A new technology, never seen before in Europe, has been deployed in what is described as the UK’s largest onshore wind farm.
ScottishPower Renewables‘ Whitelee Windfarm, which is located 20 minutes from central Glasgow, has been fitted with the system.
The project consists of 215 turbines and generates up to 539MW of electricity, enough to power over 350,000 homes.
The crane technology was used to replace gearboxes on two turbines of the wind farm.
The company said its decision to choose the technology came from the potential safety, environmental and operational benefits it offers compared to ground-based cranes.
These include reduced risk for fuel spillage, reduction in carbon footprint due to electrical operation, and need for a minimal amount of equipment and transportation requirements.
Joe Mitchell, Operations and Maintenance Director for ScottishPower Renewables, said: “We are very proud to be the first company to test this technology anywhere in Europe.
“Innovations like this play a critical role in developing safer and more cost-efficient solutions in renewables operations and maintenance.”
