EPH and GE Renewable Energy sign 300 MW onshore wind purchase agreements in Germany

13. 4. 2021

  • 50 wind turbines, each 6.0 MW installed capacity
  • To be installed in wind-onshore farms in Germany
  • Renewable energy transformation of former open-cast mining areas

Wind turbines will be installed in wind-onshore farms being developed by EP New Energies in Germany

EP New Energies (EPNE), the EPH group owned renewables developer, selected GE Renewable Energy (GE) to supply 50 wind turbines, each with 6 MW rated capacity. The wind turbines will be installed in wind-onshore farms being developed by EPNE in Germany, among them the 100-MW-project Forst-Briesnig II in the Federal State of Brandenburg, owned by LEAG. The approval procedures for the projects will start as early as this year with the first construction to start in 2023. This step is part of EPH group’s renewable energy strategy to transform real estate capabilities and former open-cast mining areas by implementing onshore wind energy and photovoltaics. “EPH is taking an active role in transforming the energy system. We seek real solutions of transition towards sustainable power generation, this is one of them,” confirmed Tomáš David, senior executive of EPH. EPH currently operates both directly and via its equity participations 1500 MW of renewables and almost 1000 MW of energy storage capacities.

“We are quite enthusiastic about being among the first to deploy 6 MW class wind turbines, one of the most modern turbine technologies on the market. More so, as this deal is remarkable in its size in Germany. It puts us in the Premier League of wind project developers,” says EPNE Managing Director Dominique Guillou. “These purchase agreements are an important milestone for realizing ca. 300 MW of wind capacity, further contributing to the German energy transition and the deployment of renewable energies.”

Klaus Rogge, GE Sales and Regional Manager Central Europe: “We are pleased to deliver wind turbines for EPNE’s first wind farm projects in Germany. The projects on former brown-coal opencast mining sites symbolize the shift from conventional power generation to renewable energy, and we are proud to contribute to the energy transition in Germany with the delivery of our 6.0-164, the most powerful onshore wind turbine of GE.” However, not only the contract volume, but also the turbine type itself are impressive. The GE 6.0-164 turbines are a complement of GE’s well-established Cypress platform. With a hub height of 167 meters and a rotor diameter of 164 meter they drive an impressive six megawatts generator, very efficiently using the wind resource while being very environmentally friendly. 

“In addition to good economic efficiency of our projects, we attach great importance to quality and the reliability of our partners. We are therefore delighted to partner with GE Renewable Energy, a renowned turbine manufacturer, for construction and post construction maintenance of our wind energy projects,” says Dominique Guillou, who also emphasizes the award of the whole set to one manufacturer.

The signed contracts cover supply, installation and maintenance of wind turbines. As the projects are located in former open-cast mining areas, there are also very special requirements to the foundation. EPNE demonstrates its expertise as a dynamic company that has been focusing on the development and realization of onshore wind energy, ground-mounted photovoltaics (PV), rooftop PV as well as floating PV since 2019. “We benefit from the immense land potential and the know-how of our affiliates within the EPH group,” says Dominique Guillou.