ABSTRACT
South Africa has recently experienced challenges regarding electricity availability. The country’s Integrated Resource Plan, aims to increase electricity supply capacity and reduce the reliance on coal power. Wind power is to account for a large portion of this planned renewable energy. Wind turbine towers are commonly of the tubular type tower. Steel towers above a height of 80m are generally not recommended for wind turbines owing to difficulties in meeting dynamic behaviour requirements. The aim of this study was to assess the prospective use of steel tubular towers of varying geometric shape for wind turbines with tower heights of 80m or greater. The study focussed on the analysis of natural frequency and assessing the applicability of steel tubular towers of geometric shapes that have not been previously explored.
