REpower goes offshore

During this year’s largest wind energy trade fair HUSUMwind (18 to 22 September), REpower Systems AG will have “offshore” as a main focus and topic. At the two-storey, 218 square metre trade fair stand, REpower will, among other things, display a model of the 5M nacelle in the scale of 1:18 which possesses all important components, a turning hub and brings the operating mode of this 5-megawatt machine to live. The genuine 5M has a rotor diameter of 126 metres and a hub height of 85-100 metres (offshore) and 100-120 metres (onshore) respectively.

The 5M prototype had already been erected in 2004 in Brunsbüttel (Schleswig-Holstein), two more were installed on an offshore test field in Cuxhaven at the end of 2006.

In the summer of 2006, the first 5M was installed in the Scottish North Sea within the “Beatrice project”, followed by the second turbine this year. This wind farm establishes three records at once: For the first time, offshore wind turbines have been completely assembled onshore; second, never before had wind turbines been installed in such a water depth; and third, this is the most northern offshore wind farm in the world. With a total capacity of 10 megawatts, the wind farm will satisfy two-thirds of the energy demand of the neighbouring Talisman Energy oil platform.

The first commercial offshore wind farm project, Thornton Bank, will be realised near the Belgian coast by the end of 2008 – for this project, REpower will deliver six 5M. The first German offshore wind farm near Borkum will also be equipped with six 5M power plants.

At the moment, REpower is assembling five 5M nacelles in Büttel (district of Dithmarschen) in a unique mobile production hall, directly situated on the future site of the wind farm. In the future, REpower will start the serial production of its 5M in Bremerhaven and in Osterrönfeld (near Rendsburg). Furthermore, a rotor blade production site in Bremerhaven is planned together with A&R Rotec. Husum and Trampe (Brandenburg) are the production sites for all other types of REpower turbines. The development centre is located in Rendsburg, the administration in Hamburg. The listed company has just hired its 1,000th employee worldwide.

Moreover, REpower will be awarded as innovative „Landmark of Ideas in 2007“ on 18 September by the initiative „Germany – Land of Ideas“ which is under the patronage of the German Federal President. In the presence of Schleswig Holstein’s Prime Minister Mr. Carstensen, the respective certificate will be handed over to REpower’s CEO Prof. Dr. Fritz Vahrenholt at the REpower booth by Deutsche Bank. “We are proud to be a selected landmark of ideas. As a leading developer and manufacturer of onshore and offshore wind turbines, we contribute considerably to the future’s CO2-free energy supply”, the CEO comments delighted.