David versus Goliath

The highest wind turbine in the Netherlands - a 4.5 MW turbine with a rotor diameter of 136 meters by Lagerwey - has now been given a name: it was named 'David', in opposition to its neighbour, the historic windmill 'Goliath'.

The Dutch Goliath dates from 1887 and is the successor of an even older windmill, which burned down in 1892. The new wind turbine will not get nearly as old which. Even funnier to toy the old story from the Bible.

Ida Wierenga, the miller of the Goliath, commented on the allusion: “A tongue-in-cheek name, but also very seriously. By daring to be little, you can achieve big things. This young David will have to take it against The Goliath who has been here for 120 years, after his predecessor was destroyed by a fire in 1882. With the Lagerwey wind turbine a new era has started.”

'David' has been supplying its first power to the grid this week and supplies electricity for 5000 households. In addition, Lagerwey plans to erect another identical model in Eemshaven, which will be installed with the world’s first climbing crane.