Renewables

Lifting companies play a critical role in the Renewables & Wind industry, particularly in wind turbine installation, maintenance, and decommissioning. These services are highly specialized due to the scale, complexity, and height of wind energy structures.

Here’s a full breakdown of the key lifting services offered in this sector:

1. Wind Turbine Installation Services
Heavy Lift Crane Services
Use of crawler cranes, lattice boom cranes, or large all-terrain cranes to lift:
Tower sections
Nacelles (turbine housing)
Rotor blades
Lifting heights often exceed 100–150 meters, with weights up to 80+ tons per lift.
Blade Installation & Handling
Specialized blade lifting yokes and spreader beams are used to lift and position turbine blades (often 50–80 meters long).
Requires precision lifts with minimal sway — often timed with wind/weather windows.

2. Maintenance & Repair Support
Crane-assisted Maintenance Lifts
For replacing gearboxes, generators, or damaged blades.
Involves nacelle-level lifting, which is extremely weather-sensitive and logistically demanding.
Suspended Access Systems
Some lifting providers offer or support rope access or suspended platforms for technicians doing inspections or light repairs.
Component Replacement
Lifting down faulty components and lifting up replacements (often under tight project deadlines).

3. Offshore Wind Farm Lifting Services
Vessel Crane Lifting
Use of jack-up vessels or floating cranes to install offshore wind turbines.
Offshore lifting requires precise engineering due to movement from waves and wind.
Monopile & Transition Piece Lifts
Lifting and placing the foundation structures (monopiles or jackets).
Often done in coordination with pile-driving and grouting teams.
Cable Handling & Subsea Equipment Lifts
Lifting of subsea cable reels, J-tubes, and transition piece internals.

4. Logistics & Transport Lifting
Port Crane Operations
Offloading wind turbine components (blades, towers, nacelles) from ships.
Repositioning and storage using SPMTs (Self-Propelled Modular Transporters) + lifting cranes.
Pre-Assembly Yard Lifts
Lifting and aligning components before final transport to site.

5. Lift Planning & Engineering Services
Wind-Specific Lift Plans
Engineering lift studies that account for extreme heights, wind load effects, and site topography.
Includes CAD modeling, BIM integration, and wind-speed data analysis.
Weather Window Planning
Lifts are often scheduled in very narrow low-wind windows. Lift companies help plan based on forecast modeling and turbine height wind data.

6. Specialized Equipment & Accessories
Blade Yokes (hydraulic or mechanical)
Hydraulic lifting gantries (for component skidding)
Tagline systems & anti-sway devices
Tower climbing cranes (for repowering projects)

7. Decommissioning & Repowering
Safe disassembly of end-of-life turbines
Lifting of components for recycling, reuse, or upgrade
Component swaps during repowering projects (e.g., taller towers, longer blades)

8. On-Site Support Services
Appointed persons (lift engineers)
Crane operators & rigging teams
Wind turbine-specific riggers
Safety supervision and lift coordination
Lifting companies in this sector must be highly specialized, combining heavy lifting expertise with deep knowledge of turbine structures, offshore conditions, and environmental factors.

Want a sample lift plan for wind turbine erection or a comparison between onshore vs offshore lifting logistics? At Croft Lifting we can help.

We are always happy to discuss how we can help with your project.  Contact Us today.