Germany: Gamesa to repower a German wind farm with 4.5 MW turbines

Gamesa, a global technology leader in wind energy, continues to make inroads with its business strategy for Northern Europe, having received its first order from Energiekontor, one of Germany's leading renewable energy developers, for the repowering of a wind farm to be equipped with three G128-4.5 MW turbines.

By installing these three turbines, with aggregate capacity of 13.5 MW, Gamesa will overhaul the Debstedt wind farm located in the state of Lower Saxony near Bremerhaven, in north-west Germany. Operational since 1998, this facility, currently equipped with 11 1-MW capacity turbines, will be upgraded with new technology: eight of the old turbines will be replaced by three new 4.5 MW turbines. As a result, the annual output of the wind farm will be doubled.

"This contract marks a milestone in our strategy for Northern Europe as it is the first order to supply the G128-4.5 MW in such a market as Germany, while also evidencing the credibility Gamesa products have earned in the eyes of customers", underscored Martin G. Hake, Head of Sales for Gamesa in Germany.

"For Energiekontor's repowering strategy it is essential to use a state-of-the-art technology to install the maximum power into a plot with the lowest impact on the environment. A reduction from 8 to 3 turbines was only possible with a Multi-MW-WTG like the G128-4.5 MW", adds Torben Moeller, member of the management board of Energiekontor AG.

Delivery of these turbines will begin in August and the refitted facility is slated for commissioning in December. Gamesa will also operate and maintain the facility for 18 years.

Notably this contract is the first secured by Gamesa for the supply of this turbine, which belongs to the 5-MW platform, in Germany.