WindSpider has been awarded a NOK 17.5 million grant from Innovation Norway for further development of their aluminium lifting solution, control system and simulator. The crane system is intended for installation and maintenance of wind turbines on- and offshore, with many game-changing benefits and at lower cost. The project marks the start of building the first full-scale unit of the WindSpider system which has the potential to become one of the tallest cranes in the world.
The wind industry is looking for new technologies to bring down costs and to enable the use of larger wind turbines both on land and water. As we experience record high activity in the global onshore and offshore wind industry, together with increasingly taller and heavier wind turbines and corresponding bottlenecks in the supply chain, the timing of bringing solutions like WindSpider to the market is optimal.
Furthermore, the first commercial offshore floating wind projects are presently being awarded in Europe on the backdrop of the initial cases of major component repairs carried out by the means of towing offshore floating wind turbines to port; this process is time-consuming, complex & expensive, and calls for an alternative solution, like WindSpider, that is able to carry out repairs on site.
The WindSpider development project supported by Innovation Norway, is a good example of the Norwegian government’s ambitions to develop export-focused Norwegian suppliers and new workplaces within the wind industry, by building on knowledge developed over decades in the offshore oil & gas industry.
WindSpider is pleased that the project is also supported by recognized industry players, both in Norway and internationally, and an important milestone for bringing the product to the market. Following the project, WindSpider will start building the first full-scale unit which has the potential to become one of the tallest cranes in the world and helping to accelerate the green energy transition.
