Technology from the Allgäu region enables construction of the world’s tallest wind turbine in Brandenburg
When the world’s tallest wind turbine, the 365-metre GICON high-altitude wind tower in Schipkau in the Lower Lusatia region of Brandenburg (Germany), is connected to the grid in November 2026, it will not only be a cause for celebration for those responsible for the project at GICON, the Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) and wind turbine manufacturer Vensys (based in Neunkirchen, Saarland). Manfred and Julian Eberhard and their team at ematec AG in Memmingerberg will also have every reason to be proud. Thanks to engineering expertise from the Allgäu region, the final assembly stage – installing the three rotor blades – was successfully completed. This was made possible by the RBC-D technology developed by ematec, which allows rotor blades to be installed at angles of ±30 degrees, particularly quickly and safely.
“Being able to lift and position the blades at different angles was absolutely crucial to the successful installation. No other lifting equipment in the world could have achieved this,” says Björn Schäfer, site manager for wind turbine manufacturer Vensys.
Telescopic tower structure
What makes the GICON high-altitude wind tower special is its supporting structure. Unlike conventional wind turbines with tubular towers, it consists of a multi-part steel and lattice framework. Following installation of the rotor blades, the inner tower was telescopically extended to a hub height of 300 metres. The blades had previously been installed at a height of approximately 150 metres. The tower received the German Sustainability Award 2026 in the Product category, partly in recognition of this concept and the success of the project.
Very little room for manoeuvre
“The steel structure beneath the hub of the high-altitude wind turbine in Schipkau is considerably bulkier than on conventional turbines, so we had much less space than usual for installing the blades. We therefore had to be especially careful not to strike the tower with either the yoke or the rotor blades. It was a challenge that our team mastered brilliantly,” says Schäfer.
Experts at work
It goes without saying that a prestigious project of this kind calls for the very best partners. That includes Vensys site manager Björn Schäfer, a seasoned expert with more than 33 years of experience in the wind energy industry. For the installation in Schipkau, he brought in experienced German specialists EZ Wind from Elpersbüttel in Schleswig-Holstein. Two RBC-D experts from DH Renewables, based in Ireland and Scotland, then took charge of operating the RBC-D. “They have installed several Vensys turbines using the ematec yoke over the past year and know the remote control inside out,” says Hans-Iver Jacobs, Managing Director of EZ Wind GmbH.
Installation takes twelve hours
Considerable skill and intuitive teamwork were needed, as installing the three rotor blades took almost twelve hours. “We were able to start at midday and had finished by midnight,” explains Jacobs, describing the spectacular operation, which was documented by several photography and television crews. A feature about the world’s tallest wind turbine will also be broadcast soon on the German television programme “Die Sendung mit der Maus”.
Strong demand
For special-purpose machinery manufacturer ematec AG, involvement in the GICON project represents a crowning achievement for its RBC-D technology. For many years, various wind turbine manufacturers have relied on the system, whose adaptive blade gripping mechanism can handle rotor blades weighing up to 50 tonnes, regardless of their length. “The fact that Vensys chose our yoke for this world record is an enormous honour for us,” explains Julian Eberhard, CTO of ematec AG. There is also good news for installation service providers in the wind industry: ematec’s RBC-D yokes are now available for rental.
High-altitude wind turbine with a rated output of 3.8 MW
The rotor blades installed in Schipkau are 61.6 metres long and weigh 15 tonnes each. The pilot project, being implemented by GICON on behalf of the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND), uses a Vensys V126 wind turbine with a rated output of 3.8 MW. For future projects, GICON is planning even larger turbines with rated outputs exceeding 7 MW.
Series production planned
“Once the pilot project has been successfully completed, we want to scale up the system and begin series production as quickly as possible,” says Professor Jochen Großmann, founder and Chairman of the Management Board of GICON. According to GICON, there is enormous potential in Germany alone: up to 4,000 high-altitude wind towers could be added to existing wind farms as a so-called second layer. Together with SPRIND, GICON is developing a concept for future commercialisation. GICON and SPRIND expect each high-altitude wind turbine to generate 30–33 GWh of electricity per year. “That is more than twice the output of conventional wind turbines with the same rotor diameter,” says Großmann.
Vensys relies on ematec
Wind turbine manufacturer Vensys considers itself particularly well equipped for future projects thanks to ematec’s RBC-D rotor blade yoke. “ematec has been a reliable partner for many years. We consistently use ematec’s RBC-D technology, particularly for new installations of our 7.8 MW Vensys 175 turbines,” says Yannik Heib, Head of Project Management and Construction at Vensys Energy AG. Vensys’ largest individual shareholder is the Chinese company Goldwind, through its German subsidiary Goldwind Windenergy GmbH. Goldwind is regarded as the global market leader in gearless wind turbines.
Leading technology
ematec AG benefits from its leadership in innovation and technology in the global market for lifting equipment used in the wind energy industry. The RBC-D rotor blade yokes developed by ematec have long been regarded as the benchmark for efficient and safe rotor blade installation. Using RBC-D technology, wind turbine manufacturers and their installation contractors can save up to three days of construction time per turbine, significantly reducing project costs.
A unique system
ematec’s RBC-D remains the only rotor blade yoke on the market with an adaptive blade gripping mechanism suitable for all rotor blades. To ensure safe blade handling, the RBC-D determines the precise centre of gravity for each individual load. Two counterweights on the yoke’s arms automatically adjust to the centre of gravity, both with and without a rotor blade. This prevents uncontrolled movements even when the blade is released from the hub – movements that could otherwise damage the blade or disrupt the handling operation.
Always balanced at the centre of gravity
Thanks to the curved arch on the yoke, the RBC-D remains perfectly balanced around its centre of gravity even when tilted by up to ±30 degrees. The same applies when pitching the blade by up to ±8 degrees. This prevents uncontrolled movement of the assembly during tilting or pitching. The major advantage for the operator is that the rotor blades are securely held at all times, even if the lifting point is not positioned exactly at the centre of gravity. With other yokes, this could lead to uncontrolled movements. Because the Double version of the RBC-D is equipped with telescopic grippers at both the bottom and the top, the rotor blades remain firmly clamped even at tilt angles of up to ±30 degrees, preventing them from slipping.
Author: Ingo Jensen
Information:
ematec AG
Am Ziegelstadel 3, 87766 Memmingerberg, Germany, Tel. +49 8331 9487-0, Fax +49 8331 9487-740, info@ematec.de, www.ematec.de
Press contact at ematec:
Management Board member Manfred Eberhard
Media contact
Jensen media GmbH
Agency for Corporate News
Hemmerlestraße 4, 87700 Memmingen, Germany, Tel. +49 8331 99188-0, Fax +49 8331 99188-10, redaktion@jensen-media.de, www.jensen-media.de
Contact: Ingo Jensen