Sarens Installs two Wind Turbines at Deltapark Neeljte Jans

Sarens recently lifted and installed two wind turbines for client Enercon. Work took place at the Windpark Bouwdokken, located on the artificial island of Neeltje Jans in Vrouwenpolder, Netherlands. The Neeltje Jans island was initially built to support construction of the Oosterschelde dam, the largest of thirteen dams and storm surge barriers that now protect the Netherlands from North Sea flooding. Today the island boasts a recently-opened amusement park, the Deltapark Neeljte Jans, highlighting the Netherlands’ relationship to the water.

Sarens had previously been involved in the construction of wind turbines that are now operational on site, and has been contracted to install the remaining turbines for Enercon. For this portion of the agreement, Sarens provided lifting service for the unloading, pre-assembly and main erection of two wind turbines located near and within the Deltapark amusement park.

Sarens engaged two main cranes for the turbine lifts: the CC3800 and PC3800, which were transported by road from other Sarens projects in Spain and France and which remained on-site through mid-May of 2020. Multiple other cranes were also used for unloading components from ships and pre-assembling the clients’ turbine components.

Working inside and close to the amusement park presented special challenges. Because Sarens was not allowed to interfere with the public or disturb any attractions during opening hours, the transport, assembly, and lifting work were planned around these parameters. To minimise impact, the client dedicated one main crane to each turbine.

Each wind turbine had eleven components, the heaviest of which weighed 150 tonnes. These included five tower components, nacelle, generator, hub, and three blades, which Sarens lifted at a height of 100 metres. Because of the limited working area, all components were delivered just in time for lifting: each tower arrived horizontally and was turned to a vertical installation position by the main crane and a 250T auxiliary crane.

Throughout the project, Sarens had to respect the unique environmental character of the area. The job site is located in the middle of a bird breeding area and is a part of the Delta Works of Zeeland, which is protected by the Dutch government. Weather conditions were another important concern: situated directly on the North Sea, the island is prone to heavy wind gusts, requiring Sarens to build special wind supports for each crane and to plan for weather delays.