Collett & Sons Delivers Wind Components

Abnormal load specialist Collett & Sons since June has been performing deliveries of 242 components to construct 22 Enercon E115 E3 wind turbines at Creag Riabhach Wind Farm, which is under construction.

Creag Riabhach Wind Farm is situated on the Altnaharra Estate, near Lairg in the North Highlands, and features 22-meter by 67-meter hub height turbines with 57-meter blades.

Arriving at the Port of Nigg, the largest open port in the Moray Firth, Inverness, the components faced a 53-mile journey to the construction site in the North Highlands. Collett’s team surveyed the route to ensure suitability and conducted a test drive of the route utilizing a 48-meter trailer, complete with a 9-meter rear projection to simulate the loaded Enercon E115 turbine blades.

Alongside highlighting any necessary route modifications and road widening requirements, the test drive also identified areas of street furniture removal, relocation of flower beds and lamp post removals to accommodate the wind turbine oversail. “Having modified the route for the passage of the blades, the longest of the components, our Team could ensure safe passage of all 12 components necessary to construct each complete turbine,” said Jacob Collett, marketing and public relations coordinator.

Using nine trailers from across its fleet to accommodate the varying components, Collett began the project, transporting the 66 blades, 66 tower sections, 44 stator halves and 22 nacelles, hubs and rotor centres the 53 miles from Inverness to Lairg. With cargoes ranging from 31 to 73 tonnes, our Collett’s team is employing the capabilities of its super wing carriers, clamp trailers, stepframes and 40-foot flats to systematically deliver the components in line with the construction schedule.

Traveling in convoys of three and utilizing each of the trailer’s hydraulic capabilities to ensure a maximum traveling height of 4.95 meters throughout, Collett employed manual steering and contraflow manoeuvres along the route, safely delivering the first of the components to site.

Upon reaching Creag Riabhach, Collett employed a double-drive towing vehicle due to site gradients, the dynamic nature of the weather and the subsequent site conditions. The double-drive towing vehicle traveled in front of the delivery convoys for the heaviest of the components.

Since the start of June, Collett has completed the delivery of components for four complete 115-meter rotor diameter turbines, with all 22 expected to be complete by September/October.

Once fully operational, Creag Riabhach Wind Farm will generate up to 72.6 megawatts of clean, renewable energy, enough to power 36,000 homes.

Collett has been an exhibitor at Breakbulk Europe.