Successful commissioning of the Zeven wind farm in Germany

Energiequelle GmbH is building nine V162 turbines with a total capacity of 54 MW in Lower Saxony and is selling to Encavis

Energiequelle GmbH has erected and successfully commissioned nine Vestas V162 turbines in Zeven, Lower Saxony (Germany). With a hub height of 169 meters and a rotor diameter of 162 meters, the turbines are among the most modern of their kind. In future, they will supply around 40,000 households with electricity generated from renewable sources.

The entire construction of the wind farm was completed in a record time of just 14 months – and under challenging conditions: “We had over 600 hours of crane downtime, which equates to around 60 full working days,” explains project manager Robert Koddebusch. “The persistent wind and extreme wetness really demanded everything from us in the boggy landscape. It was an enormous logistical and technical challenge. The fact that the project still remained on schedule is impressive proof of the high level of professionalism of everyone involved and the commitment of the entire project team.”

The project had to overcome a number of hurdles before construction could begin. For example, after approval was granted in February 2023, an objection was lodged by a third party, which led to a change in planning with regard to the type of plant and the application of the new Federal Nature Conservation Act. The subsequent approval for the project was finally granted in January 2024. This delayed the start of construction by more than six months. Construction of the wind farm then began in April 2024 and the first turbine went into operation on schedule at the beginning of May. All nine turbines have now been feeding the first kilowatt hours (kWh) into the grid for a few days. The wind farm is expected to generate around 133 million kWh of electricity per year.

Eight of the nine wind turbines were already sold to Encavis AG, a leading electricity producer from renewable energies in Europe, at the end of May. The ninth wind turbine will be operated by Bürgerwindpark Wistedt GmbH & Co. KG.

In addition to the ecological impact, the wind farm brings many economic benefits for the region. Lease payments and municipal participation create sustainable added value locally. Energiequelle focused on long-term partnerships, transparent communication and early involvement of the local population.

Energiequelle is planning further wind farms in the region and in Lower Saxony. Numerous additional wind turbines are also to be erected in the district of Rotenburg.