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Over the next few weeks, around 100 RWE employees and experts, alongside partner companies, will undertake the task of dismantling 17 aging wind turbines across two wind farms in Germany. These will be replaced by 11 newer models.
Repowering the wind farms will allow RWE to significantly boost electricity production while using fewer turbines. This efficiency is attributed to the larger rotor blades, capable of harnessing more wind energy and generating green electricity even during periods of low wind.
The Lesse and Barbecke sites will have a capacity increase from 30.6 to 61.8 megawatts (MW).
The local environment is ideal for wind power, offering ample distance from nearby villages and favorable wind conditions.
In Lesse, RWE plans to replace eleven older turbines, totaling 19.8 MW, with eight modern turbines boasting a combined capacity of 44.7 MW.
At Barbecke, RWE intends to exchange six existing turbines, totaling 10.8 MW, with three new turbines each generating 5.7 MW, totaling 17.1 MW. Initial construction preparations are underway.
Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, said,: “43,500 is the number of the day. Once operational, the wind farms will be able to supply the equivalent of 43,500 households with green electricity. Electricity production at both sites will more than triple. Repowering is therefore making an important contribution to the success of the energy transition. But it is not only the climate that benefits, since we voluntarily pay an RWE climate bonus of 0.2 cents per kilowatt hour produced to the local communities. The town of Salzgitter and the municipalities of Lengede, Burgdorf and Söhlde can look forward to a total annual income of up to €280,000, which will be distributed among the municipalities.”
Jens Meyer, Project manager at RWE, added, “We really have our hands full. While we have already laid the first foundation with a diameter of more than 26 metres for the new wind farm in Lesse, we were able to start dismantling the old plant at the same time. We are doing this in the most environmentally-friendly and resource-efficient way possible. We are leaving areas that are no longer required in such a way that they can be used without restriction after dismantling. We also reuse some of the gravel removed from roads and crane pads in the new wind farm.”
