Aktau, Kazakhstan. A pilot project with three new wind turbine generators is almost ready for commissioning. New? Not really. Exactly the same turbines originate from a repowering project of wpd windmanager. They were all located in the same composition, 4.600 kilometers away, in Drochtersen, Lower Saxony.
How it all started: Within the repowering process new and more efficient wind turbine generators have been implemented in 2016 in the wind farm Drochtersen (district Stade). The three former turbines (two NEG Micon NM64c and one Enercon E-70) have been in use since 2002 and 2006. After an operational time of 10 and 14 years the present repowering potential was utilized and the existing turbines were replaced by newer and especially higher Enercon E-115 turbines. The repowering led to an increase in the wind farm capacity (MW) of 80 percent. The repowering department of wpd windmanager accompanied and coordinated the process, which has been planned and implemented in cooperation of e3 erneuerbare Energien and wpd onshore. For the limited partners of the existing WTG the repowering of Drochtersen has been an exceptional success in a very short period of time.
New Opportunities for Old Turbines from Drochtersen
The excellent technical condition of the existing turbines facilitated the sale of the wind turbine generators. After the dismantling by the Deutsche Windtechnik the three turbines were sold and set out on their long way to Kazakhstan via heavy-duty transport. The new site of the turbines from Drochtersen is in Western Kazakhstan next to the Caspian Sea. This region offers excellent wind conditions and good forecasts for this old new wind farm. The team from Kazakhstan is supported by the colleagues from Deutsche Windtechnik.
After mastering many challenges such as the crane availability in Kazakhstan, seasonal transport difficulties across four national frontiers and the detailed technical settings of the WTG, the turbines have been installed and are already operating in test mode.
The BEST Group from Kazakhstan purchased the turbines. Their stakeholders originally come from the gas and oil sector. With the turbines from Drochtersen they plan to lay the foundation for the development of renewable energies in Kazakhstan. A delegation of the BEST Group visited wpd windmanager and Deutsche Windtechnik at the beginning of the year. With the experiences of the pilot project the BEST Group wants to advance the development of a professional business for the operation and the service of wind turbine generators.
