Wind Energy

Though the client for this project had limited experience with hot-dip galvanizing, the end user and general contractor were well versed in the benefits. Though wind is a renewable source of energy that can be used as backup for other means of generation, project developers recognized that the visual impacts would be a concern for the community. In order to meet the requirements of this project, the client built a plant in Matane to assemble the 847 windmill towers for phase one. This represented a major investment in this rural community, helping alleviate the unemployment problem in the Gaspe region. Manufacturing and processing time was a major issue, as significant assembly after galvanizing is involved. The very long maintenance-free lifespan requirements for this project made it a nature for the inherently consistent quality and well documented durability of hot-dip galvanizing. Further contributing to the suitability of galvanizing is the fact that the site is close to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, resulting in a corrosive marine atmosphere. The large tonnage to be hot-dip galvanized and the integrated production scheduling of this project dovetail nicely with the fact that galvanizing is unaffected by climate and can offer fast, dependable turnaround all year long. With wind energy becoming more popular, the worldwide market growth is close to 25 percent per year. This high growth is a substantial market opportunity for both the galvanizing industry and for the end users of these wind energy projects who will benefit from the unparalleled long-term cost benefits of HDG.