The first Nabralift towers for Fortescue’s Nullagine Wind Project arrive in Australia
The first Nabralift towers for Fortescue’s Nullagine Wind Project have arrived in Australia, marking another important milestone in the delivery of one of the world’s most ambitious onshore wind projects. The initial components have successfully reached the Port of Port Hedland in Western Australia, from where they will be transported to the project site near Nullagine in the Pilbara region. In addition to the tower components, the self-erecting system that will be used to install the turbines has already arrived on site, ready for its final field commissioning ahead of the installation of the 17 planned towers.
The Nabralift 188 m configuration, the highest tower in Australia, to be installed in this project is built on a modular architecture that allows logistically viable installations without the need for large cranes. At very tall hub heights, where concrete towers are typically the only alternative, Nabralift delivers installation speeds two to three times faster, unlocking substantial gains in project timelines and operational efficiency.
Foundation construction has commenced for the project’s 17 wind turbines, paving the way for the installation of the record-breaking Nabralift self-erecting towers later this year. In this regard, one of the project’s distinguishing engineering features is the use of piled foundations instead of conventional gravity foundations. This solution significantly reduces the amount of concrete and reinforcing steel required, resulting in lower embodied carbon emissions while also reducing construction costs. The smaller excavation footprint and lower material consumption make the foundation system particularly well suited to remote locations such as the Pilbara, where logistics and material transport have a major impact on both project cost and environmental footprint.
About the project
Developed by Fortescue as part of its ‘Real Zero’ strategy, the Fortescue Nullagine Wind Project will have an installed capacity of 133 MW, generated by 17 Envision EN182-7.8 MW wind turbines mounted on Nabrawind’s 188-metre Nabralift towers. The project combines, for the first time in an onshore wind farm, a 188-metre hub height, a 182-metre rotor diameter and a 7.8 MW rated turbine, setting a new benchmark for large-scale onshore wind generation.