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Qualitas Energy has commenced construction following the successful development phase at the Salingen repowering project. Situated in North Rhine-Westphalia, within the Dortmund district and approximately 10 km from the city center, Salingen boasts two 1.5 MW turbines. These turbines were originally grid-connected in 2002 and have been consistently supplying sustainable wind power to around 2,000 households ever since.
“Qualitas Energy acquired the wind farm in 2019 and, thanks to intensive development work, successfully guided it through the approval process,” said Ann-Kathrin Eitel, Project Manager at Qualitas Energy Service GmbH, a company of the Qualitas Energy Group, specialized in the development, construction, and operation of wind farms in Germany. “We were able to positively decide the tender process of the Federal Network Agency in our favor this spring.”, she added.
“Preparations for dismantling the existing plants have already begun in Salingen,” explained Bernadett Fischer, Site Manager at Qualitas EnergyService GmbH. “As part of a resource-efficient, sustainable dismantling process, we attach great importance to reusing spare parts and otherwise carefully recycling them.”, she added.
The compensation for electricity sales over the next two decades is established via a competitive tender process, setting the stage for the upcoming phase. Instead of the previous turbines, a state-of-the-art, higher-capacity, and notably efficient wind turbine, specifically the Enercon E160, boasting a total output of 5.56 MW and a hub height of 120 meters, will be deployed. This enhancement substantially boosts electricity generation at the Salingen site while reducing the turbine count by half.
The construction project has gained momentum, and an inaugural meeting in August saw all the stakeholders discuss on-site specifics. The initial existing turbine will be dismantled in October. Subsequently, construction of the new infrastructure will commence, with the objective of having the new turbine operational by mid-2024. Once the construction is over, the remaining existing turbine will be disassembled.
The Salingen wind site is a perfect example of an ambitious vision of a successful energy transition through plant repowering and the efficient utilization of land. In the future, Salingen will provide renewable energy to over 3,500 households.
