News And Announcements 2024

20 January 2025

Per Fenger, Co-founder and CEO

In 2024, Liftra experienced an extraordinary year of progress and innovation.
We successfully expanded our global operations, introduced new solutions, and engaged in several collaborations.
This year was also marked by remarkable growth, and we are now a team of 600 skilled professionals driving our mission forward.
Today, we are proud to provide solutions in over 30 countries worldwide, enabling more sustainable and cost-efficient operations, even in the most challenging locations.
I want to thank our partners and customers for great collaboration throughout 2024 and for embracing innovative technology.
We look forward to new partnerships, growth, continuing our successful collaborations and remain committed to supporting the wind industry with more cutting-edge tools.
Please enjoy the Liftra 2024 highlights!

The Liftra Installation Crane is now in production!

The year 2024 ended with the achievement of a significant milestone for Liftra as we have partnered with one of the largest wind developers in Europe to demonstrate the groundbreaking LT1500 Installation Crane. This collaboration will showcase the crane’s capabilities, with demonstration scheduled for 2026.

We are thrilled to see leading industry players embracing this innovative technology with a forward-thinking mindset, paving the way for advancements in wind turbine installation.

Based on Liftra’s Self-Hoisting technology, the LT1500 Installation Crane is designed to revolutionize turbine installation by enabling the installation of next-generation wind turbines with hub heights of up to 250 meters. It will deliver time- and cost-efficient operations while significantly reducing CO2 emissions during turbine installation.

We are also excited to announce that the LT1500 Installation Crane has officially entered production. The project has received support from EUDP – The Energy Technology Development and Demonstration Program, further highlighting its importance for the future of wind energy.

LIFTRA SELF-HOISTING CRANE NOW IN OVER 15 COUNTRIES

With continued global growth, we are excited to see the Liftra Self-Hoisting Crane (LSHC) now operating in more locations than ever before! In 2024, five cranes began successful operations in Brazil, and with deployments in Nicaragua, Italy, Belgium, and Guatemala. These new locations further strengthen Liftra's commitment to expanding the LSHC’s global presence.

The Self-Hoisting Crane has, for more than 10 years now, helped reduce downtime, cut operational costs, and lowered emissions. Its ability to replace major components with mobilizations requiring only two trucks makes it ideal for challenging environments, such as sites with limited crane pad area, remote locations, and soon, also offshore.

This year, the LSHC has successfully completed operations in new locations such as Belgium and Finland, along with the first full rotor lift in Germany. The tallest turbine we serviced this year was 155 meters—well below the LSHC’s current limit of 170 meters, which is soon set to exceed 200 meters. With multiple cranes now in operation throughout Europe, we are ready to expand our reach across the continent, just as we have done in North America.

In addition to expanding operations, we are proud to share significant milestones:

Lowering of the first GE2.X-127m rotor
Completion of the first jobs on Vestas EnVentus turbines
LSHC receives approval for O&M in China
Development of a new base system for Senvion MM82/MM92 turbines, set for release in 2025
Self-Hoisting Crane actively supports gearbox and generator exchanges in Australia, with our team ready to support additional operations in the region

SUCCESSFUL SAT OF THE GE 2.X BASE SYSTEM

In 2024, we celebrated the successful Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of the new GE 2.X base system, an achievement that highlights the continuous innovation in Liftra’s Self-Hoisting Crane technology. The LT1200 Liftra Self-Hoisting Crane effectively lowered the complete 127m rotor on GE 2.X turbines, showcasing its reliability and efficiency.

This base system includes Moving Base Center which enhances the crane’s flexibility by allowing it to move up to 2m forward, providing extended reach and reducing logistical challenges during on-site operations.

The Moving Base Center can be customized to meet specific requirements, significantly expanding the capabilities of the LT1200 crane and offering current and future LT1200 owners new opportunities for major component exchanges.

SOLVE WIND: LIFTRA AND ESTEYCO JOINING FORCES

Liftra remains dedicated to forming strategic alliances that drive innovation in offshore wind energy. SOLVE WIND, the joint venture with Esteyco, combines Liftra’s advanced crane technology with Esteyco’s innovative barge system to deliver reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solutions. This collaboration is compatible with fixed-bottom turbines and holds potential for floating turbines, offering:

Local manufacturing to ensure Jones Act compliance or similar
Eliminates hub height as a cost factor
No seabed or water depth limitations
Blade repair and exchange
Service on Direct Drive turbines

The ATOMS platform, a sustainable alternative to jack-up vessels for major component replacements and blade exchanges, is currently in production, with a demonstration planned for summer 2025.

COLLABORATION WITH HMH FOR OFFSHORE COMPONENT EXCHANGE

In collaboration with Liftra, HMH has developed OCX (Offshore Component eXchange), a solution that focuses on major component exchanges for offshore wind turbines. OCX integrates Liftra’s LT1200 Self-Hoisting Crane with HMH’s Heave Compensation technology, offering a versatile solution that enables multibrand component exchanges, supports cost effective sustainable operations, and ensures higher turbine availability compared to traditional operations.

This approach allows for:

No seabed or water depth limitations
Fast mobilization
Independence from foundation type and strength
Deployment with a single vessel

This marks the start of Liftra’s and HMH collaboration, outlining our shared goals to deliver sustainable and competitive solutions for the offshore wind industry.

These collaborations reflect our commitment to innovation and sustainability in offshore wind. By partnering with industry leaders, we continue to push the boundaries of offshore wind solutions and actively seek new opportunities to advance the future of the wind industry.

LIFTRA BLADE HAWK: 18 BLADE HAWKS SOLD

In 2024, the Liftra Blade Hawk (LT1625-1) was the most popular Bade Yoke, with a total of 18 units sold. This innovative solution offers:

Collapsible and transportable on single truck
Fits all blades (10 - 35 tons) without any adapters
Reduced turbine downtime through versatile, easy setup and fast relocation
Pitch and tilt functionality ideal for service operations

This yoke also offers gentle support on main and trailing edge web with patented multi boogie mechanism (pending patent).

The road transportation between sites can be done on an oversized low bed trailer (3x3x13m), making it efficient to the demands of modern wind turbine maintenance

NEXT-GENERATION BLADE SKYLARK

The next-generation Blade Skylark enters production. With its new design, this vertical blade exchange yoke is ideal for O&M at onshore turbines for blades up to and over 90 meter. This advanced solution works seamlessly with the Liftra Self-Hoisting Crane to deliver cost-efficient and sustainable operations.

With the first two units already in production, the Skylark yoke provides:

A key feature for the LT1200, enabling streamlined replacements of blades
Adaptability to various blade types, ensuring flexibility in O&M operations
Elimination of the need for conventional cranes
Reduced costs and enhanced sustainability in blade exchange operations

Following the successful pilot project, we are excited to see the Skylark yoke facilitating real-world blade exchanges on the latest onshore turbines using only the LT1200 Self-Hoisting Crane.

UPGRADED BLADE DRAGON: ENHANCED FOR DIRECT DRIVE TURBINES

In September, we were excited to introduce the upgraded Blade Dragon, which now supports even faster offshore blade installation and service. Designed for direct-drive turbines for both electric and hydraulic blade pitch system, it enhances efficiency, particularly in demanding offshore environments.

With key advancements including:

Faster operations, eliminating the need for a rotor turning tool
Ability to lift blades from any position, even with a stuck rotor

This yoke has already earned strong industry recognition, with the first unit successfully sold to a leading developer.

LIFTRA PROVIDES OPTIMIZED SOLUTIONS FOR HIGH-WIND SPEED SITES LIKE POWER-TO-X

Traditional cranes often face limitations such as mobilization to remote sites, high wind speeds, and handling turbines with high hub heights. Solving these challenges continues to be an integral part of Liftra’s approach.

Some of our solutions include:

Liftra Self-Hoisting Crane: capable of efficient operations in various conditions.
Liftra Turbine Installation Crane: optimized for high hub heights and demanding environments.
Liftra Blade Way: an innovative solution for blade exchanges in challenging settings.

These solutions ensure efficient and adaptable operations tailored to meet the unique demands of high-wind speed sites, including Power-to-X wind farm installations.

OUR GLOBAL SERVICE & PRODUCT SUPPORT

Throughout 2024, Liftra continuously supported its customers worldwide, ensuring accessible service and assistance on all Liftra products. We provide services and support, throughout the entire lifetime of our products, which includes maintenance, spare part requests, or urgent matters.

With a dedicated Product Support page, from which service request can be submitted, and global technical assistance available across all time zones, we ensure our customers can maximize the value of their tools and equipment.

For assistance and access to our services, visit our support page: Liftra Product Support and submit a request which, in normal office hours and under normal circumstances, will be answered within 2 hours. For urgent matters, please call the appropriate office.

USA: +1 513 745 0880 ext. 2
China: +86 22 5981 0101
Rest Of The World: +45 96 600 300

RENTAL AND REFURBISHMENT OF TOWER TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS

Liftra’s refurbishment centers in China and Vietnam operated at full capacity throughout the year, with plans for further expansion in 2025.

By continuously refurbishing Liftra Tower Transport Systems, we extend product lifetime and support sustainable operations while ensuring high standards of efficiency and reliability, delivering:

Multi-Brand Support: Handling onshore and offshore transportation and lifting tools of all turbine parts.
Flexible Rental Options: Long-term and project-based rental of transport equipment.
Refurbishment Services: Storage, preparation, and refurbishment of transportation equipment.
Compact Transport Solutions: Efficient return of Liftra transport equipment in standard containers.
Streamlined Logistics: Liftra can manage all handling and shipping of transport equipment, simplifying the process for customers.

We are excited to see the industry increasingly adopting our rental and refurbishment concept for Tower Transport Solutions, helping drive sustainable and cost-effective operations worldwide.

LIFTRA EQUIPMENT GOES VIRTUAL WITH VR TRAINING

September 2024 marked the launch of Liftra’s VR training platform, created to enhance operational understanding and safety practices of Liftra products. Starting with Blade Yokes, this virtual solution allows users to repeatedly practice relevant tasks related to preparing the yoke for operation.

Developed on Kanda´s multiplayer platform, this VR training provides a collaborative and immersive learning experience.

There are several benefits of Liftra’s VR training, such as:

Flexibility and accessibility by offering remote training opportunities
Improved team understanding and knowledge sharing
Better preparation for safe and efficient operations

While the initial focus is on Blade Yokes, we are excited about the benefits the VR solution will bring and plan to expand this initiative to include more of Liftra’s solutions in the coming years, ensuring teams worldwide gain hands-on experience and improve functionality.

WHERE TO MEET LIFTRA IN 2025

Visit us!

At Liftra we are committed to continue supporting our clients with innovative technology that optimizes operations worldwide. We invite you to schedule a visit to our Headquarters or one of our global offices to explore how can we help to optimize your operations.

Best regards,
Per Fenger, CEO
PEF@liftra.dk