ENERCON and the energy services group Bals/SelzEnergie signed a contract yesterday for the delivery and installation of 50 x E-175 EP5 and 7 x E-138 EP3 with a total output of 330 MW for wind farm projects in Rheinhessen and Lower Franconia as well as two transformer stations. The conclusion of the contract is an important milestone for both contracting parties.
"We are delighted to be able to make significant progress with the energy transition in Germany together with our long-standing partner," says Benjamin Seifert, ENERCON Regional Manager for Central and Northern Europe. "The E-175 EP5, our new top model, has once again proven itself to be a competitive turbine solution for medium to low wind locations. Paired with the E-138 EP3, we have developed wind farm layouts that promise optimal energy yield. The fact that we can accelerate the grid connection by building the substations completes our overall package."
Wind farms in three federal states
The Bals/SelzEnergie group of companies, based in Kamen and Selzen, has been working on the idea of ??the wind farm projects since 2012. "With the support of ENERCON, we can now take the trust placed in us by community energy companies and property owners into the next project phase," say the group's managing directors, Jochen Bals and Christine Gelhausen. "We are convinced that we have the right partner in ENERCON: ENERCON shares our understanding of collaborative partnerships, quality and transparency, and with its direct drive concept, it meets our requirements for reliable and efficient system technology."
Construction work will start this year for the first projects in Lower Franconia (Sommerhausen, Altertheim and Neubrunn wind farms). The implementation period for all wind farms extends until 2027. The contract also includes the planning and construction of two transformer stations by ENERCON. As part of its service, ENERCON will also take over maintenance of the systems for 20 years.
"The upturn in the German wind market is clearly noticeable - high-volume auctions and faster approval processes are contributing to this," says ENERCON Chief Commercial Officer Uli Schulze Südhoff. "With our current product portfolio and our service, we see ourselves as ideally positioned for market growth. In the last six months alone, we have recorded a double-digit increase in our order volume compared to the previous year in our core market of Germany."
About the E-175 EP5 and E-138 EP3
The E-175 EP5, which ENERCON announced in 2022 and will soon be connected to the grid for the first time as a prototype, has a nominal output of 6 MW in its first evolutionary stage. With a rotor diameter of 175 meters, a single rotor blade measures around 86 meters, making it one of the longest onshore rotor blades in Europe.
The E-138 EP3, with a rotor diameter of 138 meters, is designed for medium wind locations. It has already been installed more than 900 times worldwide in various stages of development. Both models are based on the gearless direct drive typical of ENERCON and are delivered with power electronics (E-nacelle) built into the machine house for quick installation.
