The AEE Awards the 2024 Eolo Innovation Prize to Nabrawind
The Skylift technology (Skylift® Craneless Installation System) has been awarded the 2024 Eolo Innovation Prize. This prestigious award, given by AEE, will be presented on June 13th in Madrid during the Annual Wind Power Meeting organized by AEE.
The innovative Skylift solution created by Nabrawind is an advanced system poised to revolutionize the wind industry. It allows the complete installation of large-scale multi-megawatt wind turbines by assembling the nacelle, tower, and rotors under wind conditions exceeding standard limits (winds up to 15m/s) without the need for large cranes. This is achieved through a self-hoisting process of all turbine components, which is both efficient and swift.
The jury of the 2024 Eolo Innovation Prize has recognized that the Skylift project offers groundbreaking benefits for the current wind market. These include its capability to assemble entire wind turbines at previously unreachable heights (tower heights exceeding 200m) without the need for large auxiliary cranes, thereby simplifying the installation process and reducing operational costs while also enhancing safety. Additionally, its ability to operate under high wind conditions significantly extends the installation window. This is particularly crucial in a context of increasing demand for renewable energy and the need to meet wind generation targets globally and in Europe. This innovative installation system positions itself as an attractive solution for the market, especially in the mega green hydrogen projects being planned in areas with medium to high wind speeds, where conventional methods significantly limit turbine installation windows.
Thus, Skylift addresses the logistical and technical challenges presented by increasingly larger turbines. This solution not only enhances operational efficiency and installation flexibility but also significantly accelerates assembly times, contributing to more agile and efficient wind energy generation. It offers an installation time of one turbine per week and requires only 16 trucks for transport, compared to the more than 30 trucks needed for a conventional main crawler crane.
The Eolo Innovation Prize initiative is part of AEE‘s and the wind sector’s technological platform REOLTEC’s efforts to support innovation and national technological development in a context of strong international competition, market globalization, and cost optimization.
On June 13th, during the Eolo Awards Gala, the Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE) will present the following awards, including ours:
- Rural Integration of Wind Energy: Hornillos de Cerrato (Palencia)
- Innovation: “Skylift Craneless Installation System” by Nabrawind Technologies
- Photography:
- 1st Prize – Virginia Méndez García for ‘Conservación Avifauna’
- 2nd Prize – José Miguel Hernández Rebordinos for ‘Gigantes en la llanura’
- 3rd Prize – Covadonga Gala Miranda for ‘Ganadería y energía eólica’
- Wind Microstories: ‘Huelga por crisis existencial’ by Francisco Sánchez Egea
- Graphic Arts: ‘Divina naturaleza’ by Salvador Linares Fernández
In 2018, Nabrawind received another EOLO Innovation Prize for the Nabralift solution.