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Issue 2 | 2016 The Nordex / AWP Review – Wind. Energy. Power.
Modernisation of the existing fleet
Heading for success in Finland
The two new Delta Generation turbinesInterview with the product manager
The focus remains on the customer
Top Topic12 | The strong, silent type The two new Delta Generation turbines
Breaking records!It goes without saying that sites with plentiful and constant wind are particularly productive for generating wind energy. However, the majority of available locations are in regions with moderate to light winds, where wind electricity is to be generated at as low a cost as possible, and close to the consumer.
This is why one of the current focuses of development has been on the optimisation of our turbines for these wind regions. Our colleagues in Engineering have done some solid work, meaning that we are now able to present two new turbines for light and average wind speeds, which, with an increased nominal capacity, make it possible to produce much higher yields. Here, a nominal output of 3.6 megawatts is currently a new record for Nordex.
We have also been able to celebrate another record in Germany where, in the summer, we installed the tallest wind turbine in the world to date. This N131 / 3300 turbine with its particularly high hybrid tower and our largest rotor blade boasts an overall height of 230 metres, enabling it to reach higheryield air layers. Here too, our objective is, of course, greater profitability for our customers, and as you can see, we are always on the lookout for optimisation potential.
Yours,
Lars Bondo Krogsgaard,CEO Nordex SE
Growth for Delta Generation 12
Imprint
Publisher: Nordex SE, Langenhorner Chaussee 600, 22419 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)40 300 30 1000 Email: info@nordexonline.com
Project management and responsible party under German press law: Sandra Jaekel
Authors in this issue: Silke Brandes (SBR), Sandra Jaekel (SJA), Oliver Kayser (OKA), Susanne Schumann (SSC), Irmela Tölke (ITO)
Photo credits: Nordex unless otherwise noted
Design: Orange Cube Werbeagentur GmbH, Hamburg, Germany
Printed by: Rasch Druckerei und Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Bramsche, Germany
Paper: this customer magazine is printed on Novatech satin, 150 g/m².
Reproductions, in part or in whole, and electronic processing of this publication are only permitted with the express consent of the publisher.
Inside 4 | Modernisation of the existing fleetThe Xtended Power pack for the Alpha and Beta Generations
6 | Making wind energy even more economicalComprehensive programme to reduce the cost of energy
7 | As you can see, you can’t see anythingNew solution for RadarActivated Aviation Lights to increase acceptance
8 | After the mergerThe focus stays on the customer
10 | Synergies open up potential for technical optimisationInterview with Chief Operating Officer José Luis Blanco
Outside18 | Heading for success in FinlandSpecial towers and an intelligentantiicing system for a demanding market
20 | A strong partner on the German marketNew installation record for the Nordex Group
22 | Rising high in Rhineland-PalatinateThe first N131 / 3300 at 164 metres
24 | Among the leadersOpportunities and challenges in Great Britain
26 | Major interest in FrancePositive reaction to the first Nordex Technology Insight Day in a top European market
28 | Pioneer on the CapeSouth Africa is already demonstrating: with Nordex and AWP, what fits together is growing together
32 | Ready to go in IndiaEntering a growth market with big potential
34 | The merger and the USA Together at the right time on the right market
10 Interview with José Luis Blanco, COO
Knowledge35 | The world’s winds, Part 4 The pampero
Growth for Delta Generation 28 Good cooperation
in South Africa
The Nordex Group is continually optimising the technology of its turbines and regularly offers new, more efficient models. In the process, the manufacturer always ensures that the existing fleet also benefits from retrofitting packages arising from the new developments.
The flexibility of the Nordex Group modernisation measures for existing turbines is decisive: service technicians can install the standardised products into the turbines onsite – without protracted planning periods or long downtimes. Different offers can be combined or used individually as required.
Modernisation of the existing fleet The Xtended Power pack for the Alpha and Beta Generations
Turbines benefit from the service of the Nordex Group throughout their life cycle. Alongside ensuring high availability and safety, the focus is primarily on increasing the output of older turbines. Fitted with the new Xtended Power pack, existing turbines can generate up to 2 per cent more power annually.
HIGHER YIELD
NEW POWER CURVE
POWER CURVE
4 | INSIDE SERVICE
With the new Xtended Power pack for Alpha and Beta Generation turbines (N80 / 2500, N90 / 2300 and N90 / 2500), existing turbines can generate up to 2 per cent more annually. It comprises two independent but complementary products: Improved Start-up and Advanced Power.
Optimised pitch control with Improved Start-up
Alpha and Beta Generation turbines can benefit from the retrofitted Improved Start-up module at light wind speeds of under 6 metres per second. It improves the airstream conditions through targeted control of the blade position, increasing output.
“The Improved Start-up technology is included as standard in newer turbines, and I am happy that we can now offer it for our existing fleet,” says Maik Haas, Nordex Head of the Product Modernisation Centre in the Service department. Nordex Service offers a projectspecific simulation of the increased output with Improved Start-up, so that customers can make their investment decision on the basis of reliable values.
More intelligent turbine control through Advanced Power
Advanced Power technology is a fixed essential element of all Nordex Gamma and Delta Generation turbines. It makes increased output possible at me dium wind speeds by allowing additional environmental parameters to play a role in turbine control. We have now developed this technology into a modernisation product for Alpha and Beta turbines.
“Factors like air pressure and temperature have an effect on the output of a turbine. In older turbine types, standard values, rather than the actual conditions, were used for control with regard to these parameters. The Advanced Power solution allows an intelligent connection between sensors, evaluation of measurement data and automated reaction. This adjustment to suit the actual environmental conditions results in optimised turbine control,” Maik Haas explains. Comprehensive field tests demonstrated an increase in output of up to 1 per cent annually with Advanced Power and Improved Start-up respectively.
Text: SSC
The world of service and maintenance: is it a man’s world? Of course not!Sanna Mari Rissanen, Nordex Service Technician – this is a normal job title, and yet something very special because Sanna Mari Rissanen is the first woman in Finland to service wind turbines – at a height of 142 metres. She told the Finnish women’s magazine Menaiset what this is like for her.
142 metres, that sounds scary! How do you do it every day, Sanna Mari?“Easily,” she laughs. I have never had a fear of heights, and in fact, I do not even consider how high up I am when I am working.
Do you ever get a little scared?Sometimes, of course. When the wind speed is high, the whole tower oscillates, and in these cases, then it may cross my mind that the turbine could fall. But to do your job you have to keep your fear at bay as you cannot do this if you are too scared. I am fully qualified in emergency rescue training in case of emergencies.
How much do you admire the scenery from your “office”?Not much these days. When I climbed a turbine for the first time, I had to take a good look around as it was so exciting then. Now I am a bit more used to the height and the scenery. Sometimes I do admire the wide open spaces. It is relaxing to look into the distance.
What do you think when you climb?I just want to be up there. Normally I use the lift, so I rarely need to climb, which can take more than half an hour. When you do have to climb, it is really hard work with all the protective equipment and tools we need to carry. But I push forward, sometimes with a bloodlike taste in my mouth, but you try not think a lot about this either.
Have you got any hints for those that fear heights?Enjoy the experience of being so high up; focus on the scenery. Do not think about the way back down.
In many countries, fixed feedin tariffs are being replaced by tendering systems in which the provider who makes the most economical offer for electricity generation is given the opportunity. With this in mind, Nordex is working hard to be able to offer its customers the products they need to survive among this competition.
The core of the business
In a comprehensive programme to reduce the cost of energy (COE), a large team of almost 150 specialists at Nordex is focused on develop ing measures that can be applied to existing and future projects to make wind energy even more economical. “Every path towards further growth involves a COE reduction. The cost of energy is the core of our business,” says Alfredo Lecumberri, Nordex Head of COE.
Alfredo Lecumberri already set up a COE programme at Acciona Windpower that was very successful: it allowed Acciona
Windpower to reduce the cost of energy in projects with AW turbines by 28 per cent in just three years. The initiative at Nordex is similar to the programme at its former competitor. “Of course, we are making use of the experience on both sides. I have very high hopes for the joint COE programme,” says Alfredo Lecumberri.
Management board supports the programme
The Nordex management board is giving its full support to the programme. “The cost of energy concerns each of our employees at some level, and all departments contribute ideas for the re duction of the cost of energy,” says Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, Nordex CEO. José Luis Blanco, who is heavily involved in the COE programme at Nordex in his role as COO, adds: “With the merger, we wanted to combine the best of both worlds and utilise synergies. The COE team is currently putting that into practice in exemplary fashion. I see great potential here.” Text: SSC
Making wind energy even more economical
Comprehensive programme to reduce the cost of energyThe renewable energy sector has matured economically and technologically in recent years and is no longer in its teething phase. For this reason, governmental support for it is being cut back ever further, and wind energy will soon be in direct competition with solar energy and all other forms of energy.
6 | INSIDE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
As you can see, you can’t see anythingQuieter, more efficient and now even a bit less visible: this year, Nordex received certification for its Radar Activated Aviation Lights solution. The effect of this technology is that the warning lights on the turbines automatically turn on only when a flying object is approaching.
Nordex developed the system together with a Danish radar specialist. It is based on active radar that emits electromagnetic waves. If they are reflected by a flying object within a radius of 18 kilometres, the obstruction lighting of the wind farm can be relied upon to switch itself on. “We have been working on finding a suitable solution to reduce light emissions from wind energy turbines for almost two years. We have been able to optimally adapt radar technology to our requirements,” says Florian Kraus, Nordex Product Manager for RadarActivated Aviation Lights.
Fitted with the Nordex solution for RadarActivated Aviation Lights, wind energy turbines fulfil the stipulations of the relevant authorities for identification of aviation obstacles and are as inconspicuous as possible at the same time. This is evidence of the fact that an important aim of corporate product development is minimising the influence of wind energy turbines on their environment as far as possible.
The system can be integrated without difficulty into turbines that have already been installed, as well as new ones. It has been tested on the Janneby wind farm in northern Germany, where several pilots navigated small aircraft near the turbines. The Deutsche Flugsicherung air traffic control association was literally on board for the final test flight and subsequently gave its official approval to the system. Text: SSC
INSIDE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | 7
The focus stays on the customer
The merger of two companies is always a big challenge for all involved, which makes it all the more important to not lose sight of one’s customers
in the process. And this also applies to Nordex. At the beginning of April 2016, once the legal obstacles had been overcome and the monopolies and merger authorities had given the green light to the merger of Nordex and
Acciona Windpower, an internal team began the implementation of various integration projects.
Nine sales regionsFollowing the merger with Acciona Windpower, the Nordex Group will serve its
customers via new sales regions in future, namely: Germany, Central Europe,
North Europe, Turkey & Middle East, Mediterranean & Africa, North America,
Latin America, Brazil, India.
8 | INSIDE MERGER TRANSITION OFFICE
Many of them affect customers directly – from sales and the construction and installation phase to service. “We want to consciously make use of the strengths of both companies and bring together the best of both worlds,” emphasised Sven Mantwill, who is coordinating the integration projects to gether with his Spanish colleague Alfredo Lecumberri , and thus helping to ensure that the employees in departments with close customer proximity can continue to treat their customers as their top pri ority despite the project work. This became evident on a big stage for the first time at the US AWEA Windpower Conference & Exhibition, which took place in New Orleans in May. The mixed team of colleagues from Nordex and Acciona Windpower was able to inform current and potential customers about the combined product portfolio firsthand for the first time.
In future, Sales will be able to offer turbines for all applications and market conditions: whether that means fitting them with antiicing systems for northern latitudes in North America, quiet turbines with bat protection in Europe or robust systems for use in hot desert areas in the southern hemisphere. Such a portfolio of turbines is unheard of in the wind power industry and is of increasing interest to major energy providers and international project developers who are active in various markets. To serve customers in the best way possible and bundle regional market knowledge, new regions, in which projects are approached in the most local way possible – from the initial contact to the final handover to the customer – have been defined.
In the markets where Nordex and Acciona Windpower previously each had a presence as individual companies, they now appear as one. This applies to the USA in particular, but also to South Africa, where projects with turbines from Nordex and Acciona Windpower are currently in the installation phase and being implemented by a combined team. In those regions in particular, the customers benefit from the extensive market knowledge that both companies jointly provide following the merger.
“The next step is now to bundle our technical expertise,” adds Sven Mantwill. In the short term, this involves the use of core components such as rotor blades or towers for the other turbine types in each case, but in the medium to long term will also apply to a joint product platform. Engineering is working at full tilt on new solutions in this area, all with the aim of further reducing the cost of energy and increasing the competitiveness of the customers, especially in markets with invitations to tender. Text: OKA
“We want to consciously make use of the strengths of both companies and bring together the best of both worlds.” Sven Mantwill, Nordex Head of Merger and Transition Office
Calendar for the second half of 2016
Capital Markets Day, Hamburg 28 September 2016
Renewable Marketplace, Liverpool 12–13 October 2016
CIREC, Santiago de Chile 17–20 October 2016
Energia Tampere 25–27 October 2016
VIND, Stockholm 26–27 October 2016
Group interim report, third quarter 2016 Analysts’ conference call 10 November 2016
WindEnergy Hamburg 27–30 September 2016
Mr Blanco, how do you intend to combine the best of both worlds in technical terms in the future? Are we soon going to see a jointly developed turbine?
Of course, this is not going to happen that quickly. First, we will combine our product portfolios and offer both the Gamma and Delta series from Nordex as well as Acciona Windpower’s 3megawatt platform.
Eventually, it may make sense to develop a new platform concept that combines the respective strengths of the Nordex and Acciona Windpower product lines, but we are still deliberating on if and when it is a good idea to do this.
In the past, the strategy of Nordex was to offer only one turbine per wind class. Why does it make sense to continue with both the Acciona Windpower and Nordex product platforms?
We recently completed a detailed market and product rationalisation exercise comparing the AWP and Nordex products in multiple
Nordex and Acciona Windpower (AWP) are legally now one company. Integration of the two organisations is on course (see article “The focus stays on the customer,” p. 8). How is this process being steered with regard to turbine technology, and how is it possible to pool the technical expertise of both companies? Nordex / AWP 360° talked to José Luis Blanco, COO Nordex SE.
Synergies boost technical optimisation
“Whether it is the further development of a platform or a new technological concept – it is about reducing the cost of energy.” José Luis Blanco, COO Nordex SE
10 | INSIDE MERGER TRANSITION OFFICE
markets. As expected, it basically concluded that the bestperforming products generally line up with where each company has been historically successful. For example, the AW3000 showed advantages compared to the Nordex platforms in places like Mexico and South Africa, while the Delta came out on top in places like Germany and France.
In addition, we have large order backlogs for our existing platforms and customers have been planning and permitting around each of these technologies for some time, so they will both continue to be important for meeting our order intake goals in the short and medium term.
How do the different platforms suit specific market requirements and complement each other?
Well, the bestperforming AWP and Nordex products are amongst those with the lowest cost of energy in the industry for a typical site for which they were developed. Therefore, both will play an important role, as each platform has certain technical strengths, which leads to the ability to meet more customers’ needs. For example, if a project has severe sound constraints or requires a proven deicing system, these are things that Nordex can bring to the table which AWP hasn’t previously made a priority.
What are your short- to medium-term development goals? How do you want to make use of technical synergies?
We are in the process of identifying technology synergies and evaluating the potential of interchanging defined components from each other’s platforms to enhance competitiveness. For instance, there are plans to use Nordex prebending knowhow in AWP glass fibre rotors or concrete towers in Nordex Delta turbines. Also, our combined Engineering teams have identified and are working on almost 100 ideas involving “quick wins” associated with leveraging technology synergies.
Which aspects will play a role in product development?
Whether we continue to develop one of our platforms or draw up a new technical concept – primarily, we aim at reducing the cost of producing electricity faster than our competitors. We have anchored this target firmly in our corporate strategy to gain orders with our customers. We want to achieve a sales volume of more than 4 billion euros by 2018. Furthermore, a key role will always be played by dependable performance. As a global company, we have to be able to offer optimal technical solutions for very different markets, for instance Germany and India. We will also be bearing this in mind when selecting individual components. Text: SJA
Even if the locations are polar opposites – with two different product ranges in
its portfolio, Nordex can always offer an appropriate turbine.
INSIDE MERGER TRANSITION OFFICE | 11
Four N117 / 3000 turbines in the
Sehestedt wind farm in Schleswig-
Holstein. Nordex has kept its faith in
the proven Delta Generation nacelle
construction type for the new turbines.
12 | TOP TOPIC THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE
The strong, silent type The two new Delta Generation turbines “Evolution, not revolution.” Nordex stays true to this motto with its latest turbines, bringing one Delta turbine each for light and medium wind speeds onto the market. Nordex / AWP 360° spoke to Nils Lehming, who is responsible for the Delta Generation turbines in his position as Senior Product Manager at Nordex.
Photos: Tim Siegert
TOP TOPIC THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE | 13
Mr Lehming, what new turbine types is Nordex introducing, and why?
We are expanding our Delta Generation to include the N131 / 3600 turbine, for locations with light wind speeds, and the N117 / 3600, which is designed for medium wind speeds. Turbines for IEC2 and IEC3 locations are in much higher demand than strongwind turbines in our target markets. It therefore makes sense to focus development on those areas, in order to be able to offer several turbines optimally tailored to the corresponding location conditions.
What was your development goal in the process?
During development, it was particularly important to us to increase the rated power of our turbines for those wind regimes. At the same time, we continue to rely on our proven platform technology to ensure high technical reliability for our customers. Our current N131 / 3000 lightwind turbine is now also fully certified. All parameters have been confirmed and it therefore forms a solid basis for the next stage in the evolution of this platform. Both factors pay off with high energy yields, and making wind energy increasingly economical with our technical developments is an established aim of ours.
Following the increase in output, will we soon see bigger rotors, too?
The trend is towards greater efficiency, which means rotor sizes will generally increase. Of course, we have our eye on the markets and will react appropriately to the requirements of our customers.
In concrete figures, what makes these turbines stand out?
We have increased the rated power of these turbines by around 20 per cent compared to the previous Delta Generation turbines. This means our customers can – depending on location – generate up to 12 per cent greater output (cf. Fig. New power rating: N117 / 3600 and New power rating: N131 / 3600). At the same time, these turbines have the lowest sound emissions in their class.
By 2018, Nordex wants to reduce the cost of energy by 18 per cent, and these two turbines are an important step in that direction because, ultimately, they make wind energy more profitable. For that reason, we feel we are well prepared with them – including for the invitations to tender that the new German renewable energy law will bring.
How have you implemented this in technical terms?
The N131 / 3600 obtains its output from an increased revolution speed, while the N117 / 3600 runs with higher torque. In addition, we have tailored the turbines marketspecifically to the relevant environmental conditions: the use of a specially adjusted turbulence curve for the N131 / 3600 allows increased output in the connected load alteration. The sound power level has increased due to the greater revolution speed, but we have been able to bring it back down significantly with the help of serrations on the rotor blades.
In general, our aim was to transfer many of the components from the proven platform. Where this was not possible, we adjusted them as required.
“We have increased the rated output of these turbines by around 20 per cent. This allows our customers to generate a growth in output of up to 12 per cent.” Nils Lehming, Nordex Senior Product Manager
Nils Lehming is
responsible for
Delta Generation
turbines in his
position as Senior
Product Manager
at Nordex.
14 | TOP TOPIC THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE
SerrationsSerrations are serrated components attached to the trailing edge of rotor blades. Their purpose is to minimise sound generated by the blade trailing edge and thus to reduce the sound power level of the turbines.
When the airstream approaches the blade, a laminar boundary layer forms initially, then changes into a turbulent boundary layer. When these air vortices blow past the
edge of the blade and merge into the external current, an effective source of sound is created.
Thanks to this noise reduction, serrations can contribute to an increased acceptance of wind turbines and make them more likely to be approved.
Nordex offers serrations as an option for its NR58.5 and NR65.5 rotor blades. They are composed of several glass fibre laminate components and have the same service life as the rotor blades.
Serrations replace the straight profile of the blade trailing edge with a serrated edge. This
means the air vortices merge into the external current gradually, not all at once, and the
trailing-edge sound waves are minimised.
Profile
Laminar boundary layer
AIRSTREAM
Turbulent boundary layer
Sound waves originating from the trailing edge
Vortices in boundary layer pass over the trailing edge
TOP TOPIC THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE | 15
Can you name a few examples?
Well, the N131 / 3600 turns faster than the current N131 / 3000 Delta turbine for lightwind locations, so the essential factor here is adjustment to higher loads: we were able to keep the drive of the N131 / 3000, but we used stronger pitch bearings to take on the load. In addition, we use an IPC (individual pitch controller) for
the N131 / 3600. This unit continuously monitors the blade loads. If a certain threshold value is reached, the controller turns individual blades inward slightly to reduce the load.
In the case of the N117 / 3600, the revolution speed is the same as that of the previous turbine. Due to the increased torque, we make use of the triedand tested drive from the N131 / 3000 and use stronger pitch bearings – the rest of the drive train is identical to that of the existing N117 / 3000.
In both turbines, we have adjusted the electrical system to the higher rated power. That affects the power element of the converter and the transformer. Here, too, we make use of additional proven components in the shape of the generator of the N131 / 3000 and the power cable of the N100 / 3300.
Higher revolution speeds and lower noise levels – how does that fit together? What exactly are the noise levels of these turbines?
The sound power level of the N131 / 3600 is limited to a maximum of 106.4 dB(A), which is higher than that of its sister turbine, the N131 / 3000 (104.5 dB(A)), due to the greater revolution speed. At 105 dB(A), the N117 / 3600 maintains the sound power level of the N117 / 3000. We offer both turbines with serrations, which reduce the sound levels by an additional 1.5 dB(A) in each case. At the request of the customer, the turbines can also operate in reducedsound
New power rating: N117 / 3600
N117 / 3000
N117 / 3600
Hub height
Gro
ss A
EP
6.5 m/s
10
5
15
7.0 m/s 7.5 m/s 8.0 m/s 8.5 m/s
+6.9%+8.0%
+9.1%+10.0%
+10.9%
+7% to +11% gain in Annual Energy Production
Power: 3,600 kW
Max dB(A): 105 / 103.5
Lowest dB(A): 97 / 95.5
16 | TOP TOPIC THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE
modes. This means these turbines are particularly suitable for noisesensitive markets with medium and light wind speeds, such as France, Germany, Scandinavia and parts of Great Britain.
When will these turbines be available and with what tower heights?
We intend to install the first of each turbine this year. Series production is planned for summer 2017. Type tests will be available this year, and we expect type certificates by mid to late 2017.
Due to the healthy demand, we are currently having our 141metre tower certified for IEC2 locations. We will therefore offer high towers for both light and medium wind speeds: the N131 / 3600 with tower heights of 84 to 134 metres, and the N117 / 3600 with tower heights of 91 to 141 metres.
With the turbines from Nordex and Acciona Windpower, you now offer a total of 16 turbines. Will you have cut down your portfolio by autumn 2017?
That has not yet been decided. We are looking closely at our markets and the demand from our customers and will make alterations on that basis in the medium term as necessary. Text: SJA
New power rating: N131 / 3600
The Nordex development team has optimised the loads, mechanics and
electrotechnology of both turbines.
5.5 m/s
10
5
15
6.0 m/s 6.5 m/s 7.0 m/s 7.5 m/s
+6.9%+8.3%
+9.6%+10.7%
+11.6%
N131 / 3000
N131 / 3600
+10% gain in Annual Energy Production
Power: 3,600 kW
Max dB(A): 106.4 / 104.9
Lowest dB(A): 98.5 / 97
Hub height
Gro
ss A
EP
TOP TOPIC THE STRONG, SILENT TYPE | 17
Heading for success in Finland with special towersSince July, the KivivaaraPeuravaara wind farm has been being installed, with 13 N131 / 3000 turbines in the northeast of Finland. It is the third project for Nordex and the largest to date this year, based on a framework agreement with Taaleri, a Finnish asset management company (see box). There are good reasons why this partnership has been so successful. Nordex offers a specialist product developed exclusively for regions like Lapland, so the potential for neighbouring Sweden is correspondingly large.
18 | OUTSIDE FINLAND
“The tubular steel tower is what makes our N131 / 3000 special in Finland,” says Alexander Morber, Nordex Country Manager Nordic Area. “It has a hub height of 144 metres and a bottom diameter of 6 metres. Around 4.30 metres is the normal diameter of towers used in other regions.” The effect: as costs have been kept to a minimum via this design, at this height the turbines are extremely costefficient in this forested and hilly countryside. Alexander Morber explains: “There are few inclines here, no bridges, good road networks and large roundabouts. This means that we can optimally structure the supply chain of this tower without the need for complex logistical planning.” The tower suppliers, which specialise in offshore wind farms, come from Germany and Denmark. The towers are loaded onto the ship direct from the quay and after crossing the Baltic are transported to the wind farm by the shortest possible route using heavygoods vehicles.
Anti-icing system deals with ice and snow – even during operation
All the turbines in the 39megawatt Kivivaara project will also be fitted with the Nordex Antiicing System. There is plenty of snow and frost in this region, and this system prevents ice from forming on the rotor blades even during operation of the turbines, thereby reducing downtimes resulting from icing. In the case of protracted icing conditions, the system can increase yields by up to 25 per cent compared to a turbine without the antiicing system, with little energy being consumed.
Good outlook
The projects from the 216megawatt framework agreement with Taaleri, which is financed from Taaleri’s wind energy fund, have now reached a rated volume of 90 megawatts with the third project, Kivivaara. Three further projects with a total of 37 turbines are planned for 2017. The contracts have been signed, but, at the time of going to press, building permits had not yet been granted for all projects. Kim WichmannHansen, Executive Vice President Nordex Northern Europe, comments: “We are hoping that everything will go according to plan, and that Taaleri can obtain the necessary feedin tariff so we can book the projects as firm orders. In parallel, we are focusing on Sweden, where the topographical conditions and large expanses of the country are also suitable for our large rotors and high towers. However, in Sweden the logistical element poses a bigger challenge, so we must reconsider alternative design methods for our high towers.” Text: SBR
Heading for success in Finland with special towers
The tango is the soul of the countryWhile the Nordex team is busy installing the wind farms during the light summer months, many Finns are doing something completely different. They are dancing the Finnish tango. Dance floors are springing up everywhere in the country on the sandy soil between birch trees, and then the Finns are more than happy to drive many kilometres to give rein to their melancholy soul for a night. The fact that the country has a population of five million is only thanks to the tango say the Finns, laughing at themselves. This is because Finnish men are much too shy to approach a woman. The tango overcomes this obstacle. So couples take to the dance floor and are so closely entwined that not even a birch leaf will fit between them. This makes the Finnish tango not only more intimate than the Argentinian version, but also more introverted: while the Argentinians have their proud southern temperament, the Finns have their melancholy Nordic one.
Worth seeing: the documentary “Midnight Tango”
Worth visiting: the tango festival in Seinäjoki in July
Worth knowing: one of the most famous tangos is the piece
“Satumaa” (1955) by Unto Manonen
Source: www.wikipedia.org
OUR REGIONAL TIP!
OUTSIDE FINLAND | 19
Nordex: a strong partner on the German marketInstallation record in the first half of 2016: the Nordex Group has impressively proven that it is and will remain a strong and reliable partner for customers on the German market. Ability to deliver and the right technology for all locations and customer requirements are just two of the most important arguments in its favour.
“With Nordex, we have a strong partner at our side.“Dr Rolf Bungart, Managing Director Ostwind Group
20 | OUTSIDE GERMANY
“We have carried out all projects in line with deadlines and contracts. In light of the current political discussion, that is a decisive point, as supplier reliability has a direct influence on the costeffectiveness of the projects,” emphasises Jörg Hempel, Nordex Managing Director for the German market. Nordex is ideally prepared for the upcoming legal changes, and is there for its customers regarding projects up to the end of the year and those coming with the start of the tendering phase in 2017. Jörg Hempel continues: “In this context, we see quick installation, an experienced and expert project management team and the right turbines as the key to success.”
The success in figures
H1 / 2016: 134 wind energy turbines (135 per cent increase compared to H1 / 2015 with 57 turbines)H1 / 2016: 341.5 megawatts of installed output (144 per cent increase compared to H1 / 2015 with 139.9 megawatts)
Reasons for the success of Nordex
A look at some example projects, the technology applied and the service structure makes clear why Nordex is so successful on the German market.
N131 / 3000: privately owned wind farms in Münsterland
The perfect entry to a market! Shortly after the introduction of the N131 / 3000 two years ago, Nordex signed contracts with privately owned wind farm associations for three privately owned wind farms with a total of 17 turbines in HollichSellen, Brechte and Strönfeld under the umbrella of a project development group. In addition, through a cooperation agreement for the largest of the three parks, in HollichSellen, Nordex gained the opportunity to test output curves, sound emissions, serrations (see p. 15) and drives, providing valuable key data for further optimisations. The results of the sound measurements are already available. Dirk Müller, Nordex Sales Manager, says: “With 103.5 dB(A), our turbines are as much as a decibel below the highest permitted level. That makes them the perfect choice for soundcritical locations in particular.”
N131 / 3300: high output in inland Germany
The groundbreaking ceremony for the largest woodland wind farm in Bavaria, at Raitenbucher Forst, took place at the end of June. Initially, ten N131 / 3300 turbines are being installed there for Max Bögl Ostwind GmbH. Thomas Annegg, Nordex Sales Mana ger, says: “In the third quarter of the year, we anticipate approval for another six turbines. In the context of the German renewable energy law and the 10H ruling, this quantity – in terms of turbine height and
number – is an enormous success. As a sister model of the N131 / 3000, these turbines with 134metre hybrid towers are optimised for German lightwind locations, in order to actively reduce the cost of energy.” Dr Rolf Bungart, Managing Director Ostwind Group, adds: “With Nordex, we have a strong partner at our side. In addition to the performance of the turbines, we are particularly impressed by the low sound emissions values.”
N117 / 3000: repowering by the North Sea
Altenbruch I, near Cuxhaven, is a wind farm with strong winds and a good example of what is consider ed a futureready business model in Germany: repowering. By the end of 2016, Nordex will have replaced 16 ageing N60 / 1300 turbines with new, modern N117 / 3000 turbines for project manager PNE Wind AG. “Although the number of turbines installed at the wind farm 18 years ago is being almost halved, the output is being disproportionately increased. This modernising effect is extremely important for Germany as a location,” says Marcus Müller, Nordex Sales Manager. Other benefits of repowering are increased fullload hours, improved grid compatibility and noticeably reduced rotor revolution speeds and noise levels. Marcus Müller con tinues: “With our Delta range (see p. 13), we will be able to shape repowering even more efficiently in future.”
Service in Germany: close to customers, close to wind farms
Nordex Service is now divided into five decentralised regional branches. The Leipzig and Würzburg regional offices have been newly added. “This structure is ideal for major growth. Our customers have direct contact partners, the decisionmaking process is simple and quick, and downtimes are minimised,” explains Volker Bartolles, Nordex Service Manager, Germany. Service technicians and technical experts in the applicable service points look after the turbines. Customer advisers and regional managers are available as points of contact for customers. They are supported by backoffice colleagues in Hamburg, who also develop i nternal processes, as well as allocating and guarantee ing resources. Text: SBR
Two additional regional
offices were recently
opened to increase
customer proximity even
further. The teams in
Würzburg and Leipzig
advise and support
Nordex customers.
Photo: Herbert Grabe/Ostwind
Together with
representatives from
politics and business,
Dr Rolf Bungart (third
from left), performs the
groundbreaking
ceremony for the
Reichertshüll project
on 27 June 2016.
OUTSIDE GERMANY | 21
It smells of mud – the typical construction site smell. Although you can barely feel a draught at ground level, the conifers at the edge of the wood are leaning in the same direction in the wind. Scattered puddles in the car park and on the paths are stubbornly standing firm against the sun that is bestowing some of the hottest days of the summer, halfway through the year in the Hunsrück region. “It’s not looking good for the hub today. Too much wind,” says Frank Ruppersberg, Nordex Construction Manager, pointing to the trees.
Rising high in Rhineland-Palatinate – the first N131 / 3300 at 164 metres
Photos: Johnstown GmbH
22 | OUTSIDE GERMANY
The abundance of woodland makes Hunsrück a challenging location for wind farms, because the trees, which grow up to 40 metres high, cause strong turbulences. With this in mind, the Nordex Group installed a turbine in Hausbay, RhinelandPalatinate, for its customer Kreuzberger & Spengler Regenerative Energie, that puts everything around it, and elsewhere, in the shade – at least for the time being: at a total height of almost 230 metres, the N131 / 3300 in Hausbay Bickenbach broke the record for the tallest onshore turbine in the world on Friday, 24 June 2016.
Pioneer project with proven partners
The preparation of this special project involved considerably more effort than usual. Benjamin Beckert , the Nordex Project Manager for Bickenbach, says: “I remember that during the development phase someone expressed concern because there just wasn’t any crane in existence for such a height.” To make the project possible, Nordex further developed an existing crane together with a longstanding partner in order to adjust it for the special requirements. This item alone, including counterweights, was brought to the location with around 50 heavy transporters.
“In a pioneer project such as this, it is especially impor t ant to work together with partners you trust and can rely on,” says Benjamin Beckert, “which is why we had one of our most experienced assembly teams ready for action on the construction site.” Another longstanding partner who was involved in the world record is Max Bögl, one of the leading finishedparts manufacturers in Germany. The company built the 100metre concrete segment that, together with two steel pipe segments, makes up the 164metrehigh hybrid tower, which weighs around 1,400 metric tons. Reaching the top with the help of the mobile platform takes around ten minutes.
Dynamic sector
“This height is impressive enough from the ground, but even more so from above”, says Martin Harich, Nordex Development Engineer. Martin Harich was on the construction site throughout the entire installation and accompanied the assembly of the hub and rotor blades at the top. “Positioning the components at that height requires a great deal of finesse from all involved. But it also takes an incredible amount of strength to hold a 65.5metrelong blade, even if it appears to float freely in the air. We work in a truly impressive and varied sector,” explains Martin Harich.
Whilst some manufacturers are currently planning tall, powerful turbines that are a long way from even reaching the prototype stage, the first N131 / 3300 at 164 metres has already been turning in Hausbay for several months – approvalready, typetested and calibrated. A total of around 50 N131s have already been installed.
Text: SSC
From our colleagues
in construction and
project management
to the partners at the
crane company and
the people who
assembled the blades
at a height of 164
metres – the record-
breaking Hausbay-
Bickenbach project is,
above all, the result of
a hugely successful
team effort.
OUTSIDE GERMANY | 23
The United Kingdom and Ireland – two markets where the Gulf Stream makes the wind particularly productive and where the Nordex Group has been one of the front runners for years now. But times change, and it is important to adapt to the new circumstances.
Up amongst the leaders
Photos: Robert Ayres
24 | OUTSIDE GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND
Mars Inc., which produces products like M&Ms,
Wrigley’s chewing gum and Uncle Ben’s rice,
will be obtaining electricity from 20 Nordex
N100 / 3300 turbines from the Delta series in the
Moy wind farm in Scotland. The North American
food giant thus joins a number of brandname
companies, such as Google, IKEA or Amazon, that
do business on a sustainable basis and buy green
energy via various operator models.
“The longstanding system of subsidies in the UK expires in March 2017, which means that we now have our hands full meeting the strong demand,” explains Richard Furniss, Nordex Managing Director for the UK and Ireland. This affects both Sales in the country organisation, based in Manchester, as well as Project Management. Up to 120 Nordex turbines with a rated output of 320 megawatts will come on grid in the UK and Ireland in 2016. This will allow Nordex to more than maintain its position as one of the leading suppliers in these islands.
Tough times for onshore wind
In the UK alone, 507 turbines generate an output of around 1.2 gigawatts of clean electricity, with a further 124 turbines in the firmorder pipeline. This means that, in recent years, the country has grown into one of the largest onshore markets in Europe. However, the UK government elected in 2015 has tightened the pipeline for onshore wind. While the British government support for offshore wind farms and nuclear energy continues, the Re-newable Obligation Certificates (ROCs), introduced in 2002, will no longer be issued for onshore wind farms in future. A replacement, auctionbased system (Contracts for Difference – CfD) has been introduced, but no second auction round is planned for onshore wind. Richard Furniss comments: “The ROC and CfD both allow developers and investors a stable revenue pipeline. Without these, even though onshore wind is increasingly recognised as the lowestcost form of new generation, only the very best new wind farms will be attractive investments”.
The Danish consulting company MAKE Consulting calculates that after 2018 onshore installations will decrease from more than 900 megawatts a year to some 300 megawatts. In future, this will make it all the more important to keep generating electricity at low production costs in order to remain competitive in the UK. Here, Richard Furniss still sees potential in the regions of Scotland, as well as in some areas of Wales and Northern Ireland: “The wind resource is better in these regions, and planning is more open to onshore wind – with the possibility of constructing more modern, larger turbines.”
Individual solutions make projects attractive
In such a market, proximity to the customer and a thorough knowledge of the market are essential, allowing customised solutions, such as turnkey projects, and site optimisation to make the best possible use of the tip height and rotor restrictions. Also, optimising the turbines is an option. For example at the Frodsham Marshes project in northwest England. Here, for the first time, the N90 was equipped with an optimised 2.65megawatt generator. Frodsham Marshes was originally conceived as a 20turbine project. Following consultations with the local community and environment experts, the number of turbines was subsequently reduced to 19. “In order to nevertheless achieve the planned total capacity of at least 50 megawatts, we developed a siteoptimised variant of the N90 / 2500 with a higher output,” reports Richard Furniss.
In Ireland, the political environment remains supportive of onshore wind, and the market is pushing hard to meet ambitious 2020 renewables targets, with Nordex at the centre of the action. In the Republic of Ireland, which Nordex serves from Dublin, more than 600 megawatts, or almost 250 turbines, have been sold to date. This equates to a cumulative market share of 20 per cent – with Nordex turbines on Ireland’s two largest wind farms, including the 38turbine Meenadreen wind farm in northwest Ireland currently under construction for Energia. The latest sales success was Coollegrean, a seventurbine project in southwest Ireland for Element Power. “Ireland is a classic strongwind market, with generally low tip height and rotor size restriction – which means that we still find the triedandtested N90 a competitive offering,” says Richard Furniss, “although the efficient turbines in the Delta Generation are of increasing importance as planning rules relax.” Ireland is a critical focus of the Nordex sales activities over the next twelve to 18 months. Text: OKA
Ireland is currently a focus area for Nordex sales. In particular, the manufacturer
is pushing its proven N90 / 2500 turbine there.
Major brands make use of wind power
OUTSIDE GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND | 25
Technology Insight Day in Paris
Just about 80 interested guests took up the invitation to the first Nordex Technology Insight Day in the Salons de l’AéroClub de France in Paris at the end of June. The programme was aimed in particular at project developers, independent technical consultants and financial experts, as well as customers and business partners.
With the Technology Insight Day, which Nordex has already held in Germany, Ireland and Finland, the company provides an insight into its costofenergydriven product strategy, presents tech nical innovations and facilitates personal contact with all the central areas of Project Development and Engineering, Sales and Project Management, and Service. “We are very pleased with the response to our information event,” says a happy AnneCatherine de Tourtier, Managing Director Nordex France. “The interest shown in our products, above all the new Delta turbines, our knowhow and our areas of specialisation, such as sound perform ance and grid integration, was very impressive.”
France Considerable interest in technology, turbines and team sportsFrance is one of the top markets for wind energy in Europe. To date, Nordex has installed more than 1,500 megawatts of capacity there, equating to a market share of 14 per cent. Now, for the first time, the company has held its Technology Insight Day in France while, at the same time, it has commissioned the first Delta Generation turbines in the Hauteville wind farm.
“Everything was really interesting; it was also a nice opportunity to meet many people from the Nordex Group.”Aurélie Fabre – EDF Energies Nouvelles
“Great. Should take place every twelve to 18 months!”Jérôme Jacquemin – Everoze
“Thank you very much for the invitation to this very interesting event and the perfect organisation.”Olivier Paillereau – Vendée Energie
Photo: Jan Oelker
And this is what the attendees say:
26 | OUTSIDE FRANCE
First Delta Generation turbines on grid
June also saw complete connection to the grid of the Hauteville wind farm located in the French region of Picardie, around 1.5 hours by car from the north of Paris. Hauteville is already the third project to be implemented jointly with the customer STEAG New Energies. It consists of nine N117 / 3000 turbines and is the first French wind farm to make use of Delta Generation turbines. These turbines on the 91metre towers are particularly suitable for IEC2 sites.
“We are highly satisfied with the way implementation of our first Delta project in France went,” says Nordex Project Manager S tephan Fingerhut emphatically. “The cooperation between German and French colleagues was excellent, therefore we were able to start up the wind farm on time, in spite of special stipulations relating to nature conservation. Furthermore, we demonstrated the special quality of the Delta Generation in terms of HSE.” Text: ITO
Morale in the Nordex France
team couldn’t be higher.
Kicking for a good causeAt the beginning of June, Nordex, Enertag and the French Wind Energy Association (FEE) organised the traditional FootEolien soccer tournament. More than 1,000 enthusiastic amateur footballers and supporters attended the event.
64 male and nine female teams played in separate competitions to find a winner. The winning team among the men was DNVGL. In the case of the ladies, the winner was the Akuo Energy team. For every goal scored, the teams donated 1 euro to the World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF, one of the largest nature conservation organisations in the world. “There was a great atmosphere at the tournament. After the matches we had a barbecue together and partied to music from wellknown Belgian DJs into the small hours,” said Nicolas Vrécourt, Sales Manager Nordex France.
Photo: Jan Oelker
South Africa Where what fits together is growing togetherIn July, our colleagues from Nordex Energy South Africa and Acciona Windpower (AWP) South Africa moved into a shared office, and are now officially working together on the market. In this respect, the country is not only a pioneer in the implementation of the worldwide merger, but also the proof that the areas of expertise of both companies perfectly complement each other.
28 | OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA
Nordex CEO Lars Bondo Krogsgaard insisted on travelling to South Africa for the launch of the new organisation and was available for questions from our 66 colleagues there. “South Africa is an exciting market for our corporate Group, with big potential, but also big challenges,” Krogsgaard explained in his address. “I could not imagine a better place for us to show how successful our cooperation can be, because we now have a better setup on location thanks to the merging of the particular areas of expertise of both companies, and stand a very good chance of achieving our aim of an order volume of 1 gigawatt by the end of 2017.” The Group currently has 427 megawatts installed or contracted and a further 519 megawatts in final negotiations.
Stronger together: the Nordex South Africa team now includes
colleagues from what was previously Acciona Windpower, as
well as Nordex.
OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA | 29
Current projects: Amakhala and Gibson Bay
Since 2011, the South African government has awarded four major projects to Nordex in the four tendering rounds (of a planned five) that have taken place so far, including the Dorper wind farms with 40 N100 / 2500 turbines and the 80megawatt Kouga project with 32 N90 / 2500s. Both projects have now been installed and passed over to Service. “With these wind farms, which impress thanks to high output and availability, as well as their grid compatibility, Nordex has developed a good reputation in the area. The turbines and service are of very high quality,” says Anne Henschel, Country Manager Nordex South Africa, happily. Two other major projects are planned for this year: in August, the Amakhala wind farm from the second allocation round, with 56 N117 / 2400 turbines, was handed over to the customer. In addition, Nordex will have installed 37 N117 / 3000 turbines at the Gibson Bay wind farm in the Eastern Cape region by the end of the year. Anne Henschel: “We deliver all projects as turnkey solutions in accordance with local requirements and the usual Nordex high standards.”
Expertise meets competitive advantage
Despite these successes, South Africa remains a challenge. The regulations are very complex, the climate is often extreme and the projects are big in comparison to European dimensions. In addition, there are sociopolitical aspects such as the Black Eco-nomic Empowerment programme (BEE), which is designed to close the socioeconomic gap between the white and black sections of the population, and special requirements for adherence to local manufacturing quotas. “In this context, we are very happy that AWP, with its product portfolio, has been selected as a preferred supplier for the fourth allocation round,” explains Anne Henschel. “AWP turbines are optimally configured for the South African market, have a high proportion of local manufacturing and are also certified for concrete tower constructions in South Africa. That makes us more independent of the local steel tower producers and gives us valuable flexibility when preparing offers.”
Successful together
The integration of 66 colleagues not only creates a new and effective team, but opens up completely new options in terms of market activity. Anne Henschel: “Our focus in South Africa, too, is on reducing the cost of energy in order to be successful in this competitive market environment. With our new structure, a comprehensive product portfolio and considerable experience, we are very well prepared to do so.” The first progress indicator for the new cooperation will be the implementation of the current projects. At the moment, two major installation orders involving AWP turbines are nearing completion.
Excursion to Gouda wind farm
Lars Bondo Krogsgaard (back), CEO Nordex SE, Anne Henschel (middle), Country Manager Nordex South Africa, and Alberto Ansorena (front), Country Manager Acciona Windpower South Africa, visited the AWP Gouda wind farm to mark the official start of the new organisation. This project, with 46 AW125 TH100 turbines and a total power of 138 megawatts, is the first and so far only wind farm in South Africa with concrete towers. Concrete towers offer price benefits, can be produced locally without difficulty and are not tied to a single production location, as they can be manufactured on the construction site or elsewhere. The Gouda wind farm won the Fulton Award (Innovation in Concrete) for this special technology.
Text: ITO
The Nordex Group
will have installed the
Gibson Bay wind farm,
with 37 N117 / 3000
turbines, in the Eastern
Cape region by the
end of 2016.
30 | OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA
Nordex handed over
the Amakhala wind
farm to its customer
Cenergy in August.
Photos: Line of Sight / Nordex
OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA | 31
Ready to go in IndiaThe Indian wind energy market has huge potential: India’s economy is growing faster than the global average, and its demand for energy is increasing accordingly. At the same time, the Indian government is highlighting sustainability: by 2022, it wants to expand the wind market from today’s 27 gigawatts to 60 gigawatts of installed capacity. With an administrative headquarters in Bangalore, a new nacelle production facility in Chennai and a mobile concrete tower plant in Bijapur, the Nordex Group is well positioned to make a contribution to this expansion.
Data and figures for nacelle production
Total area: 20,100 m²
Production area: 2,892 m²
Warehouse: 2,460 m²
Office complex: 992 m²
Number of employees: approx. 100
Products: nacelle, hub, main shaft
Capacity: 2–3 nacelles per week
Photo: Elena Ermakova, iStock
32 | OUTSIDE INDIA
The nacelle factory is located around 60 kilometres from Chennai in the southeast of India. Representatives of the Ministry for New and Renewable Energy inspected the plant after its completion in summer and issued Nordex with the approval for installing and connecting the wind turbines produced in India to the grid. “The approval of the ministry was the last obstacle to overcome. Now we are ready to install our turbines in India,” says Prashanth Vittal, CEO of Nordex subsidiary Acciona Windpower India.
The first turbines have already been ordered
In the current product portfolio, the AW125 / 3000, with its 125metre rotor diameter, is particularly suited to the Indian market, where there are many lightwind locations. Acciona Energia, which has been operating in India for nine years now and over this period has installed wind farms with a capacity of 85 megawatts in the state of Karnataka and developed close to 1 giga watt in four different states, is currently developing another project, which is to be supplied by the Nordex Group. “Acciona Energia knows both our turbines and the market. The fact that the company began working together with us before we started production is a good reason to enter this burgeoning market with confidence,” says Prashanth Vittal.
In 2015 alone, India recorded installation growth of 3 gigawatts. Experts project further growth of be tween 10 and 15 per cent in the coming years, while the government’s targets of 5 to 6 gigawatts per annum are even more ambitious. At the moment, the market is dominated in particular by large Independent Power Producers (IPPs), which last year accounted for 70 per cent of the new projects built. In spite of this, the Nordex Group in India is ready to meet a strong demand. “We will be offering a wide range of
products and services: from turnkey installation down to installation of wind farms developed by other companies. We are flexible and ready for everything,” says Prashanth Vittal.
Proven finance partner for a secure market entry
In the summer, a small delegation from the Finance department at the head office in Hamburg travelled to Bangalore with a view to securing the financing of the Nordex Group’s business activities in India via longstanding banking partners. For Torsten Hinsche, Nordex Head of Finance, this was the first visit to India. “The market there has some special characteristics, but our colleagues there know exactly what to do and how to handle the local challenges. Growth in the sector is impressive and offers great potential for us. The finance partners we are now working together with in India provide a sound foundation for our market entry,” says Torsten Hinsche. Text: SSC
The Nordex / AWP
nacelle factory in
Chennai shortly before
its completion
Nordex administrative headquarters and nacelle production facility
BIJAPUR
CHENNAIBANGALORE
MUMBAI
INDIA
INDIAN OCEAN
VARANASI
OUTSIDE INDIA | 33
NORDEX / AWP
The broadening of the Nordex Group’s product portfolio to include Acciona Windpower turbines could not have come at a more favourable time, as the extension of the PTC forms a solid foundation for investments in renewable energy projects.
The PTC was extended through 2019. A project must start in the current year to qualify for the full subsidy. In the following years, the value of the credit
decreases by 20 per cent each year. This means that wind farms that begin construction in 2016 receive the full value of the tax credit – even if the turbines are not installed until 2020. In this context, a project is deemed to have started if the owner has incurred 5 per cent of the total cost of the project or has begun physical work on the wind farm.
Thanks to its wide range of products, the Nordex Group is able to meet the broad demand of a country like the US, where site conditions can vary greatly. For instance, the technologically sophisticated Nordex turbines are ideally suited for the complex requirements at land constrained locations in the northeast, while the Acciona Windpower machines are particularly suitable for large projects in the vast southwestern states.
“No matter where our customer is planning his wind farm – the Nordex Group can offer a wind turbine solution that will make it a success,” says Enrique Teruel, Regional Managing Director Nordex USA.
The merger and the United States
Together at the right time in the right marketAs expected, the outlook for the world’s secondlargest wind energy market has been positive since the US Congress approved a longterm extension of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) at the end of last year (as Nordex / AWP 360° reported). The Nordex Group has also felt the effects of this: with a 243megawatt project in Texas, it recorded the first US order since the government decision and the company’s merger with Acciona Windpower.
“No matter where our customer is planning his wind farm – the Nordex Group can offer a wind turbine solution that will make it a success.”Enrique Teruel, Regional Managing Director Nordex USA
34 | OUTSIDE USA
The world’s winds, part 4
The pampero
The pampero is a strong lowland wind that carries cold air from Patagonia and the Antarctic straight through the Argentinian pampas to Uruguay. On its way, the storm covers over 8,000 kilometres. Its arrival brings a major drop in temperature and often heavy thunderstorms. There are three kinds of pampero: the rainy pampero húmedo, the dirty pampero sucio, which brings along lots of dust from the pampas, and the pampero limpio, which cleans the air.
Walter Consul, Nordex Sales Manager International, has this to say about the natural spectacle: “Strong winds are a blessing for customers, because production increases. The pampero places heavy demands on our service. Strong winds and turbulences put a strain on the operation of wind farms. If cold air masses then meet a warm weather front, heavy lightning storms develop, making work on the turbines impossible. Thanks to its speed, the pampero doesn’t usually last long, but it still creates a lot of work for us.”
In the fourth part of the “The world’s winds” series, we take a look at the pampero.
PAMPERO
The pampero rolls straight through the Argentinian pampas,
all the way to Uruguay.
Two AW125 / 3000s for Texas, please!
The first contract won in the US by the Nordex Group since the merger with Acciona Windpower is also a typical project for the southwestern states. The manufacturer will provide 81 AW125 / 3000 turbines for a 243megawatt wind farm. The wind farm ben efits 100 per cent from PTC. The location of the project is in southeast Texas, in Nueces County near the Gulf of Mexico. The Nordex Group will start delivering the turbines, which are designed for IEC2 areas and have steel pipe towers that are 87.5 metres high, this year, so that the customer can begin installation in early 2017.
Another project in Texas with the same turbine type is currently under construction: Acciona Group’s San Román Wind Farm, located in Cameron County in southern Texas. With its capacity of 93 megawatts, San Román will produce electricity for around 30,000 households in the region. Text: SSC
The next step towards reduced cost of energy
• 20% increased nominal power
• Up to 12% improved AEP
• Lowest sound emission in its class
• Based on the fully-certified and proven Nordex Delta (Multimegawatt) Platform
• Optional serrated trailing edge available on rotor blades for further reduction of sound emissions
›› Find out more at www.nordex-online.com
QUIET YET POWERFULThe Nordex N117 / 3600 IEC IIa for Medium-Wind Sites
and N131 / 3600 IEC S for Light-Wind Sites.
