June 24 - Belgium-based High Wind says that its Boom Lock© system will play a key role in safe lifting and installation of the wind energy sector's longest offshore blades.
The company notes that just this week, LM Wind Power and Adwen announced the world's longest wind turbine blade, an 88.4-m monster specifically designed for Adwen's 8MW turbine.
Ole Jacob Wang Nielsen, general manager, High Wind says that as blades increase in size there is an even greater need for safe installation practices with less wind sensitivity to the lifting process.
He claims High Wind's Boom Lock© system increases wind limits and accelerates installation processes of increasingly larger wind turbine components.
Mounted on the jack-up vessel's crane, Boom Lock© is an intelligent guidance system designed to provide maximum control of the crane hook and the payload.
It is already certified by ABS to lift turbine components at a 20 m/s wind speed, and tests with a 6 MW turbine blade proved its capability of lifting blades at 15 m/s wind with gusts up to 20 m/s.
The Boom Lock© is available for all turbine manufacturers, contractors and jack-up owners.
High Wind claims it results in reduced costs for installation vessels, installation crews and related costs as well as increased income due to earlier production from the wind farm.
The company adds it also provides safer working conditions during installation as uncontrolled movements in gusty wind conditions are dramatically reduced.
