EDF brings live 34.5-MW repowered wind farm in Germany

EDF Renewables in Germany is announcing the repowering of the Eckolstädt wind farm, the first in a series to come.

The Eckolstädt wind farm initially had an installed capacity of 14.5 MW, which has now been increased to 34.5 MW.

This repowering project contributes to the EDF Group’s CAP 2030 strategy, which is aimed at doubling its worldwide renewable capacity to 50 GW between 2015 and 2030.

The Eckolstädt wind farm is located in Thuringia, Germany. Developed and commissioned by EDF Renewables in 1999, it initially consisted of 11 first-generation wind turbines.

After obtaining planning permission and benefiting from a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement contract in late 2016, Eckolstädt’s wind turbines were fully dismantled by REETEC, an EDF Renewables’ subsidiary, in early 2018. The wind turbines’ components were mostly recycled and the foundations were crushed to be used as backfill for the platforms of new projects and surrounding roads.

The wind farm was then rebuilt on the same site and now consists of 10 new-generation wind turbines. The output generated by the wind farm is enough to meet the electricity needs of almost 18,500 German households.

The six-month repowering project was managed by EDF Renewables in Germany.

Installed capacity has been increased by 20 MW to 34.5 MW with a smaller number of turbines.

EDF Renewables is currently assessing other repowering projects in Germany where there is a potential of 4.5 GW or 6,000 wind turbines* to be refurbished by the end of 2020, and around 1,600 wind turbines per year between 2021 and 2026.

In France, EDF Renewables is also actively evaluating four repowering projects.