UK: ALE Offloads 7MW Wind Turbine Components

January 22, 2014

ALE has completed the off-loading of eight components that will be assembled to create a prototype wind turbine for an offshore wind project in Fife.

The 7mw prototype turbine is one of the largest in the worlwd with a nacelle height of 110m and a blade tip height of 196m from sea level.

The project scope of work was to offload the wind turbine components using the Gottwald AK912-1 and various other assist cranes. Items lifted included: two tower sections weighing 350t each one nacelle weighing 525t, three 85m long blades weighing 80t each, one jacket weighing 480t and one ‘T’ Piece weighing 475t.

The components were lifted from the ship to SPMTs for site transportation to temporary steelwork by the SPMTs inbuilt hydraulic system.

Andy Hunt, Project Engineering Manager at ALE said: “This is a great project to work on, the prototype will be used as a trial prior to the installation of the wind farm in Scotland, the pieces were not out of the ordinary in terms of weight for us however with sections at 85m long some preparatory work was done to ensure the stability and method for transportation.”

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