Buckner HeavyLift Crane
Joint Venture in Hawaii
Buckner HeavyLift Crane has partnered with the local Hawaiian-owned company, American Piping & Boiler Co., to create the joint venture, APB Buckner. This joint venture was formed in response to the emphasis that Hawaiian state law has placed on power provided by clean resources. Wind power has grown on the island as part of this initiative with multiple wind farms completing construction in recent years. Buckner HeavyLift brings to the table heavy equipment expertise and a large fleet of equipment, including large equipment based permanently on the island. This, combined with APB’s skilled local labor, knowledge of the local market and years of on-island experience creates the ideal resource for any company exploring projects in Hawaii.
Installing Wind Turbines for Hawaii Wind Farms
By state law, Hawaii must have 70 percent of its power be provided by clean resources and 40 percent of that by locally produced from local resources by 2030. As part of this initiative, Buckner HeavyLift had partnered with the American Piping & Boiler Co. as APB Buckner to install wind turbines for wind farms in Hawaii.
Completed Heavylift Crane Wind Farm Projects
In 2013, APB Buckner completed two large wind farm projects – one one Oahu’s North Shore with a total of 30 wind turbines (the Kawailoa Project) and the other in the West Maui Mountains with a total of 14 wind turbines (the Kaheawa Project). With the project in Maui, the APB Buckner team were challenged with providing a solutions for navigating a massive crane on extremely narrow roads (only 20 feet wide) that were surrounded by protected habitats. After further lift planning to handle the narrow roads and wind challenges while meeting the needs of having a high capacity crane, the team determined the Terex CC 2800-1 NT to carry out the job.
Continuing the Hawaii Clean Energy Initiative
The Kawailoa Project now generates 69 MW of clean energy, saving 300,000 barrels of oil each year and supplying 5-10 percent of Oahu’s electric power. The Kaheawa Project provides 51 MW of clean energy, which is enough to power 18,700 homes each year. Without the lift planning, engineering knowledge, and equipment capabilities of the APB Buckner team, these wind farms may not have been possible.
There is certainly more work to be done to help meet the clean energy initiative in Hawaii, and the APB Buckner team continues to work on wind farms to provide more clean energy. Stay up to date on the latest projects on social media, and learn more about American Piping & Boiler Co.