Gertzen Kranlogistik has equipped its Liebherr LR 1800-1.0 crawler crane with the X3 boom system, extending the 800-tonne crane’s wind turbine capability to hub heights of up to 175 metres.
The upgraded crane completed its first deployment at the Heiden wind farm in Germany, erecting ENERCON E-160 EP5 turbines with tower heights of 166 metres.
For installation of the generator, the LR 1800-1.0 operated with a 166-metre main boom and 12-metre fixed jib. The jib was subsequently extended to 24 metres for installation of the rotor blades.
The heaviest component handled during the project was the 131-tonne generator, while the nacelle weighed 82 tonnes.
The E-160 EP5 configuration at this height had previously required deployment of a Liebherr LR 11000, meaning the X3 retrofit now allows the smaller LR 1800-1.0 to undertake work formerly reserved for a higher-capacity crane.
Liebherr’s X3 system uses three lattice sections, each 12 metres long and six metres wide, positioned in the lower section of the main boom. The increased width significantly improves lateral stiffness when operating with long boom systems at high lifting heights.
Each X3 section consists of two halves bolted together at the centre. For transport, the halves can be separated, offset lengthways and nested together, reducing the transport width to 3.5 metres.
“With the X3 boom of the LR 1800-1.0, we can erect both current and future turbine types for which the LR 11000 was previously required,” said Wolfgang Gertzen, Managing Director of Gertzen Kranlogistik.
The upgrade responds to growing demand for taller tower configurations and heavier wind turbine components, while giving Gertzen greater flexibility across a wider range of wind projects.
“With the new update, the crane has become really powerful and our service portfolio has been greatly expanded,” added Wolfgang Gertzen, Managing Director of Gertzen Kranlogistik.
The X3 system combines the additional boom stiffness required for high turbine installations with a transport concept designed to keep oversized components manageable between wind farm sites.
