Blade Lifter used for the first time in the UK!
Windy Rig is the first wind farm in the UK to use a Blade Lifter to transport 55m long blades.
Collett & Sons are the first transport company to use a Blade Lifter on a UK wind farm. Working in partnership with P. Adams Transport, we were appointed to manage and transport all wind turbine components to Windy Rig wind farm located in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland.
Utilising our Super Wing Carriers, we transport the 55-metre-long blades during night time deliveries from the Port of Ayr to a transition point located 18km from the main wind farm site. The blades are then transferred onto the Blade Lifter operated by P. Adams for the final part of the journey.
In contrast to the Super Wing Carrier which places the blades on the deck on the trailer, the Blade Lifter mounts the blade horizontally on to the module. Using its hydraulic lifting system, the blade can be tilted to an angle of up to 60°, avoiding the need for extensive civil engineering works which is potentially expensive in both time and costs.
Additionally, the use of the Blade Lifter enabled the planning consent of the windfarm without the need for third party land and the associated potential risks and costs.
Even so, due to the wind farms challenging site access, the use of the Blade Lifter reduced the amount of required ‘oversail’ by a combination of the tilting of the blade and the manoeuvrability of the self-propelled module.
The remaining components are delivered utilising our fleet of specialist trailers. The tower sections, longest measuring 30m and the heaviest weighing 55Te, are transported using specialised tower clamp trailers. The heavier components such as the Nacelle and Drive Trains weighing 64Te and 61Te respectively, using multi-axel low bed trailers.
All component deliveries are underway and are expected to be completed later this year.
