Wind Tower Supplier Lincoln Electric Installs Its Own Wind Tower

Today, Lincoln Electric, manufacturer of arc welding products and suppller to the wind tower fabrication industry is dedicating its wind tower on the grounds of its world headquarters and manufacturing campus in Euclid, Ohio.  Doing so has deepened its commitment to the world of renewable energy, the company said.

The tower measures 443 feet tall from base to the tip of its blades—nearly as tall as a 45-story building. The 2.5 megawatt turbine is expected to generate up to 10 percent of the energy used for Lincoln Electric’s main plant in Euclid and save the company up to $500,000 a year in energy costs. The structure, one of the largest urban wind towers in North America, evolved out of a strategic partnership between Lincoln Electric and the Great Lakes Energy Development Task Force.

Turbine manufacturer Kenersys^® of Germany developed the tower’s power generation components and Katana Summit^® of Columbus, Neb. manufactured the tower’s “can” segments. The turbine’s three glass fiber reinforced polymer blades were produced in Poland by LM Windpower^®.

Lincoln Electric broke ground in March, and actual tower erection began in June.

“The tower represents important cost savings, as well as our commitment to integrating renewable energy sources, among other ongoing green initiatives, into our manufacturing processes,” says George Blankenship, president, Lincoln Electric North America. “It stands as a visible symbol of Lincoln Electric’s commitment to the wind tower industry by showcasing the benefits our welding solutions offer to a prominent, fast-growing business segment.”