FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE WIND TURBINE MANUFACTURER ENERCON HAS USED ITS NEW SCHEUERLE BLADELIFTER FOR THE TRANSPORT OF ROTOR BLADES.
The transport solution, recently delivered by TII SCHEUERLE, was deployed during the construction of the Olsbrücken wind farm in Rhineland-Palatinate and proved its capabilities under challenging conditions.
At Olsbrücken, two additional ENERCON E-138 EP3 turbines with a hub height of 160 metres are currently being erected. Together with the existing turbines, the wind farm will feed a total capacity of 8.52 megawatts into the grid. The operator is juwi Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. Natur-Power 4 KG, based in Wörrstadt. Commissioning of the new turbines is planned for early November.
The challenge involved transporting rotor blades approximately 68 metres long through narrow village streets, across railway crossings and along winding rural roads. The SCHEUERLE BladeLifter G4 was used by ENERCON for the first time on this project. With its ability to hydraulically raise and tilt rotor blades by up to 60 degrees, transports were carried out safely and efficiently.
Björn Feddermann, Global Logistics Project Manager at ENERCON, explains: “The BladeLifter G4 opens up new possibilities for us in transporting our rotor blades. Especially with long components and demanding routes, the technology gives us greater flexibility and planning reliability. For us as a team, this first deployment was a real challenge – but both the equipment and the crew mastered it brilliantly.”
The successful transport was carried out by the operator team led by Björn Feddermann, consisting of Stefan Grote, Kevin Hellbach, Malte Tjarks, Klaus Richter and Andre Engel. Their dedication and precise coordination were crucial to the smooth execution of ENERCON’s first BladeLifter operation.
In addition to the logistical benefits, ENERCON was particularly convinced by the overall package: TII SCHEUERLE’s transport solutions are well established on the market, other systems are already in use within the company, and the collaboration proved excellent. “We had a competent contact person for every aspect; the know-how was extensive, and our feedback was always welcomed,” adds Feddermann.
Following the successful experience in Olsbrücken, ENERCON is already planning the next use: at the Bingen wind farm near Sigmaringen on Lake Constance, the SCHEUERLE BladeLifter G4 will once again be deployed.
This transport solution demonstrates how modern heavy-duty technology supports the expansion of renewable energy: fewer interventions in infrastructure, greater planning reliability and improved efficiency – benefits ENERCON intends to leverage in future projects.
