As we see a global transition into renewable energy sources, The Ashcourt Group are continuing its long-term commitment into sustainability. Our recent investment at our Foster Street depot has seen the delivery and installation of a brand-new wind turbine spanning heights of up to 77 metres. 

This wind turbine was supplied and assembled by EWT, who have been providing economical and reliable direct drive wind turbines for localised energy since 2004. Ainscough crane hire company were also on site to lift the turbine components into place, using net zero carbon cranes, as the company adopted the use of HVO fuel across their entire fleet in 2022 making them the first crane company to initiate the change. 

During the foundation works of the turbine, our concrete division provided 93.5m3 of our C40/50 pump mix, using our 35m concrete boom pump to place it into the base.  This was then topped off with 17m3 of fibre reinforcement concrete of the same strength – to provide protection against plastic shrinkage cracking on the exposed surface.

Once all groundworks were completed, the installation of the wind turbine tower commenced in multiple stages over the course of three days. Starting with the lower tower delivered and erected on the first day, the next phase saw the upper tower lifted and secured to the lower section ready for the nacelle and hub to be assembled to the top. 

After these components were successfully connected, work began for the blade lift. The three blades had already been assembled to the rotor on the ground, as to create an efficient lift of the full unit onto the generator, using two cranes to coordinate the move up and over the tower securing it to the top.

This wind turbine has an output of one megawatt, delivering long term power for our Foster Street depot and will provide enough power energy to switch all existing electrically powered equipment for the offices, workshop, and concrete plant to renewable energy.