Fortescue Nabrawind deploy first crane-less wind turbine in Africa

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Fortescue Nabrawind deploy first crane-less wind turbine in Africa

Jo Borrás | May 30 2026 - 6:42 am PT

8 Comments

Fortescue‘s recently-acquired turbine subsidiary Nabrawind has done something that was believed to be impossible: they’ve installed a full-scale, energy producing wind turbine in harsh Namibian conditions using a new, crane-less deployment process.

Despite the presence of a "just in case" crane at the site (you can see it in the photo above, at left), the Nabrawind-developed Total Self Erecting System (SES) and Skylift turbine techn overcame the technical challenges presented by the harsh, remote Namibian climate by completing the installation of the company’s first Goldwind GW165/6000 power-generating turbine at the InnoVent Diaz wind farm.

Together, the company says its branded solutions technologies eliminate the need for large-tonnage cranes on many job sites, overcoming the significant logistical challenges of getting those cranes in position in the sort of remote and extremely and windy locations that are ideal for the turbines, themselves. And, most importantly, Total SES is capable of working with many types of existing wind turbines.

The technology developed by Nabralift has evolved, making it possible to lift any type of tower once the rotor has been installed at a height of 30–40 m (previously 90–100 m). The operation is performed reliably in unstable winds, at speeds of 15 m/s and bursts of up to 20 m/s, unlike conventional cranes that can only operate in winds of up to 6–8 m/s for the installation of certain components, such as the blades. The Innovent Diaz wind farm, located in one of the world’s most wind-rich areas, has enabled the validation of this installation system across the entire range of wind speeds.

In addition, the system allows for the hoisting of sections of thin-walled tubular towers without compromising their structural integrity, thanks to Total SES technology, which builds on Nabralift’s Self-Erecting System (SES) to enable its use on all types of wind towers.

NABRAWIND

The InnoVent Diaz wind farm will eventaully feature seven Goldwind GW165/6000 wind turbines deployed with Nabrawind’s Total SES and Skylift solutions, enabling the company to demonstrate both the repeatability of the processes and their ability to handle complex installation procedures a broader range of environmental conditions.<br>Advertisement - scroll for more content

Their ultimate goal? To bring the install time of down to a net cycle time of one week by the time they get to the seventh one – without needing to drag a massive crane out to the site.

Electrek’s Take

Fortescue is pushing hard towards net zero emission operation, and the acquisition of Nabrawind as a step towards true energy independence at its operations is a big step towards that goal.

The ability to install new, efficient wind turbines quickly, efficiently, and affordably that’s provided by the new Total SES and Skylift solutions, though? They’ll end up being a big step for everyone looking to deploy wind as part of their renewable energy solution.

SOURCE | IMAGES : Nabrawind; via LinkedIn.

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