InnoEnergy to support the entry-into-market phase of Nabralift

The entry-into-market phase of the Nabralift tower technology, developed by Nabrawind Technologies, will be supported by InnoEnergy, the leading engine for innovation and entrepreneurship in sustainable energy.

InnoEnergy approved the investment in the project last April 26th, applied through the InnoEnergy Investment Round, after six months of technical, financial and commercial revisions of our company by top-level committees. EDPR, ALE Heavylift and Tetrace have helped Nabrawind Technologies during this demanding review process and will also participate during this phase of the project to provide additional assessment from the entire value chain.

This agreement strengths the financial situation and boosts the capabilities of Nabrawind Technologies with the European network of industry experts, businesses and researchers of InnoEnergy, that will provide access to a deep pool of complementary skills and resources, and connect them to markets and commercial opportunities across Europe.

Support from InnoEnergy will be mostly used in funding the manufacturing and installation of the first commercial Nabralift towers, scheduled for the end of 2019.

About Nabralift

Nabralift is a new wind turbine tower technology that consists on a three-columns structure installed under the uppermost part of a WTG tubular tower and integrates a Self-Erection System (SES) that allows the installation of a full WTG (tower, nacelle, rotor) without using large-size cranes regardless of the final hub-height.

Nabralift, together with its Self-Erecting System, break all the barriers that are restraining the growth of the wind turbines hub height:

• The cost of the tower is reduced by a 15% (considering all savings in foundation, logistics, tower components and installation process)
• No large cranes are required for installation, independently of the final hub height
• Nabralift frame and transition segments may be disassembled and packaged in small containers. This minimizes logistics complexity and costs, and removes transportation barriers for Wind Farm installation
• Nabralift (a soft-stiff tower) is designed to avoid the resonances between the rotor turning and the 1st bending moment frequency (a major issue in the conventional XXL steel tubular towers)
• Nabralift can beeasily integratedin any wind turbine (existing or new). The original WTG is no significantly affected: functional, mechanical and electrical design and performance is not affected. Only the cable routing, ladder and lifts interfaces have to be adjusted.

About Nabrawind Technologies

Nabrawind Technologies (NBTECH) is dedicated to the design and development of advanced technologies for wind turbine components, as well as engineering services advisory.

NBTECH is focused into alternative high added value disruptive technologies with three strategic drivers:

• Drastic cost of energy reduction
• Solutions to break the barriers that currently restrain the onshore wind turbine growth
• Use of proven baselines technologies to provide robust and reliable components

NBTECH technologies are conceived to be easily integrated in existing wind turbines. NBTECH provides certified technologies and components that do not require wind turbine redesign and validation.

NBTECH team is composed by a group of senior engineers with 15-year average experience in the sector, mainly in wind turbine blades development and large experience in the aircraft development. Our experienced engineers have leaded numerous projects in the industry at different OEMs, including development of longest blades in the market, the lightest glass-fibre blade in the >60m range or the first modular blade system in the market.

Apart from the Nabralift tower technology, NBTECH has also developed a Modular Blade System (Nabrajoint), applicable to any wind turbine blade (existing or new) that allows manufacturing blades in two or more parts that are transported separately and assembled on site. Nabrajoint technology is based on a bolted connection between blade modules with conventional, controlled and robust assembly methods. Nabrajoint is conceived to have a simple integration in the blade, without relevant modifications in the global design. The manufacturing process of the blade is not affected either: with no significant investments in the original production line, the process may be adapted to produce modular or standard blades as demanded. Nabrajoint technology is the most reliable, light and cost-effective segmented blade solution in the market.