; COBOD, short for Constructing Buildings on Demand, will focus on robotics automation and 3D printing assemblies; and, LafargeHolcim will refine the concrete material or ink, along with its processing and application methods.
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