Wind Energy On The Go
Marco J. van Daal, Owner, The Works international
As the wind generator components are becoming bigger, the challenges for the transport contractor are also becoming bigger. Where the blades used to measure 18 – 24 mtr and could be transported on extendible trailers, they can now measure over 100 mtr and require some serious engineering and logistics. However, not all blades are this long and some are even suitable to be transported in pairs (Figure 1).
When the blades become too long to be transported from origin to destination, or the surrounding infrastructure simply does not allow for such a long load, there is an alternative transport method available in the market. Various hydraulic platform manufacturers have developed a so-called “wind blade adapter”. Rather than placing the blade flat on a trailer, the blade is now “stabbed” into an adapter similar to the way it is “stabbed” on the hub during erection.
As the wind generator components are becoming bigger, the challenges for the transport contractor are also becoming bigger. Where the blades used to measure 18 – 24 mtr and could be transported on extendible trailers, they can now measure over 100 mtr and require some serious engineering and logistics. However, not all blades are this long and some are even suitable to be transported in pairs (Figure 1).
When the blades become too long to be transported from origin to destination, or the surrounding infrastructure simply does not allow for such a long load, there is an alternative transport method available in the market. Various hydraulic platform manufacturers have developed a so-called “wind blade adapter”. Rather than placing the blade flat on a trailer, the blade is now “stabbed” into an adapter similar to the way it is “stabbed” on the hub during erection.
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Lifting & Specialized Transport January-March 2020
