The world’s first telescopic offshore wind turbine installed in Gran Canaria

ALE’s innovative and safer heavylifting techniques have been demonstrated when they completed the tower lifting operations, coupling and offshore installation of the world’s first self-installing telescopic offshore wind turbine in Arinaga and the Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Gran Canaria.

Coordinated by ESTEYCO, the ELICAN project aims to develop a disruptive technology for offshore wind substructures. The concept uses a self-floating GBS and a self-lifting telescopic tower, both made of concrete, which can be fully assembled onshore, turbine included, and conventionally towed to the site.

This is the first offshore wind turbine of its kind; it does not need large, costly offshore equipment for its installation, thus reducing the overall installation cost (about 30%). All of the wind turbine’s components are assembled onshore in the port, then the turbine is towed into its offshore position by tugs – making it a more efficient and economic methodology.

ALE was responsible for lifting the two sections as well as removing the transportation, installation and maintenance (TIM) platform of the tower, which gives greater stability for the prototype.