The wind farm has a total installed capacity of 496 megawatts (MW) from 62 turbines, with each generating 8 MW of power. It covers a surface area of 75 km2 and is located 16 km off the French coast, in the North Sea sector.
Sarens played a key role in supporting the construction of the 62 turbines at this large-scale offshore wind farm in Brittany.
Turbine installation at the Saint-Brieuc wind farm has been completed. The first offshore wind farm project in Brittany was recently commissioned with the connection of the first wind turbines to the French grid, producing clean energy for the 610,000 inhabitants of the Côtes-d'Amor territory. This is possible thanks to the total installed capacity of 496 megawatts (MW) from 62 turbines, each generating 8 MW of power, which cover a surface area of 75 km2 located 16 km off the French coast, in the sector of the North Sea.
Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transports and crane rental services, played a key role in supporting the construction of the 62 turbines at this large-scale offshore wind farm that will produce 1,820 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year. With an investment of 2.4 billion euros, it is estimated to be capable of generating enough clean energy power to 835,000 people which will make the territory a positive energy municipality by producing more electricity than it consumes.
For another segment of the project, Sarens was also tasked with installing three tower sections of the turbine onshore on the construction tower frame (CTF). After finalizing the towers, the installation vessel “Brave Tern” loaded 4 complete towers, blades, and nacelles for the offshore turbine installation.
The lifting and tailing operations were meticulously executed, with Sarens deploying the Demag CC 2500 as the tailing crane and the Liebherr LR 11000 as the main crane. The Liebherr LR 11000, configured with a 120m boom length initially, was extended to 126 meters to meet project requirements.
With an average weight of 150 tonnes per tower section and a radius of 34 meters, the SL flexframe-equipped crane proved to be the ideal choice for the task at hand. Sarens also facilitated the loadout process by utilising the CC 2500 alongside the vessel crane to load the blades onto the installation vessel.
Sarens achieved a commendable safety record, completing the project successfully without any accidents or Lost Time Incidents (LTIs). Sarens is now busy with demobilizing the LR11000, and Siemens Gamesa has requested Sarens to keep the CC2500 longer on site, to assist with the demobilization of the construction tower frame after finalizing the complete loadout.
Brittany is prone to strong winds and high tides, which have shaped the region's landscape, economy and way of life. The completion of the first large-scale offshore wind farm in Brittany, which is one of the first in France to have obtained all the necessary government permits for its construction and operation, is great news for the entire European society as it will help harness the region's full energy potential.
“Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity today. With an overwhelming need to reduce CO2 emissions worldwide comes a rising demand for renewable energy sources. Sarens is honoured to be one key contributor to achieving climate change targets around the world with offshore wind.
Our safety standards, innovative solutions, knowledge and expertise of Sarens is significantly contributing to making wind energy more competitive.” Sarens' PM
About Sarens
Sarens is the global leader and reference in crane rental, heavy lift and engineered transportation services. With state-of-the-art equipment, value engineering, one of the world's largest inventories of cranes, transporters and special rigging equipment, Sarens offers creative and intelligent solutions to today's heavy lifting and engineering transport challenges.
With more than 100 entities in 66 countries operating without borders, Sarens is an ideal partner for small to large-scale projects. Sarens currently employs 5,000 highly qualified professionals who are ready to serve the needs of any client worldwide and in all market sectors. https://www.sarens.com/