Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH, a subsidiary of Salzgitter AG, has signed a contract with wind turbine manufacturer Siemens Gamesa to supply around 25,000 tons of heavy plate for 36 wind towers. These towers, known as Siemens Gamesa GreenerTowers, are designed to minimize CO2 emissions, generating less than 700 kg of CO2 per ton of steel.
Wind tower production accounts for more than two-thirds of the total CO2 emissions from wind turbines, making the GreenerTower a significant step toward sustainability. Introduced in 2024, the low-emission tower is available for all future onshore and offshore wind projects. Its first deployment will be at the Thor offshore wind farm in the Danish North Sea, which will have a total capacity of over 1,000 MW when completed by the end of 2027. The project, Denmark’s largest offshore wind farm to date, will feature 72 wind towers supplying power to more than one mln households.
The heavy plate for the 36 GreenerTowers will be supplied by Ilsenburger Grobblech GmbH (ILG) and Mannesmann Grobblech GmbH (MGB). ILG has invested in new equipment, including a transport line with an overhead crane and a mobile roller table extension, to handle 18-24 meter-long plates for such wind projects, according to Oliver Laubner, Sales Manager at ILG.
Approximately 30,000 tons of primary material will be required for the heavy plates. Some slabs will be produced with low CO2 emissions at Peiner Trager GmbH (PTG) using scrap-based electric steel and renewable energy, while the rest will come from European sources via Salzgitter Mannesmann International, also with reduced CO2 emissions.
Deliveries of the heavy plates to wind tower manufacturers Windar in Spain and Welcon in Denmark will take place from March to October 2025.
