Tallest, mightiest and widest

From RenewEconomy

The Spanish wind turbine technology company Nabrawind has confirmed that it will supply 17 of its giant, self-lifting wind turbine towers for Fortescue’s first wind project, describing them as “the tallest, the mightiest, the widest” in the world.

Nabrawind, now fully owned by Fortescue following a deal announced last year, has been testing the first of its installations for Fortescue’s 133 megawatt (MW) Nullagine wind farm in the Pilbara with Chinese turbine supplier Envision.

“This project brings together, for the first time in an onshore wind farm, the highest hub height (188 metres), the highest power rating (7.8 megawatts), and the largest rotor (182 metres) ever deployed in combination,” Nabrawind said in a LinkedIn post this week.

Nabrawind, which was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Pamplona, Spain, was fully acquired by Fortescue last year, following at least two investments into the company in 2023 and 2024.

The main interest in Nabrawind technology is its Self-Erecting System (SES) that negates the need for large-size cranes in favour of a self-erecting, three-column framed structure that can be installed in segments under an integrated wind turbine generator consisting of tower, nacelle, and rotor.

According to Nabrawind, the full cost of its towers, including foundation, logistics, and installation, is between 15 to 30 per cent less than traditional towers. Similarly, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by 40 per cent, compared to traditional towers, as is the assembly platform’s emissions.

Additionally, despite boasting a hub height of 188 metres, the Nabralift towers maintain a maximum tubular diameter of around 4.6 metres, making them easier to transport by adhering to standard road infrastructure, thus helping to reduce logistical complexity in remote locations.

Nabrawind says the self-erecting allows super-tall towers to be installed with standard cranes, and it means that the turbine can be installed at wind speeds of up to 15 m/s [33.5 mph], significantly reducing delays caused by strong winds.

The extra height is useful to access the best possible conditions in low-wind areas (such as Pilbara).

The Nullagine project is likely to be the first stage of a potential 2 gigawatt facility, mostly on the adjoining Bonney Downs lease, and will form a major part of the five gigawatts of wind, solar and battery capacity that Fortescue needs to reach its target of “real zero” in the Pilbara by 2030.

That target means burning no fossil fuels for terrestrial activities by the end of the decade, and the full electrification of transport and mining equipment. It has now installed 12 fully electric excavators, has taken delivery of its first two electric locomotives and is trialling giant 274 tonne electric haul trucks.

Meanwhile, Envision has announced that it has successfully grid-connected the first AI wind turbine prototype for the Nullagine project, it’s its first major project in Australia.

“The achievement marks a major milestone in Envision’s presence in the Australian renewable energy market and underscores the potential of physical AI system to enable large-scale industrial decarbonization across the country,” it said in a statement.