A majority of wind farms are built in rural areas without significant transportation infrastructure.
A tower and turbine lift places significant demands on rigging equipment.
THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB BOSS, a part of the Bennett International Group, has been involved in the wind sector since they were founded in 2015, and that has been a key factor in the company’s ability to grow. “We started off with one crane three and a half years ago, and have grown to over forty cranes today,” Cowley said. “And our wind maintenance portfolio is one of the largest sections of our business.”
BOSS furnishes both cranes and wind technicians for turbine maintenance projects, which makes them experts on the challenges that wind projects pose to the crane and rigging industry. Cowley explained that, in terms of lifting and rigging, working on a turbine is a very unique operation.
“Lifting in the wind-maintenance business, you’re actually going up-tower with an empty hook and loading the crane and loading the wire rope, then coming to the ground—which places a significant demand upon rigging equipment. Tere can be issues with the wire rope because of that, with it loosening on the drum and causing damage.” Terrain is another significant factor that crane
vendors have to consider, he emphasized. “A lot of these wind farms have been reclaimed, or
are built in rural areas without significant transportation infrastructure. Instead of using a crawler, where you have to go in and do civil work, our maintenance teams utilize all-terrain cranes. And depending on ground- barring pressure, you can usually get away with these big hydraulics, and not have the cost of the civil prep.” For RES, the need for custom equipment is a constant trial. Considering that a new model of turbine is released almost every two years, this isn’t a surprise. “Te majority of the beams we make are unique and
specialized to fit by turbine manufacturer for every lift we do,” explained Ortiz. “Whether it’s the tube sections, the cell, the hub, or the blade, they’re all unique pieces.”
ON THE HORIZON Te difficulties involved with working in wind energy don’t intimidate either company. Both RES and BOSS are in this business for the long term. “We’re reaching out broader than, typically, what BOSS has been,” Cowley affirmed—expressing excitement for the company’s future in the industry. “We’ve been asked to grow to other locations, whether it be the East Coast or the North West, and have even had conversations about our appetite for business in Mexico.” Ortiz expects that the dip in wind investment,
following the expiration of the PTC, will only be temporary, predicting that RES will briefly see more business in solar, before the two industries reach parity. Regardless of how the market for renewables develops, RES plans to be there. “RES’s mission is to create a world where there is
affordable, low-cost, carbon-free energy,” he stressed. “It’s something we’ll stay committed to, no matter the challenge.” y
WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER 2018
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