In collaboration with turbine manufacturer Vestas, Max Bögl Group has erected the world’s tallest series-produced onshore wind turbine in Winnberg, near Sengenthal, further expanding the generation of renewable energy for its corporate headquarters. The project features a 7.2-megawatt turbine with a hub height of 199 meters, mounted on a hybrid tower developed by Max Bögl. The total height of the installation is 285 meters. For the construction of this record-breaking turbine, the crane company Steil utilized its Tadano CC 78.1250-1 lattice-boom crawler crane.
“We chose this crane because, at present, there is no other machine capable of erecting this type of turbine,” reports René Perlich, crane operator at Steil. Configured with a 203.5-meter main boom with Boom Booster, and a 15-meter fixed jib, the CC 78.1250-1 reaches the greatest height currently available on the market, making it ideal for wind energy projects of this scale. The unique position of the CC 78.1250-1 is no coincidence, as Andreas Hofmann, Tadano’s Managing Director for Research and Development, emphasizes: “We listened very closely to our customers and observed market trends. We anticipated the types of turbines that would be coming, responded well in advance, and that is why we are now ahead of the curve.”
A global first in this configuration
The CC 78.1250-1 is the first crane of its kind in Europe. To ensure a smooth setup, Tadano provided an on-site service team. “We have long maintained a close and trusting relationship with Tadano. That’s why we knew they were the right partner to have by our side for the assembly of this CC 78.1250-1 configuration, the first of its kind worldwide,” notes Martin Mittler, authorized signatory and Head of the Large Cranes division at Steil.
The Tadano Boom Booster proved its worth once again on this project: “The key advantage of this reinforcement structure is that it requires no special transport arrangements; the components can simply be folded for transit, then unfolded and bolted together again on the construction site,” explains Michael Hopp from the Tadano service team. René Perlich fully agrees: “The entire crane is extremely easy to set up. It’s clear that the Tadano engineers put a lot of thought into how to make the assembly process quick and straightforward, despite the large-scale lattice components. This really pays off in practice — especially under the challenging conditions in Winnberg, where we had to contend with sloping ground.”
He was also pleasantly surprised by how easy the crane is to handle: “Despite its size, the CC 78.1250-1 operates much like a CC 38.650-1. It’s completely undemanding to use, and working with it, even at these extreme heights, is genuinely enjoyable.” This is due in no small part to the compact design of the CC 78.1250-1: despite its enormous reach and resulting overall size, it doesn’t take up an excessive amount of ground space, with a footprint of just 12 by 13 meters. This was also a key focus during its development.
Increased self-sufficiency
The client was also more than satisfied with how the project unfolded: once commissioned, the facility will generate approximately 17 to 18 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Combined with the existing power-generation systems at its headquaters, Max Bögl will be able to cover about two-thirds of its energy needs in Sengenthal — a goal to which the Tadano CC 78.1250-1, with its immense reach, has made a decisive contribution.
