The InnoVent Diaz wind farm will contribute to generate 13% of the country's total electricity production. Given Namibia's primary reliance on coal for electricity generation, this initiative is projected to result in annual savings of 89,700,000 kg of coal.
Sarens is contributing to the construction of the InnoVent Diaz windfarm by installing the wind turbine generators (WTG).
The lifting and installation of the WTGs at the InnoVent Diaz wind farm was performed by modules including towers, rotors, nacelles, generators and blades, with weights ranging from 6 to 90 tons. Sarens Namibia has deployed heavy lifting equipment along with multiskilled workforce consisting of Namibian, South African, Angolan and Zambian nationals.
The new InnoVent Diaz onshore windfarm will be able to reach an energy capacity of 44 MW and will produce 230 GWh of renewable electricity per year once commissioned by the end of 2025. The facility, owned by Innovent, is located near Lüderitz, a port town in the Karas region of Namibia. Its estimated output represents around 6% of Namibia's electricity demand, thereby avoiding the release of 200,000 tons of CO₂ per year.
Sarens, world leader in heavy lifting, engineered transport solutions and crane rental services, is contributing to the construction of the InnoVent Diaz windfarm by installing the wind turbine generators (WTG), 125-ton each. The company is carrying out these operations through its South African division, Sarens Siba, on behalf of the customer Innosun.
Sarens’ first interaction was a preliminary site visit and engineering services in 2020. 5 years later, the project is in execution and they are currently working on Diaz I, whereafter the Diaz II project will start. Preliminary analysis of the facilities, orography, climatic conditions and other parameters defined the best equipment to carry out the lifting and installation of the wind turbines.
Following the study, it was decided to deploy cranes such as 500t Crawler Crane, 500t All Terrain, 300t All Terrain and 130t All terrain, along with 12 axles of K25 SPTMs. The Crawler Crane was selected due to its limited footprint compared to other crane models, along with its remarkable lifting capacity and wide range of movements. This equipment had to be shipped to the site from various Sarens international business units.
The lifting and installation of the WTGs at the Diaz wind farm includes towers, rotors, nacelles, generators and blades, with weights ranging from 6 to 90 tons. For most of these jobs, CC 2500-1 & GMK 6300 cranes will be performing the lifting in tandem.
Namibia aims to produce 70% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030. However, it currently imports 60-70% of its electricity, primarily from South Africa, where electricity is generated from coal. This has led to frequent power outages and a trade deficit.
The InnoVent Diaz wind farm will contribute to the country's energy independence by reducing electricity imports and combating climate change. This plant is expected to generate 13% of the country's total electricity production. Given Namibia's primary reliance on coal for electricity generation, this initiative is projected to result in annual savings of 89,700,000 kg of coal.
Sarens has extensive experience in the lifting, transportation and installation of turbines for windfarms around the world. Also in Belgium, Sarens installed six new wind turbines at the Siemens Gamesa facilities located in the municipalities of Gesves and Ohey. In Belarus, in sub-zero temperatures, Sarens installed the tallest Vestas wind turbines in Asmolovichi. At the Glenn Innes wind farm in New South Wales, Sarens installed the tallest wind turbine towers in Australia.
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