France’s first Floating Wind Turbine Installed Successfully by ALE

ALE has finished installation of France’s first floating wind turbine at Saint Nazaire, France. The deal was part of FLOATGEN demonstrator wherein IDEOL contracted with ALE to undertake the task of installing 2MW V80 wind turbine generator onto a floating foundation.

A 1,200t crane lifted each of the wind turbine components located in front of the floater device. The components enumerate 2 tower sections, a nacelle, a hub and 3 blades. The two tower sections in tandem necessitated a 100ft auxiliary crane to lift and place them. ALE performed operations on the foundation during the lifting operation thus ensuring complete stability. Water was supplied to the ballast tanks by 4 submersible pumps located at the corners of the floater. IDEOL devised a steady trim methodology to transfer loads from the crane hook to component flanges. Once the wind turbine was mounted atop the floating foundation, the electrical cables and components were connected installing the client’s sensors and measuring equipments.

Antonio Martin Garcia, Project Manager for ALE, said ‘’This was a unique job for ALE and the first time we have undertaken such a complex scope of work in this sector. We were able to provide a bespoke solution for this challenging operation and by providing experienced operators with expertise in each discipline, including the installation, ballasting, and lifting, as well as coordination we could ensure smooth project management.

Image Source: ALE