Deutsche Windtechnik launches service in the UK: 73 Siemens® systems under maintenance contract

Deutsche Windtechnik and ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) reach an agreement: Deutsche Windtechnik takes over the maintenance of one of the largest onshore wind farms in the UK – Black Law – and the Beinn an Tuirc 2 wind farm, also installed in the UK, with immediate effect. The independent service company has therefore assumed responsibility for its first maintenance contracts in the UK. Black Law comprises 54 wind turbines of the manufacturer Siemens^® of type SWT-2.3-82 (CS). Beinn en Tuirc 2, operational since 2013, includes 19 turbines of the same type. The contracts are set for three years, there are options to extend.

“After about a year of preparation and intense negotiations, we are all the more delighted about the successful agreement with SPR. We are actively entering the UK market to further expand our international activities and gradually establish ourselves in the UK. We are developing a strong partnership with SPR, on the basis of which we can hopefully also tackle further projects together,” summarises Thorben Groth, who promotes business development in the UK for Deutsche Windtechnik Service GmbH & Co KG. In order to operate in the UK at 100% from the start, Deutsche Windtechnik has strengthened its on-site staff in recent months and opened an office in Edinburgh. This has enabled new installers with Siemens^® experience to be recruited and system-specifically trained in advance.

Successful entry into the UK service market

Lars Behrends, International CEO of Deutsche Windtechnik Service Holding GmbH, discusses country-specific nuances: “With the conclusion of the SPR contract, Deutsche Windtechnik has successfully arrived in the UK market and is therefore interesting for other operators and energy providers in the UK. We are very similar culturally, such as when it comes to the qualitative standards of maintenance. By contrast, the QHSE standards that apply in the UK along with the extensive reporting requirements represent an exciting challenge ahead!” Jens Krippner, who is responsible for Siemens^® Technology in the UK, takes a positive view of the international development: “Our technical competence for Siemens^® systems and our high standards of service quality have also convinced internationally operating providers. Structural, cultural or legal differences have not been an obstacle.”

Growing international demand for Siemens^® competence

In Poland, Deutsche Windtechnik has brought together their first international experience in the maintenance of Siemens^® systems since 2014: At the Suwalki wind farm in the far east of the country, service professionals maintain 18 wind turbines of type SWT-2.3-93VS under contract from RWE Renewables Polska Sp. z o.o.. In Germany, Deutsche Windtechnik presently maintains 394 Siemens^®/An Bonus^® systems within the framework of fixed (full) maintenance contracts. In addition, there are 2,151 contracts (550 of which are in Spain) for machines of other manufacturers: Vestas^®/NEG Micon^®, Nordex^®, Senvion^® and Fuhrländer^®.

ScottishPower Renewables

ScottishPower Renewables is part of Iberdrola, the world’s largest wind energy developer, with an operating portfolio of over 14,000 megawatts (MW). ScottishPower Renewables is responsible for progressing Iberdrola’s onshore wind and marine energy projects in the UK and offshore windfarms throughout the world.

Securing our position at the forefront of the renewable energy industry, ScottishPower Renewables now has 30 operational windfarm sites producing over 1,600 MW. With a further 500 MW of onshore windfarm projects due to be constructed, we are set to maintain our position as the UK's leading wind developer.