1) Before the wind turbine is erected, tower, nacelle, and rotor are transported to the site on large trucks. If it is a very tall wind turbine the parts may be so big that you have to transport them at night in order not to disturb traffic.

	2) The rotor is assembled at the site. The large crane can lift heavy things 50 metres up in the sky. This tower is 45 metres tall and will be assembled from two sections. You want to make sure that the sections are secured properly. That is why they are bolted together.

	3) The crane can work with great accuracy. To make the two sections of the tower fit precisely, the crane driver often has to move the crane only one or two millimetres! If it is too windy it is difficult to steer the sections into place.

	4) When the nacelle is being placed on the tower, the man has to hold it with a rope. In that way, he can steer the nacelle to exactly the right spot on the tower. The man has a radio-link to some men inside the tower.

5) The rotor can be difficult to control. That is why the two men each have to hold a blade with a rope. At this point, it is extremely important that it is not too windy. What do you think would happen to the two men if the wind could catch the rotor and toss it around?

6) The rotor is put onto the nacelle. This can be a little tricky if the rotor is not placed accurately in front of the nacelle. The two men on the ground help to steer it into the right position.

Here you can see how a wind turbine is erected. Click the numbered buttons.

7) Now the wind turbine is almost complete - you would think. However, it has to be connected to the electrical grid, so the electricity can reach the consumers. The wind turbine also has to be checked to make sure everything is in order. But once that is settled, the wind turbine can generate electricity for 20-25 years.

Installing and Assembling Wind Turbine Towers