Repowering

Repowering of wind turbines and wind farms

A total of 7,000 wind turbines reached an age between 15 and 20 years in 2016. In 2019, there will even be more than 10,000 units. And while the number of the oldest turbines in operation is increasing, the development of technologies in the field of wind energy is progressing strongly. Today's wind turbines are not only significantly more efficient than those models from the pioneer and boom years, they also work quieter and are less susceptible to defects. With them, the yields at a location can be multiplied, while the number of plants can be reduced .

There are certainly plants in this country that, due to their location and good care, are ideally suited for continued operation after 20 years, i.e. after the end of the scheduled design life. After that, the EEG subsidy will also expire. However, frequent faults and downtimes, excessive maintenance and repair costs as well as the expiry of subsidies can ensure that a plant can no longer be operated economically. Here it is worth thinking about the repowering of wind turbines, many years before the end of their service life.

Variety of tasks coordinated by professionals

The tasks in the context of repowering projects are very extensive, more precisely they are just as complex as a complete new building. However, wind farm operators receive support in repowering from specialized companies that can already look back on a wealth of experience in this area and know exactly what to do. For example, you will find a buyer for the used wind turbines, so that part of the repowering costs can be compensated.

If the discarded models are no longer suitable for continued operation at another location, the repowering experts take care of the professional disposal and recycling of the wind turbines. They also commission experts and experts to obtain the necessary expert opinions for the approval process, find a partner to finance the project if necessary, ensure smooth logistics and coordinate all work at the repowering site. Thus, operators and owners of wind farms do not have to worry about anything.

Repowering projects can also increase the acceptance of a wind farm among the local population, because with the technical advances of wind turbines, planning errors from the past can also be corrected. Often, many old systems are replaced by a significantly smaller number of new systems, which not only work quieter, but also have a quieter running speed and relieve the landscape. In addition, lucrative locations are becoming scarcer from year to year, which is why it is worthwhile to ensure significant increases in yield where it has proven itself in the past. Repowering is also an excellent opportunity for citizen participation .