Sarens has used its SGC-90 electric crane, which is capable of feeding part of the electricity back into the grid, thereby reducing consumption by 40%, on projects of international significance such as the Balikpapan refinery in Indonesia and the Greater Changhua offshore windfarm in Taiwan.
The SGC-90 crane, also known as ‘Little Celeste’, has been operational since 2020, and has a maximum load capacity of 1,650 tonnes, making it a suitable model for renewable energy projects or for placement in environments where the environmental or noise footprint of projects needs to be limited.
Aware of the growing demand for increasingly sustainable solutions, Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport and crane rental services, continues to drive the ecological transition of the heavy lifting industry in the Asian market, which in recent years has been the focus of a significant number of renewable energies projects in the offshore wind and oil&gas industries.
In response to this significant demand for cleaner and more environmentally friendly solutions for its projects, Sarens is focusing much of its R&D efforts on the development of a range of electric powered cranes that reduce the environmental footprint of its operation, maintenance requirements and noise pollution. An example of this is the SGC-90 crane, also known as ‘Little Celeste’, a model powered solely by electricity that is capable of feeding part of this consumption back into the grid, reducing its energy needs by 40%.
Since its debut, the SGC-90 has been involved in strategic projects for the Asian market, such as the one carried out at the Balikpapan refinery in East Kalimantan, on the island of Borneo, Indonesia. On this occasion, the Sarens engineering team was responsible for the record-breaking lifting of a propane/propylene splitter on the propylene recovery unit weighing more than 750 tons, to heights of more than 110 meters.
Sarens has also recently been involved in the assembly of 33 wind turbine jackets for the new Greater Changhua offshore wind farm in the Gulf of Taiwan, a project that will supply renewable energy to more than one million homes in Taiwan. On this occasion, and faced with the need to lift loads of between 2500 and 2800 tons, the Sarens engineering team decided to use a wide range of cranes, including the Liebherr LR1750, with a load capacity of 750 tons, the Demag CC2800-1 with a capacity of 600 tons, and with the new SGC-90 as the integration crane on the job.
In both projects, the need to lift large loads while reducing the environmental impact of the operation made the SGC-90 particularly important. During the lowering operations, electricity is produced using the hoist motors as dynamos. In addition, by not using diesel engines like conventional cranes or hydraulic power packs, noise is significantly reduced and the possibility of pollution from hydraulic oil leaks is eliminated.
This ring crane model, which has a maximum load capacity of 1,650 tons, is part of Sarens' family of giant cranes, including the SGC-250, known as “Big Carl”, which was used in the installation of the nuclear reactor at the Hinkley Point C power station in England. “Little Celeste” went into operation at the end of 2020, with the aim of covering the need for heavy lifting tasks in offshore wind, logistics and construction projects.
With its new range of electric cranes, Sarens is reaffirming its commitment to the energy transition in Asia in particular and in the 67 countries in which it is present. Under the motto ‘Sustainability Accelerators’, the company is also working on the renewal of the pumping systems in its barges and the transition to bio-based oils where electrified solutions are not possible.
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 65 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/