Sarens has completed a lift operation at the Renkenberge wind farm on behalf of client Enercon DE. It involved the erection of three 159m  high wind turbines as well as a smaller 99-metre turbine. Several different pieces of equipment were used, but the star of the show was the Demag PC 3800-1 pedestal crane. 

The PC 3800-1 is the pedestal version of the 650T capacity CC 3800-1 lattice boom crawler crane. It was developed by Terex-Demag in close cooperation with Sarens, and boasts several advantages in wind farm operations, including: 

• Improved crane capacity, especially on main boom.
• Need for less extensive ground preparation since it can level itself on outriggers.
• Lower ground loading due to the 12m x 12m outrigger base on superlift. Larger outrigger bases (14m x 14m and 16m x 16m) are possible on main boom combinations.
• Lower transport costs, since no heavy transport is needed except for the crane body itself.
• Faster on-site relocation possible with outriggers folded along the crane body and 60t of crane counterweight installed.
• Availability of 6 axle self-propelled trailer, at no additional cost. The hydraulic transport modules connected to the crane pot for road transport can be disconnected once the crane body is placed on outriggers and then used on site as a self-propelled trailer. 

Other equipment used on site during the installation of the 93T turbine parts included the LTM 1250 K4149, Merlo P38-12, and PC 3800 LSL-LF 14 (165m + 12m). 

Because the PC 3800-1 is a pedestal crane, it cannot crawl after rigging. This means that the rigging location requires a study that all work can be done from one position. However, Hendrik Sanders, the technical solutions equipment engineer for Sarens, explains an innovative solution:  

"In Renkenberge, the first ever relocation of a PC 3800-1 was performed in partially rigged mode. Once the crane body was put on its outriggers at the crane platform, the 6 axle self-propelled trailer was used to transport the fully rigged 42m superlift mast, which had been put on timber stillages at the former location. This made it possible to perform the crane relocation in 8 hours' less time, compared to a full dismantling and rigging." 

"The flexibility of the crane operator, Michel Butterhuis, and the coordinator was very good!" said site manager Congar Vahdettin, who praised Sarens' level of service as well as its crane solutions. The Group is proud to have been a part of this project, and to have served the client with the highest level of excellence and care. Sarens thanks everyone who was a part of this project's success!