ENERCON has completed installation of the E-160 EP5 prototype. The first low-wind WEC model in the EP5 platform was constructed at the Wieringermeer wind energy test site in the Netherlands. Following the installation of the first E-138 EP3 E2 in Janneby/Schleswig-Holstein at the end of March, this is already the second prototype project ENERCON has successfully completed under the difficult conditions brought about by coronavirus.
The E-160 EP5 is ENERCON’s new top model with the largest rotor diameter in the product portfolio. It has a nominal power of 4.6 MW. At sites with an annual average wind speed of 7.5 m/s at hub height, the wind energy converter type will generate an energy yield of more than 19,615 megawatt-hours (MWh) every year. The prototype at the Wieringermeer site was built on a modular steel tower (MST) with a hub height of 120 metres.
The E-160 EP5 is an important cornerstone of the new product and marketing strategy ENERCON is pursuing with the goal of strengthening its international market position even further. A large portion of the projects that are currently in the planning or negotiation stages worldwide is based on this new wind energy converter. It completes ENERCON’s EP5 platform offering, which also includes the E-147 EP5 for medium wind sites and the E-136 EP5 for strong wind sites.
The next evolutionary stage of the new wind energy converter type, the E-160 EP5 E2, is also already under development. It is characterised by a marked performance enhancement compared to the E1: its nominal power is increased to 5.5 MW, meaning the annual energy yield will rise to more than 21,534 MWh with the same site conditions. ‘Our aim to achieve optimum cost of energy values is made concrete in our product strategy’, says ENERCON CTO Jörg Scholle. ‘The E2 is our next strong response to our customers’ increasing demands for a lower CoE. We expect to see a great demand, particularly in markets strongly driven by costs.’ Installation of the E2 prototype is scheduled for the end of 2020.
