What happens next

The approval notice for Nordex turbines, which is still in place, nevertheless allows the wind farm to be realized, as it is still valid and can therefore be implemented. Ten of the originally approved 13 Nordex wind turbines will now be built as part of a wind farm optimization. These locations correspond to the construction sites on which the foundations of the other turbine type were already erected in the fall of 2018.

Wind turbines manufactured by Nordex with a total height of 199m, a rotor diameter of 117m, a hub height of 141m and a rated output of 2.4 MW per turbine will be built. The existing access road, crane pads and foundation pits can be used for the construction of the Nordex turbines. This means that no additional space is required. The wind farm will be connected to the grid via the planned transformer station southwest of Wülfershausen to the 110 kV overhead line of Bayernwerke.

Who is behind the project

Regio E² Windpark GmbH & Co KG will remain the developer of the wind farm, with Max Bögl Wind AG and Wust - Wind & Sonne becoming the sole shareholders. The two Bavarian companies will jointly implement this project based on their many years of experience in their respective areas of expertise in project development and construction.

Advantages for local communities through EEG 2021

Another advantage of this restructuring is the renewal of the EEG surcharge in the meantime. With this new regulation, the operating company will be able to pay 0.2 cents per kWh generated to the associated municipalities in future. This corresponds to an annual remuneration of up to €100,000 for the municipalities of Hollstadt, Wülfershausen and Saal a.d. Saale.

Planned construction process

Following the dismantling of the Enercon foundations from the beginning/mid-April, construction of the foundations for the Nordex turbines will begin towards the end of April. Tower construction of the wind turbines will start in fall 2021. In the following months, the erection of the turbines and the start of construction of the transformer station are planned. Commissioning of the transformer station is scheduled for completion in February 2022 and the wind farm itself will be able to commence operations in spring 2022.

Picture credits: Max Bögl Wind AG/Reinhard Mederer