• One of the most powerful wind farms in NRW
• Joint venture between the town of Bedburg and RWE
• Commissioning to be fully completed in Q4 2015
• Overall investment amounts to some 110 million euro

Königshovener Höhe Wind Farm

Today, the second phase of construction commences at the Königshovener Höhe wind farm. RWE and the town of Bedburg are jointly building a wind farm with an overall capacity of 67 megawatts (MW) on reclaimed land that was previously the Garzweiler open cast mine site. The city has a 49 percent interest in the jointly developed wind farm. The first twelve wind turbines should be completed by the end of this year, while the nine turbines that comprise the second phase of construction are slated to be fully commissioned by the end of 2015. Wind turbines from German manufacturer Senvion, with an output of 3.2MW each, have been selected for installation. Overall investment in the project amounts to some 110 million euro.

At the end of October the municipal audit authority gave the green light for the participation of the town of Bedburg. Shortly afterwards the partners jointly issued the building resolution for the second phase of construction. The necessary planning permission from the Rhein-Erft district authorities for the construction and operation of the wind park has also already been granted.

Dr. Hans Bünting, Managing Director of RWE Innogy, continues, “I am relieved that this project is also economically viable in terms of the new Renewable Energy Sources Act. This means that we can use the excellent wind conditions on the Königshovener Höhe to best effect the energy revolution. With the commencement of construction of nine further wind turbines the wind park will, once fully commissioned, be capable of supplying 58,000 households with climate-friendly electricity each year. I would particularly like to thank the town of Bedburg for the exemplary cooperation and the trust they have placed in us.”

Königshovener Höhe Wind Farm

The wind farm is being constructed on an area of some 345 hectares that is shown on the Bedburg land utilisation plan as a “wind concentration zone”. The Senvion 3.2M114 wind turbines with a hub height of 143 metres and a rotor diameter of 114 metres – making them 200 metres high overall – are the tallest commercially utilised onshore turbines in Germany.


Overview of the construction phases:

The first phase of construction (38MW) is approaching full commissioning. Ten of the twelve wind turbines are now fully installed. Five turbines are already generating green electricity which is being fed into the public grid through the Jackerath main substation at the Garzweiler open-cast mine site.

Currently, the preparatory construction measures for the second phase of construction (29MW) are commencing in parallel with commissioning and the final construction work on the first phase turbines. These measures include roadway construction work and the installation of the crane hardstandings. Senvion will commence with subsoil and ground improvement measures in spring. This will be followed by construction of the foundations and, in parallel, installation of the cabling.

It is intended to commence installation of the wind turbines in summer. The concrete towers will be built first, as during the initial phase of construction. Thereafter the steel elements of the tower will be installed, followed by the nacelle and rotor star. The wind turbines will be commissioned progressively and, in the fourth quarter of 2015, the whole Königshovener Höhe wind farm will be generating green electricity.