As repowering and component replacement activity increases, access to specialised lifting equipment is becoming an important consideration for service providers. Rental models, adaptive blade-handling systems and improved monitoring are widening the options available for single-blade installation and repair.
As wind turbines become larger and the installed fleet ages, blade installation is no longer limited to new-build projects. Repowering, component replacement and major repair work can require specialist lifting equipment, often for individual projects rather than continuous use.
For service providers, that creates a practical question: when does it make sense to own specialist equipment, and when is access to it more important than ownership?
Rental is one response. It can give contractors access to equipment for specific projects without requiring the capital investment or storage associated with permanent ownership. It can also be useful where projects involve different turbine platforms and blade configurations.
One example is the RBC-D rotor blade yoke developed by ematec, which is designed for single-blade installation and uses an adaptive gripping system. The current system is rated for blades weighing up to 50 tonnes.