Automated composite joint manufacturing for wind turbine foundations

JOIN2SCALE aims to industrialise composite wrap joints as a disruptive alternative to welded steel nodes in offshore wind foundations, addressing Europe’s urgent need for cost-competitive, rapid, and sustainable manufacturing. Current welded joints require 30,000-50,000 hours of manual labour per jacket, drive excessive steel use, and limit fatigue performance, making European yards uncompetitive against Asian suppliers. By replacing welds with prefabricated composite joints, JOIN2SCALE enables 200% higher production throughput, 30–50% steel reduction, up to 35% CO2 savings, and improved safety by eliminating most hazardous welding tasks.The project will design, prototype, and integrate a scalable pilot production line at Tree Composites, incorporating automated preforming and layup, inline terahertz NDT, and full quality assurance and traceability. Over six months of continuous pilot-line operation, representative X-joints will be manufactured and validated through static and fatigue testing, with DNV involvement to support certification and standardisation. Sustainability assessments (LCA/S-LCA, circularity, health and safety) and techno-economic analyses (LCoE, CAPEX, OPEX) will benchmark the technology against state-of-the-art welded jackets and floaters.JOIN2SCALE contributes directly to the Work Programme by: (i) enabling affordable, clean, and secure energy through reduced cost, emissions, and installation impacts; (ii) strengthening Europe’s wind energy supply chain autonomy and competitiveness by making EU fabrication yards viable against low-cost Asian suppliers; and (iii) facilitating large-scale deployment in line with the Net-Zero Industry Act through automated, scalable manufacturing. With 10 beneficiaries and one associated partner spanning materials, automation, NDT, testing, sustainability, and end-users, the consortium ensures that results are exploitable, certifiable, and market-ready, securing Europe’s leadership in offshore wind foundations.