ENERCON IN FRANCEWind farm inaugurations inBrittany and theMassif CentralPage 6

POLICYThe power station fleet of thefuture: Nuclear energy jeopardises energy revolution Page 8

JOB PROFILESRotor blade service technicians: Blade maintenance at lofty heightsPage 10

TECHNOLOGYWind turbine footings:ENERCON foundations solidPage 12

INTERVIEWClaudia Kemfert: Emissions trading needs dynamic ceilingsPage 16

WINDBLATTENERCON Magaz ine fo r wind energyI ssue 02 | 2009

www.enercon.de

Editorial

ENERCON News

News from the ENERCON world

Title Story

ENERCON in France:Wind farm inaugurations in Brittany and the Massif Central

Policy

The power station fleet of the future:Nuclear energy jeopardises greenenergy revolution

Job Profiles

Rotor blade service technicians:Blade maintenance at lofty heights

Technology

Wind turbine footings:ENERCON foundations solid

Supplier

Block Transformatoren-ElektronikGmbH & Co KG: Robust windinggoods for WEC control systems

Energy Policy

Claudia Kemfert: Emissions trading needs dynamic ceil

Addresses & Events

ENERCON AddressesInfo-Service

Page 3

Page 4

Page 6

Page 8

Page 10

Page 12

Page 14

Page 16

Page 2Page 9

ENER

CON

ADD

RESS

ES

ImprintPublisher: ENERCON GmbH · Dreekamp 5 · 26605 Aurich · Germany

Phone +49 4941 927-0 · Fax +49 4941 927-109 · www.enercon.de/en/_home.htm

Editorial office: Volker Uphoff, Ruth Brand, Teelke Bojarski

Printed by: Steinbacher Druck GmbH, Osnabrück, Germany

Copyright: All photos, illustrations, texts, images, graphic representations, insofar as this is not expressly stated to the

contrary, are the property of ENERCON GmbH and may not be reproduced, changed, transmitted or used otherwise without

the prior written consent of ENERCON GmbH.

Frequency: The WINDBLATT appears every three months and is regularly included in the “new energy”, magazine for renewa-

ble energies, of the German Windenergy Association.

Subscribe: Phone +49 4941 927-667 or www.enercon.de/en/_home.htm.

Cover photo: E-70/2.3 MW wind farm in Villesèque-des-Corbières near Narbonne/France.

INTERNATIONAL SALES OFFICESENERCON GMBH, INTERNATIONAL DEPT.

Otto-Lilienthal-Str. 25 · 28199 Bremen · GERMANYPhone +49 421 2441 510 · Fax +49 421 2441539

e-mail: sales.international@enercon.de

ARGENTINA

ENERCON Soporte Area ArgentinaBlanco Encalada 1204-4/B

C1428DCJ Ciudad de Buenos Aires · ArgentinaPhone + 54 11 47 886 114 · Fax + 54 11 47 886 114

e-mail : windpower@ciudad.com.ar

AUSTRIA

ENERCON Austria Ges.mbH · Hauptstrasse 19 2120 Wolkersdorf · AUSTRIA · Phone +43 2245 82828

Fax +43 2245 82838 · e-mail: enercon@vienna.at

BALTIC STATES/EAST ASIA

ENERCON Denmark · Bredkær Parkvej 628250 Egaa – Denmark

Phone +45 / 87 / 430388 · Fax +45 / 87 / 430344e-mail: joern.kristensen@enercon.de

BELGIUM

ENERCON Services Belgium BVBA· Sales BelgiumBernhard Fink · Stationsstraat 97

B-2440 Geel · BELGIUM Phone +32 14 591 611· Fax +32 14 591 612

e-mail: bernhard.fink@enercon.de

BRAZIL

Wobben Windpower Ltda.Av. Fernando Stecca nº 100 · Distrito Industrial CEP 18087450

Sorocaba · São Paulo · BRAZILPhone +55 15 2101 1700 · Fax +55 15 2101 1701

e-mail: wwp@wobben.com.br

CANADA

Michael Weidemann · ENERCON GmbH International Sales Department

Oesterweg 9 · 59469 Ense · GERMANYPhone +49 2938 9720 17 · Fax +49 2938 9720 49

e-mail: michael.weidemann@enercon.de

FRANCE

ENERCON GmbH bureau français1, rue des Longues Raies · ZAC des Longues Raies

F-60610 La Croix Saint Ouen · FRANCEPhone +33 3 44 83 67 20 · Fax + 33 3 44 83 67 29

GREECE

ENERCON GmbH · Greek Branch20, Pentelis Avenue · 15235 Vrilissia, Athens · GREECE

Phone +30 210 6838 490 · Fax +30 210 6838 489e-mail: sales.hellas@enercon.de

ITALY

ENERCON ItaliaVia Luciano Manara, 5 · 00044 Frascati (Roma) · ITALY

Phone + 39 06 94 01 69 1 · Fax + 39 06 94 01 69 299e-mail: info@enerconitalia.it

LUXEMBURG & THE NETHERLANDS

ENERCON Benelux BV · Paxtonstraat 1 a 8013 RP Zwolle · THE NETHERLANDS

Phone +31 38 4228 282 · Fax +31 38 4228 010e-mail: sales.benelux@enercon.de

NEW ZEALAND

ENERCON GmbH · Andrea von Lindeiner · PO Box 340206Birkenhead · Auckland 0746 · NEW ZEALAND

Phone +64 9 4199 231 · +49 4941 976 959-147e-mail: andrea.vonlindeiner@enercon.de

PORTUGAL

ENERCON GmbHSales Portugal · Parque Empresarial de Lanheses

Lugar de Segadas · 4925 424 LanhesesViana do Castelo · PORTUGAL

Phone +351 258 803 500 · Fax +351 258 803 509e-mail: sales.portugal@enercon.de

SPAIN

ENERCON GmbH Sucursal en España Ronda de Auguste y Louis Lumière 23

Edificio 21 A · Parque Tecnológico46980 Paterna (Valencia) · SPAIN

Phone +34 961 824 558 · Fax +34 961 828 143e-mail: enercon.spain@enercon.de

SWEDEN

ENERCON Energy Converter ABStenåldersgatan 19 · 21376 Malmö · SWEDENPhone +46 40 143 580 · Fax +46 40 222 420

e-mail: scandinavia@enercon.de

TURKEY

ENERCON GmbH · Sales Turkey Holger Bohlen · Dreekamp 5 · 26605 Aurich · GERMANY

Phone +49 4941 927-0 · Fax +49 4941 927-109e-mail: holger.bohlen@enercon.de

E D I T O R I A L WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 3

Dear Readers,On June 7th, voters in the European Union decide on the composition of the EuropeanParliament for the next five years. Crucially, this will set the course for the successful imple-mentation of the directive that stipulates a 20 % renewables share of final energy consump-tion by the year 2020. After the summer break, the states will determine how they actually planto fulfil their obligations to expand the utilisation of renewable energies. With the options forjoint goal achievement, states can now introduce common promotion systems and jointlyclaim the increases achieved through them – an opportunity for those countries where promotion regulations have hitherto been weak to establish the requisite priority for renewa-ble energies and fixed feed-in tariffs.

In the electricity sector in particular, many EU countries have demonstrated in recent years thekind of dynamic growth that is possible when suitable framework conditions with fixed feed-in tariffs are in place. Portugal for example is well on its way to increase the renewables share in electricity consumption from 18.4 % in the year 2005 to 39 % in 2010 – with windpower providing the lion’s share. France has increased its installed wind power almost five-fold in the years since 2005.

The course set for the remainder of the power station fleet of the future, however, is also ofcrucial importance. The expansion of all renewable energies requires flexible power plants thatcan balance the fluctuations of electricity demand and electricity feed-in. If nuclear and newcoal-fired power plants throw us back to times long thought overcome, the renewal of our power supply system will be set back by years. With their inflexible operation style, nuclear power plants cement the old power station fleet. Grids and pumped storage systems – indis-pensable complements to the decentralised renewable power station fleet – are blocked bythe unwieldy giants. The urgently needed expansion of the grid would not benefit the decen-tralised energies of the future; rather, it would only serve to transport the electricity from fewer fossil and nuclear large-scale power plants across long distances. For this reason, afterthe election the new European members of parliament must correct the disastrous decision topromote investments in nuclear energy.

Aloys WobbenManaging Director ENERCON GmbH

Yours sincerely

ENERCON at Hannover Messe 2009:Maximum yield with innovative gridtechnology

The Hannover Messe is an umbrella event for

13 individual trade shows. For the launch of

the new “Wind” show ENERCON marked its

presence with an innovative stand design.

Compared to the former stand, the new stand

concept is more modern and open and thus

well suited to the more central location in the

new Hall 27.

The exhibit is much brighter and features

ENERCON’s current corporate identity. Since it

is more spacious, more visitors not only had

room to listen to ENERCON’s presentations but

were also able to follow a podium discussion

– a new highlight at ENERCON’s exhibit.

Plenty of space was available for 400 to 500

guests to listen in on presentations given

Thursday by Managing Director, Hans-Dieter

Kettwig and Chief Production Manager, Klaus

Peters. In his presentation, Kettwig announced

a performance figure of over 3 billion Euros for

ENERCON’s 2008 operations. In total, 2.8 GW

of wind power were installed. For 2009, he

predicted a growth of 20 to 22 GW of new in-

stallations worldwide. “As the number of

ENERCON turbines installed will continue to

grow compared to 2008 figures, our world

market share is expected to rise from 10 to 14

percent,” said Hans-Dieter Kettwig.

One of the topics of the podium discussion

with guest speakers, Andreas Ufer, Senior Vice

President of Power, Renewables and Water at

KfW IPEX Bank and Klaus Meier, Chairman of

wpd AG was the outlook on economic deve-

lopment in the sector. In summary: Once

financiers have scrutinised in particular inter-

national projects, growth in on-shore wind

energy will soon pick up its usual trend.

Another key focus was on special ENERCON

Grid Management Systems. A clearly arranged

exhibit illustrated facilities to ride though grid

faults as well as to provide reactive power in

order to stabilise voltage. Also on display was

ENERCON’s Farm Control Unit (FCU), a control

system solution for the grid interaction of en-

tire wind farms. “ENERCON wind farms thus

even comply with grid operator requirements

for feeding power into ultra-high voltage

grids,” explained Stephan Wachtel, ENERCON

Sales Technical Support Manager.

President of the EU Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering visits ENERCON

In April, Hans-Gert Pöttering, the President of

the European Parliament, visited ENERCON’s

wind energy converter production facilities in

Aurich, Germany. He was given a tour of the

Mechanic final assembly plant and the

Aero rotor blade factory; ENERCON Managing

Director Aloys Wobben and Production Mana-

ger Klaus Peters showed the visitor around the

production facilities. Pöttering showed himself

impressed. Speaking of its Europe-wide ope-

rations coupled with strong roots in the

region, he called ENERCON “a European

showpiece company”.

Hans-Gert Pöttering also discussed with

ENERCON Management the political frame-

work necessary for achieving the goal Europe

has set itself with regard to the utilisation of

renewable energy sources – a 20 % share of

regenerative energies in the total final energy

consumption within the EU by the year 2020.

Klaus Peters referred to Germany’s Renewa-

ble Energy Sources Act as an elixir of life for

the industry. “Wherever there are regulations

like the Renewable Energy Sources Act in pla-

ce, regenerative energies are really making

progress,” said the Production Manager. Aloys

Wobben emphasised the importance of ho-

nouring existing agreements – for instance

regarding the nuclear phase-out – for the

expansion of a climate-friendly and economi-

cal energy supply system such as has been

initiated by the German promotion policy for

renewable energies. “Renewable energies

will form the base load of the future; they

need a flexible power station fleet in order to

be able to flourish,” said Aloys Wobben.

Captivating discussion on guided tour: ENERCONManaging Director Aloys Wobben explaining details to Hans-Gert Pöttering (left).

More than 400 guests listening to the podium discussion on ENERCON’s stand at Hanover Fair.

4 WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 N E W S

Hans-Gert Pöttering pointed out the great im-

portance of the European Parliament for poli-

tics in the regions – noticeable for example in

the energies sector.

Norway: ENERCON delivers eight windenergy converters to Kvalheim Kraft

At the 5th wind energy conference hosted by

the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commer-

ce in Oslo last March, Norwegian wind power

company Kvalheim Kraft AS signed a contract

with ENERCON for the delivery of eight E-70

wind turbines with 64 metres hub height.

ENERCON will build the 2.3 MW turbines in the

Mehuken wind farm on the island of Vågsøy in

the Sogn og Fjordane district about 300 km

north of Bergen. They are due to take up ope-

ration by the end of 2010 and produce about

53 million kWh of electricity per year. With 8.6

to 9.4 m/s at hub height, wind speeds here are

very favourable and typical for Norway.

Kvalheim Kraft AS has been operating wind

energy converters at this site since 2001, with

a total power of 4 MW. The company is owned

by two utilities headquartered near Oslo –

Vardar from Drammen and Østfold Energi from

Sarpsborg. For its investment into the Mehu-

ken II wind farm, Kvalheim Kraft receives

support from the Norwegian public energy

agency ENOVA. The wind farm is one of only

two new wind energy projects supported by

ENOVA last year.

“This is an important day for both parties and

we are extremely happy to be able to present

the contract at this conference organised by

the German-Norwegian Chamber of Commer-

ce,” said Robin Borgert, ENERCON’s sales area

manager for Norway during the event in Oslo.

“This means that out of the five delivery con-

tracts concluded in Norway since 2005, four

have gone to ENERCON.”

Wind market Poland: Light at the endof the tunnel

About 600 participants attended a conference

hosted by the Polish Wind Energy Association

PWEA in Warsaw in April; they showed them-

selves cautiously optimistic about the deve-

lopments in the country’s wind energy sector.

Many Polish project planners and investors as

well as other involved parties mostly from

Western Europe would, however, have liked to

hear a clear commitment by policy makers to

the expansion of the renewable energies sec-

tor. But the politicians failed to use the oppor-

tunity that the conference provided. As a

result, discussion forums and hallway chats

focused mostly on the technical aspects of

wind energy and the current financial crisis

and how to overcome it.

The current economic and financial crisis has a

firm grip on Eastern Europe, too. The Polish

Zloty e.g. plummeted, dropping from its long-

standing average value of about 3.6 PLN/Euro

as far down as 4.8 PLN/Euro. As a result, barely

any wind energy

projects are

being realised at

the moment. It is

not only the weak

currency that is

causing problems

on the market

right now; most

banks are reluc-

tant to provide

the financing

needed for typi-

cally large-scale

wind projects. In

addition, the dif-

ferent forecasts

concerning the duration of the crisis as well as

the development of the exchange rates vary

dramatically from each other.

Nevertheless there is light at the end of the

tunnel: Polish regulation authority URE set part

one of the tariff system, based on the price for

the conversion of fossil fuels into electricity, to

155.44 PLN/MWh; the so-called substitute fee

that also represents the maximum price for

the certificates that form part two of the tariff,

was raised to 258.89 PLN/MWh. The question

is now what portion of the theoretical maxi-

mum price of 414.33 PLN/MWh operators can

actually enforce in their electricity purchase

contracts depending on the contract duration.

The Polish themselves consider their currency

undervalued. They are expecting an exchange

rate of at least 4 PLN/Euro in the medium

term. The resulting tariff of about 10 cent/kWh

would presumably spark off the innumerable

projects. It remains to be seen how the inter-

national banks will evaluate the Polish market.

German financial institutes for one, with their

great potential and extensive know-how in the

wind energy sector, are so far barely present.

Be that as it may, real security will probably

not be achieved until Poland actually introdu-

ces the Euro as planned. Prime Minister

Donald Tusk has announced that the neces-

sary steps will be taken. It remains to hope

that the economic and political conditions will

allow him to realise this plan quickly.

Pict

ure:

Germ

an-N

orw

egia

n Ch

ambe

r of C

omm

erce

Kristin Ankile and Tommy Fredriksen of KvalheimKraft (left) as well as Robin Borgert and SöhnkeSchierloh of ENERCON (3rd & 2nd from right) afterthe signing of the Mehuken contract at theGerman-Norwegian Chamber of Commerce.

ENERCON wind farm in Darzyno, Poland.

N E W S WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 5

The shareholders of Brocéliande EnergiesLocales wanted to organise a big springfestival to celebrate the inauguration oftheir wind farm in Plélan-le-Grand in Brit-tany. Although the six E-82 turbines in thesmall town 35 km west of Rennes have al-ready been producing power since January,the time for the festival only came in May.On 16 May, about 4,000 visitors attendedthe official speeches, took a tour of the to-wer bases, and enjoyed a performance ofsea songs and chanteys. A food buffet anddrinks were served, and the festival conclu-ded with a great Breton dance evening.

Plélan-le-Grand: Community-owned wind farm as basis“There was a group of twelve local resi-dents who set this project in motion,” saysPatrick Saultier, Managing Director of the

operating company and initiator of the windfarm. In 2002, the group became convincedthat a wind farm in Plélan-le-Grand wouldmake sense. “Our goal was to generateclean energy at a reasonable price. We alsowanted to create a locally-based projectthat would offer an investment opportunityto anyone interested in becoming a share-holder,” remembers Saultier. The organisersalso had the ambition to take intoconsideration the opinions of all affectedparties and to inspire people in the region tobecome more environmentally conscious –in particular to reduce energy consumption.

The group financed the required expert re-ports and resolved all issues not related tothe technology as such. Then the projectentered the implementation phase: At theend of 2004, the company Brocéliande En-

ergies Locales with twelve shareholders wasfounded. From the inception of the projectuntil the inauguration of the wind farm, theshareholders talked to local residents aboutthe wind farm almost on a daily basis. “Forexample, we developed different models forthe lease payments to land owners and far-mers because ultimately, they hold the keyto a fair distribution,” explains Saultier.

The pride of the communitySaultier can now look upon the fruits of hisefforts: The high public acceptance of thewind farm was demonstrated not least bythe great number of visitors from the 3,500-inhabitant town who came to the inaugura-tion festival. Seven local clubs and associa-tions helped with organising the event,serving drinks, and setting up and decora-ting the food buffet. More than 80 volunteers

Wind farm inaugurations inBrittany and the Massif CentralThese days in France, almostevery other month sees a newENERCON wind farm taking upoperation. While projects used tocluster primarily in the North ofthe country, ENERCON nowbuilds more and more wind tur-bines in the West, the South, andin central regions. Thus the ope-rators of the community-ownedwind farm in Plélan-le-Grand inBrittany hosted a great windfestival last May to celebrate theinauguration of six E-82 turbineswith 98 m precast concretetowers. Meanwhile in the MassifCentral, the first wind farm ofthe department of Puy-de-Dômetook up operation.

ENERCON in France

6 WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 T I T L E S T O R Y

Le Saulzet E-48 wind farm (Puy-de-Dôme) in May, situated at 1,200 metres above sea level.

helped organise the festival. “The wind tur-bines have become the pride of almosteverybody in this town,” reports Saultier.“The involvement in the project has streng-thened the social bonds in our community.”

In France, community-owned shareholdercompanies may not have more than 99members. The Plélan wind farm companyhas 70 shareholders who in total raised550,000 euros making up about 35 % of thecompany’s equity. The remaining financingcame in July 2007 from Belgian regenerati-ve energy producer Electrawinds. Even afterthe Belgians joined, Patrick Saultier stayedon as managing director and key figure inthe wind farm company.

Expertise in wind farm developmentSaultier lives right next to the wind farm andchecks on the turbines every day. Under theENERCON PartnerKonzept service agree-ment, servicing and maintenance of the tur-bines is provided by the ENERCON Serviceteam located near Brest – in close coopera-tion with Saultier. Based on his positive experience with developing the project inPlélan-le-Grand, Saultier founded a consul-tancy company that works with communi-ties in the region who are interested in developing community-owned wind farms.

In the beginning, the towers of Saultier’swind turbines were frequently smeared withgraffiti. Then he commissioned a professio-nal artist to paint the exterior wall of one of

the tower bases. Working with local youths,the artist designed a painting with flowersand bees; if it proves effective, more artworkis planned for the other wind turbines.

Le Saulzet, Auvergne: First windfarm on Puy-de-DômeThe Le Saulzet wind farm in the departmentof Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, is expected toproduce about 50 million kilowatt-hours ofgreen electricity per year. It was inaugura-ted in early May with a wind festival at1,200 metres of altitude. The 26 E-48/800 kW wind turbines have been onthe grid since February. Paris-based windfarm development and operating companyEOLFI, a subsidiary of Véolia Environne-ment, operates 18 of the turbines. The re-maining eight turbines belong to Jean-Robert Costes and his company ZanieresEoliennes, based in the town of Roche-Charles-la-Mayrand where some of the tur-bines have been built.

A crucial factor for the success of this pro-ject, too, were the strong local roots throughZanieres Eoliennes as well as the commit-ment of Bernard Veissiere, mayor of themunicipality of Ardes-sur-Couze withinwhose boundaries another part of the windfarm is located. Veissiere is at the sametime president of the Communauté de com-munes d’Ardes-sur-Couze, an associationof municipalities in the Ardes-sur-Couzedistrict. He managed to win over the othermunicipalities on the plateau for supportingthe project.

The municipalities want to use the tax reve-nue from the wind farm for the constructionof a new tourist centre. Moreover, the ne-cessary service and maintenance work onthe wind turbines will create four new jobsin the region.

“The location in the Massif Central and theconstruction period from August to Januarypresented our installation teams with somechallenges,” says Peter Schuster, ENERCONsales director for France. At times, theteams had to work at extremely cold tem-peratures and while the snow was piling upseveral metres high. “The West, the South,and the central regions of France are tur-ning more and more into ENERCON’s mar-ket,” says Schuster. “The installation of the800kW turbines in the Massif Central provi-des us with some excellent references.”

T I T L E S T O R Y WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 7

Patrick Saultier welcomes visitors at the inauguration event in Plélan. The project has drawn the community together: Saultier honours project partners.

Paintings as protection against graffiti.

8 WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 P O L I C Y

Today, many European countries offerfavourable framework conditions for theexpansion of renewable energies. If theseremain in place and continue to evolve, theelectricity production from renewablescould multiply by the year 2020. The instal-led wind power alone will reach180,000 MW throughout Europe, accordingto industry estimates – almost three timesas much as the current capacity of around65,000 MW. In recent years, some EU coun-tries have demonstrated the kind of dyna-mic growth that is possible when suitableframework conditions with fixed feed-in

tariffs are in place. France for example hasincreased its installed wind power almostfive-fold in the years since 2005.

Renewables technology advancesThe industry has definitely done its home-work: In wind energy, significant advancesin design and engineering allow for the pro-fitable operation of wind turbines also atless windy sites. Because each additionalmetre of hub height results in a one percentyield increase, the abolition of heightrestrictions has become the main factor for

the sustained growth of wind power gene-ration at inland sites. Other renewable energies too, such as solar power, boastsubstantial increases in efficiency. Manu-facturers believe that photovoltaics willreach the so-called grid parity within just afew years. Electricity generated on top ofone’s own roof will then cost the same aspower from the wall, giving the solar indus-try reason to hope for a strong stimulus forthis market.

Nuclear power and coal lack flexibilityTo continue such a strong growth, the fra-mework conditions must remain reliable.Dynamic growth is not only sustained by fixed tariffs and priority grid access for elec-tricity from renewable sources – supplan-ting the use of nuclear energy is another im-portant contributing factor. About two thirdsof the regenerative electricity in 2020 isexpected to originate from wind and solarinstallations. Other power producers must fitthemselves to this in order to enable effec-tive and cost-efficient power production.The energy mix of the year 2020 with prio-

Nuclear energy jeopardisesgreen energy revolutionThe EU has set itself the goal that by the year 2020, 20 % of Europe’sfinal energy consumption in the areas of electricity, heating, and mo-bility should come from renewable sources. A major share of thisenergy will have to come from regenerative electricity. In order forthis sector to achieve such a dynamic growth, a reliable political fra-mework is key. In Germany for example, the Renewable EnergySources Act provides such a framework. Another important step is tosupplement the renewable electricity generators with flexible powerstations and power storage systems. By contrast, the construction ofnew coal-fired power stations or even nuclear power plants onlyhampers the expansion of the renewables sector.

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CanWEA 2009

(Toronto/Canada)Annual Wind Energy Conferenceand Trade ShowMetro Toronto Convention Centre20 - 23 September 2009www.canwea.ca

Wind Powerexpo 2009

(Zaragoza/Spain)Internat. Wind Energy Trade ShowZaragoza Fair Congress Centre 22 - 24 September 2009www.powerexpo.es

RENEXPO 2009

(Augsburg/Germany)10th International Trade Fair forRenewable Energy & Energy Efficient Building and RenovationTrade Fair Center Augsburg24 - 27 September 2009 www.renexpo.de

Eolica Expo 2009

(Rome/Italy)Internat. Wind Energy Trade ShowRome Fair Centre30 Sep. - 03 Oct. 2009www.zeroemissionrome.eu

NEREC 2009

(Oslo/Norway)North European Renewable EnergyConventionNorwegian Convention and TradeFair Centre (Lilleström near Oslo)07 - 08 October 2009www.nerec.no

BEWA31 2009

(Liverpool/UK)Wind Energy Conference and Trade ShowACC Liverpool20 - 22 October 2009www.bwea.com/31

AGRITECHNICA 2009

(Hanover/Germany)International Agriculture Machinery ShowHanover Exhibition Grounds10 - 14 November 2009www.agritechnica.com

INFO

-SER

VICE

P O L I C Y WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 9

rity for renewa-bles has almostno room left fornuclear andfossi l-fuel ledpower plantsand their infle-xibility. Therenaissance ofnuclear powercurrently inprogress insome Europeanstates is there-fore bound tobe a dead end.

E.on and EDF demand cap forrenewablesWhile presenting their plans for the con-struction of new nuclear power plants inEngland, E.on and EDF demanded a cap forthe development of renewables once theirshare of power consumption had reached20 % (EDF) or 30 % (E.on). This shows thatEurope’s large utility companies have longsince understood the fact that renewableenergies and nuclear power can only existside by side until wind, solar, etc. gain theupper hand. After that, there is no moreroom on the grid for nuclear power. Theutility companies will thus do everything intheir power to fight the priority treatment ofrenewable energies.

Extending the service life of nuclear powerplants and building new, unwieldy coal-fired power stations creates roadblocks onthe path towards the continued growth ofrenewable energies. New coal-fired powerstations on the coast – be they as efficientas they may – clog up the grids for decadesto come; grids that are needed to transportthe wind electricity to the centres of con-sumption in the Western and Southernregions of Germany.

Alternative storage solutions Instead of unwieldy fossil and nuclear po-wer plants, flexible solutions are needed.Already today, Germany alone has storagesystems available with a capacity of 7 GW,

corresponding to about ten average coal-fired power stations (figures from 2007).When electricity production is high and de-mand low, water reservoirs can be filledand then when additional power is needed,be used at short notice to supplement elec-tricity production. Another step is to increa-se the electricity exchange with Scandinavi-an and Alpine countries. Switzerland andAustria are already building numerouspumped storage power stations.

Non-renewables will have to fallin line behind A sea cable connects the Netherlands toNorway and exploits considerable waterstorage potential there; another cable be-tween Germany and Norway is planned for2014. In terms of figures, the hydropowerreservoirs in Norway, Sweden, and Finlandcould provide Europe’s largest consumerGermany with electricity for three months.Many pumped storage power stations in theAlps are still tied by long-term contracts tolarge utility companies who use thesesystems to convert their inflexible nuclearor coal power into flexible balancing energy.So fossil energies and nuclear power are al-ready monopolising storage capacities thatcould be used for green energy.

The European elections will also set thecourse for Europe’s power station fleet of thefuture. If the course is set by the wind andthe sun, the other energy sources will haveto fall in line behind, and not vice versa.

New Year’s reception of German Renewable Energy Federation: Angela Merkel was im-pressed by the objective of attaining a 47 % share of green electricity by 2020.

Pict

ure:

Man

uelB

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Nico Peters, 26, and Manfred Freimuth, 28,are standing on a work platform 40 metresabove the ground, working on the rotor bla-de of an E-66 turbine in the Holtriem windfarm near Aurich, Germany. “This rotor hasbeen turning in the wind for 13 years andhas suffered some wear,” explains Nico Peters. “Dust particles in the air as well as

weather events such as hailstorms causedamage to the coating,” adds Peters. Theirjob is to assess the condition of the bladesurface and to restore the original contourand coating of any damaged areas.

After inspecting the blade, Peters affixesmasking tape to those areas he is going to

work on. He uses an orbitalsander to roughen the surfa-ce and remove the old coa-ting, exposing the laminate.“The base must be dry andclean to ensure good adhe-sion of the filler.” Petersworks with a cartridge gunthat mixes a viscous plasticwith a curing agent. Then heuses a spatula to smooth thefiller evenly onto the surface.He only has 4 to 5 minutes towork the paste. “We only ap-ply very thin layers to pre-vent air inclusions. Three to

six layers are needed to restore the originalcontour,” says Peters.

Paint and surface repairs form only one partof the varied range of tasks of the rotor bla-de teams. They check the drainage holes onthe rotor blades, adjust the mechanical com-ponents of the lightning protection system,or remove and replace the erosion protectionfilm on the blades. If necessary, they alsocarry out repairs inside the rotor blade.

The work depends on the weather. The plas-tic fillers can only be processed when theweather is dry and temperatures are mode-rate; when wind speeds exceed 10 m/s, it isno longer possible to use the work plat-forms. “When the weather is bad, we checkthe inside of the rotor blades using came-ras,” says Peters. At first the service techni-cians turn the blade horizontal. They climbinto the rotor blade, examine the portion thatcan be walked in, and record the results. Tocheck the portion of the rotor blade that can-

10 WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 J O B P R O F I L E S

Nico Peters working on an E-66 rotor blade in Westerholt/Germany.

Manfred Freimuth taking materials from a box.

Blade maintenance atlofty heights

Rotor blade service technicians

ENERCON is currently creating teams of rotor blade service technicians in several countries.Anyone who wants to do this job must have agood head for heights – the maintenance work iscarried out on the blades while these are mountedon the wind turbine. The technicians stand on awork platform or suspend themselves from climbing ropes. For these teams, the ENERCONService companies are looking for skilled technicians with a lot of work experience as wellas for enthusiastic people who are highly flexibleand willing to travel. ENERCON provides the necessary training on the job as well as specialised training as needed.

not be walked in, they turn the blade so thatit is vertical below the nacelle and then lowera special digital camera on a rope down intothe blade. “We’ve got precise instructionswhat we need to look for,” says Freimuth.Peters controls the camera via a TFT moni-tor. When he discovers a suspicious patch,he takes a photo and downloads it to hislaptop computer for further analysis.

A team consists of three members: Whiletwo technicians are using the platform orare abseiling to reach the rotor blade, thethird one supports them from the ground.He makes sure that cables do not get twis-ted, is responsible for safety, takes care ofyaw control, or does the paperwork.

“The ability to work at heights, the willing-ness to learn, and a good technical affinityare the most important qualifications forthis job,” says Gerhard Jansen from the ro-tor blade service dispatch department atENERCON Service. Other criteria depend onthe specific demands and the general servi-ce situation in each country: “In Germany,Service is keen for applicants to have com-pleted their vocational training in a techni-cal domain,” reports Jansen. Successfulapplicants may be qualified industrial clim-bers, boat constructors and airplane en-gineers, or mechanics, carpenters, or pain-ters. Service in France is looking formechanics with three to five years of workexperience. Service in Great Britain and Ire-land is looking for applicants with a lot ofwork experience as skilled workers orcraftsmen. Says Jansen: “In those coun-tries, we are looking for experienced techni-cians who can later pass on their knowled-ge to their younger co-workers.”

ENERCON provides basic and advancedtraining. The basic training for rotor bladeservice technicians starts with the safetycourse that includes rescue proceduresfrom work platforms and tower ladders aswell as the use of the personal protectionequipment. Specialised training sessionsfocus on repair methods, materials, andprocessing times. After several weeks ofacting as the “third man” in a Service team,

the new technicians are furthertrained in mechanics and rotor bla-de treatment. The latter starts offwith on-the-ground exercises;then, a work platform is used.“After one season, the new techni-cians are considered fully-fledgedteam members,” says Jansen.Additional courses in abseiling (le-vels 1-3) and camera control areon offer that round off the training.

About 20 kilometres from Aurich inMarienhafe, Martin Sjöblom fromGothenburg and Karl Runessonfrom Malmö are waiting for theirfirst training deployment on a workplatform on the rotor blade of an E-70 windturbine. The group is spending two weeks inAurich for training. Before Runesson, 26, joi-ned ENERCON he worked as an arborist inthe parks and gardens of Malmö. On week-ends, the avid climber meets up with friendsto climb the highest and most challengingtree tops in Malmö and around. “I appliedwith ENERCON because this job allows meto combine working at heights with lots of

travelling, which I love,” says Runesson. He,Sjöblom, and a third technician, GustavoRivano, will form the first rotor blade serviceteam in Scandinavia. “This type of workreally suits me – I can be outdoors the enti-re day and I feel totally comfortable workingat heights,” adds 21-year-old Sjöblom. “AndI also find it important that I can do pionee-ring work in Scandinavia for one of the ener-gy sources of the future.”

J O B P R O F I L E S WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 11

Required qualifications:Technical training in mechanical en-gineering/completed vocational trainingEnthusiasm for wind energyPhysical fitness, ability to work atheightsGood command of EnglishAvailability, flexibility and mobility

Tasks and responsibilities:Inspection of ENERCON rotor blades,recording of inspection results, suppor-ting mechanical service

Job description: Rotor blade service technician

The ENERCON Service is seeking for rotor blade service technicians for its wind turbinesinstalled in over 30 countries. Currently, rotor blade service teams will be set up in severalmarkets, amongst them France, Scandinavia, Great Britain, Ireland, and Benelux. The teamsinspect and repair rotor blades while the blades are mounted on the turbines. They either ab-seil to reach the blades or use work platforms. The ability to work at heights is an essentialprerequisite for the job. Because these are specialist teams, the willingness to travel and workin other Service areas or neighbouring countries is very important. Career opportunities within the ENERCON quality assurance organisation exist.

Martin Sjöblom, Karl Runesson and a third co-worker will form thefirst ENERCON rotor blade service team in Scandinavia.

Advantages:+ Varied tasks and responsibilities encom-

passing the maintenance of WEC rotorblades; great independence

+ Practical introduction to all aspects ofthe job

+ Highest standards of safety with annualrefresher courses and regular training

+ Career opportunities in technical supportat Service Dispatch centres (countrieswhere multiple ENERCON wind farmsare installed)

Comparatively, ENERCON WEC foundationsare not affected by the current issue of ty-pical foundation cracking. The reason isthat for a good number of years ENERCONhas been having individual geotechnical re-ports compiled for each new location whichprovides a foundation type recommenda-

tion for that particular site. ENERCON thenreviews the recommendation and in gene-ral approves the foundation type. Projectmanagement monitors the foundation qua-lity during the construction phase and aftercompletion clears it for tower installation.“Our site supervisors inspect the foundati-

on before it is covered with soil,” reportsPeter Rüschenbaum. In addition before theconcrete is poured, an independent struc-tural engineer inspects the reinforcementwork to ensure that it has been properlycarried out.

Cracks do not affect structural stability“Of course, the right choice of foundationbased on the geotechnical report is not a100 % guarantee that nothing will happen,”says Markus Vogel, in charge of Quality Assurance for ENERCON foundations. Thesefoundations may have the occasional foun-dation crack. These show up as wedge-shaped concrete flakes on the surface. “Thistype of crack does not generally affect thestability of the WEC,” he emphasises.

ENERCON foundations solid

Wind turbine footings

Currently, the wind energy sector is occupied with the problem of cracking in wind turbine foundations and the resulting consequences.By comparison ENERCON foundations are not affected by this quality issue as they have been combating this problem with an array of preventive measures for number of years now. Included in thesemeasures are geotechnical reports for each site, TÜV-certified typetesting, comprehensive quality assurance during construction and annual foundation inspection. “Our aim is to build high-qualityfoundations at reasonable prices for the customer,” says PeterRüschenbaum, Head of ENERCON Project Management in Aurich.

Before pouring the concrete, an external structural engineer inspects and certifies the reinforcement.

Should cracks be detected, Quality Assuran-ce inspects these and where necessary pro-vides a solution for repair. In order to do so,ENERCON uses a tried and tested procedureby which for example narrow channels aredrilled into the foundation. This method isused to determine whether there are anyvoids. “If any significant cracks or gaps aredetected, a special targeted injection me-thod is used to inject the material and fullyreestablish the original foundation stability.”

Annual inspections of tower basesAfter repairs, the WEC has to remain inope-rative for 30 hours. The resin needs thatamount of time to harden enough for thefoundation to withstand load again. Afterthat, the WEC can resume operation. Theentire repair procedure takes approxima-tely five days. Six years of experience usingthis method have shown that subsequentrepairs are not necessary.

“The important thing is to detect any cracksat an early stage so that we can take imme-diate action,” Vogel adds. Once a year,ENERCON Service mechanics inspect thecondition of each ENERCON turbine founda-tion according to particular specifications.“Of course, the aim is to avoid cracking inthe first place. However, if cracks do occur,early detection facilitates proper repair.”

Decoupling tower and foundationBesides efficient repair techniques,ENERCON has also come up with effectivesolutions to minimise the risk of cracking.Firstly, steel towers are decoupled from thefoundation by means of a load ring. For to-wers with a larger diameter, this type of ringis intended to evenly distribute the load ofthe WEC on the foundation. It acts as a typeof “pressure cushion” and increases thequality of the connection between the lowertower section and the foundation. Withoutthe load ring, grouting the bottom towersection has to be done extremely quickly.“The next steel section is already hangingon the crane while the grout around the to-wer base is hardening,” explains Vogel.

This time pressure is elimi-nated when the tower buil-ders can install the bottomsection on a steel ring whichhas previously been grouted.Then only the bolts, towersection and ring or foundati-on have to be connected andprestressed.

GGBS and cement forconcreteAnother measure ENERCONemploys to reduce the risk ofcracking is also ecologicallysensible. Adding ground gra-nulated blastfurnace sand(GGBS), a by-product of thesteel industry, and fly ashfrom power plants to stan-dard Portland cement as abinder also keeps the ce-ment fresh longer. Hence alllayers can be perfectly com-pacted.

Says Vogel: “Concrete rich inGGBS is also less sensitive toaggressive substances suchas sulphates or CO2 contai-ned in the soil or ground-water.” It also reduces the amount of CO2 emissions pertonne of cement by nearly25 % and thus reduces theenvironmental impact.

The biggest advantage, how-ever, is that less heat isgenerated during the harde-ning process. Normal con-crete with Portland cementreaches temperature peaksof more than 80° Celsius.“This can cause tension be-tween the core and the outeredge of the foundation as theedge cools off much fasterthan the core. These tempe-rature differences can leadto cracking. Using GGBS keeps the overalltemperature down and temperature diffe-

rences lower. The risk of cracking is consi-derably reduced.”

T E C H N O L O G Y WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 13

Completed load ring.

Positioning load ring on foundation basket.

Prestressing bolts between tower and load ring.

14 WINDBLATT 02 | 2009 S U P P L I E R

Block offers its customers a product portfo-lio comprising around 13,000 electrotechni-cal products: Transformers, power supplyunits, EMC filters (EMC = electromagneticcompatibility) and chokes for a wide varietyof uses. For its wind energy converters(WEC), ENERCON makes use of only a smallfraction of this gigantic assortment – main-ly pulse transformers for power supplyunits, transformers, and chokes.

Most of the products ENERCON purchasesfrom Block are custom-made solutions.“The fast and efficient implementation ofcustomer specifications for a particularcomponent – that is our forte. Working clo-sely with the customer, we can thus designand manufacture individual products ofconsistently high quality,” says ReinholdNesemann, Block’s industrial sales repre-sentative for Northern Germany.

In ENERCON WECs, electronic control boardsare used in many different places: In thepitch control system that adjusts the rotorblades; in the generator’s central lubricationsystem; as well as in the yaw control systemthat turns the nacelle with the wind. Almostall of these control boards are equipped withswitching power supply units, meaning theyare supplied with grid voltage (230 V AC).

Switching powersupply units consistof rectifiers, smoo-thing capacitors,switching transis-tors, PWM control-lers, and pulsetransformers. “Thisyear, we’ll be buyingabout 280,000 pulsetransformers fromBlock,” reports Tho-mas Newiger fromENERCON’s purcha-sing department inAurich.

Chokes for electrical cabinetsOther WEC components developed byENERCON jointly with Block include excita-tion controller chokes and line chokes forexcitation controller boxes in the E-70 andE-82 models. “The connection equipmentwith the red insulators in particular fulfilsENERCON’s requirement for flexibleconnection lines and high currents atcontact,” explains Reinhold Nesemann.

Currently, about 10 % of the chokes manu-factured by Block are made for ENERCON.In choke production, workers wind coils

from insulated enamelled copper wire (0.1to 0.5 mm diameter), enamelled flat copperwire (max. 16 x 4.5 mm), and aluminiumand copper foil (max. 700 mm width, 3 mmmaterial thickness); they insert the ironcores, attach the wires and then test theassembled winding goods. Next, the coilsenter the vacuum pressure impregnationfacility, about one cubic metre in size.

“We use vacuum pressure impregnation toensure maximum resin saturation of thewindings and a homogenous coating. Thisyields very good insulation values, excellentheat conduction, and lower noise emissi-

Electronic components manufacturer BlockTransformatoren-Elektronik GmbH & Co KG hasbeen a supplier to ENERCON from day one. The firstcomponent Block supplied back in 1985 was an autotransformer with an input voltage of 3 x 220 Vand an output voltage of 3 x 380 V. Today, the gridquality experts with headquarters in Verden inNorthern Germany supply chokes and transformersfor almost all ENERCON models as well as parts forspecial components engineering.

Block’s line production of excitation chokes for E-70/E-82 wind turbines.

Robust winding goods for WEC control systems

Block Transformatoren-Elektronik GmbH & Co KG

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ons,” explains Jens Scheffelmeier, Enginee-ring Manager at Block.

Block is a company with extensive verticalintegration. Housings and coil bodies fortransformers and chokes are manufacturedin-house; they also punch and cut their ownsheet metal and have their own injectionmoulding system. “About 70 to 75 percentof our supply chain is in-house,” saysScheffelmeier. “This allows us to be flexibleand respond to customer demands quick-ly.” Short throughput times and an amplematerial stock additionally ensure Block’sability to fulfil orders at short notice.

Origins in radio technologyBlock was founded in 1939 when AlfredBlock set up a manufacturing shop for radioequipment. The headquarters in Verden’sMax-Planck-Strasse still show an exposi-tion of tube radios that the company deve-loped after the war and manufactured insmall quantities. Later, Block specialised inthe manufacturing of components, for example the winding of loudspeaker coils.They continued to expand the production ofwinding goods, and Block became a sup-plier amongst others to Nordmende, then aleading consumer electronics manufacturerin Germany.

After the death of the company founder in1971, long-standing employee WolfgangReichelt took over the company. He remainsactive in the company today as shareholderand director along with three other mana-ging directors. Under his leadership, Blockgrew into a global manufacturer of electro-technical equipment employing 600 people,with five international subsidiaries and anannual revenue of 60 million euros. Mostcustomers are from the machine enginee-ring sector. Block components are used inindustrial-size washing machines as well asin ships, in building systems, in air conditio-ning and ventilation systems, in weldingmachines and in elevators.

The company itself describes its productportfolio as “a virtually seamless system forthe mains interface”. Block has a 43-strong

r e s e a r c hand deve-l o p m e n tteam andruns its ownaccreditedEMC test la-boratory fortests forproduct in-troductions.

“All our pro-ducts aredeveloped,tested, andmanufactu-red in-hou-se,” saysS c h e f f e l -meier. “To ensure quality, we set high qua-lity standards and adhere to them strictly.”In the cable assembly stage for example, apolished-section micrograph analysis iscarried out for each batch of cables wherecable lugs are pressed on. “This ensuresthat the connection is secure even at veryhigh currents.”

Consistent demand from windenergy sectorSupplying the wind industry accounts forabout ten percent of Block’s annual revenuefrom choke production; for some pulsetransformers, the wind industry share iseven higher. Says Scheffelmeier: “Windenergy is one of the sectors where growthremains stable. In the medium term, wecontinue to expect substantial growth inthis market segment.”

“We are very satisfied with Block as a sup-plier,” says Thomas Newiger from theENERCON purchasing department. He em-phasises Block’s great flexibility in particu-lar. For Wobben Research & Development(WRD) – ENERCON’s Research & Develop-ment department – Block is a long-standingpartner who quickly and reliably developselectronic components according to thespecifications defined by WRD. The latestprojects include chokes that limit the cur-

rent while the capacitors are charging thatsupply power to the pitch drives of the E-126 rotor blades in the event of tempo-rary grid failures; as well as chokes used forcurrent limitation with the E-126 blade adjustment motors.

Two chokes enter the vacuum pressure impregnation facility.

Surface mount transformers for PCBs.

WINDBLATT

Windblatt: Do emissions trading and thepromotion of renewable energies reallyhamper each other’s effectiveness for cli-mate protection? Claudia Kemfert: No, both instruments ful-fil a purpose in their own right. The GermanRenewable Energy Sources Act promotesnew technologies which both strengthenscompetitiveness and secures the powersupply in Germany. Emissions trading is pu-rely an instrument of climate protection thatputs a price on CO2. From a macroeconomicpoint of view, it is a cost-efficient measure– but only if all countries, greenhouse gasesand sectors are taken into account. So farhowever, participation is limited to Europeand the USA, trading is limited to the ener-gy and the industrial sectors, and the onlygreenhouse gas covered is CO2. Which me-ans that we are far from a perfect world. Butwe should strive towards the optimum andshould be looking for optimal interim soluti-ons on the way.

Windblatt: What constitutes meaningfulclimate policy in your opinion? Kemfert: The existing promotion systemmust add more measures such as incentivesfor improving building insulation or for su-stainable mobility, but also specific supportfor renewable energies. What’s important isthat all instruments are well tuned to eachother and that the interactions between theinstruments are taken into account.

Windblatt: Don’t we have to consideremissions trading failed due to the lax al-location of certificates to industry and thegenerous emission ceilings? Should therenewables industry not object to emissi-ons trading as an unsuitable tool for pro-motion? Kemfert: That would be going too far, and itwouldn’t be true, either. Emissions tradingis a cost-efficient and effective instrumentof climate protection. Some mistakes werecertainly made early on during the introduc-tion of emissions trading, due to a lack ofexperience and also due to a lack of infor-mation and the influence of lobbyists. Toomany emission allowances were distribu-ted, and the ceilings were set far too high.Today however, emission allowances aremostly for sale, and the EU Commissionkeeps a close eye on the strict reduction ofemission ceilings.

The emission ceilings are gradually comingdown, in accordance with the allocationplans defined by the EU Commission andthe national governments. It is importantthough that we keep adjusting the ceilingsdynamically and at short notice. If emissi-ons decline sharply, be it thanks to climateprotection measures or due to an economicdownturn, there is a risk that the emissionceilings are too high and the CO2 priceplummets. To prevent this, we should intro-duce dynamic caps.

Windblatt: How can we ensure that theuse of both climate protection instru-ments – emissions trading and the pro-motion of renewable energies – remainseconomically viable?Kemfert: If emissions decline thanks to thepromotion of renewable energies, the cei-lings for emission allowance trading mustbe adjusted correspondingly.

Windblatt: How can the emissions tradingsystem best take into account the CO2 reductions achieved through powergeneration from renewable resources?Kemfert: Emission ceilings must be adjustedon a regular basis. Besides, a decrease inemissions may not only be caused by thepromotion of renewable energies, but also byother measures such as CO2-based vehicletaxation or the retrofitting of buildings.

Windblatt: Who should be responsible foradjusting both instruments to each other,and at what intervals?Kemfert: It is particularly important to adjustthe emission ceilings dynamically and on aregular basis. It would certainly make senseto do this every year and base it on a defi-ned, fixed formula. The EU Commission andthe politicians could remain in charge of this.

* C. Kemfert, “Die andere Klima-Zukunft –Innovation statt Depression”, currently onlyavailable in German.

Earlier this year, media reports claimed that the renewables boom didnot help at all to protect the climate. Because of the emissions tradingscheme, for each gram of CO2 saved by wind turbines more coal is burned in Eastern Europe. In her recent book* on an alternative climate future, economist Claudia Kemfert from German Institute of EconomicResearch provides an in-depth treatment of this question. She empha-sises the need for a dynamic adjustment of the ceilings for emissionstrading to the CO2 savings from renewable energies as the only way forthe climate to benefit.

Emissions tradingneeds dynamic ceilings

Claudia Kemfert.

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