Despite the cautious approach to finance adopted by the banks, Freiberg-based eab in Saxony is looking towards the future with great optimism. This reluctance on the part of the banks currently applies to large projects but not to tried and trusted ones – single units and small wind farms in the German market.
As well as two sites which are currently in the process of construction, eab has already been able to finance and sell two further projects this year. In the autumn an Enercon E-70 turbine, nominal output 2.3MW, hub height 65m, will be erected at the Erlbach-Kirchberg project site near Chemnitz. Construction of the infrastructure for the second turbine in Sitten will start in the next few weeks. The Vestas subsidiary in Zwickau reported that with its construction height of 170m, this Vestas V90 turbine, nominal output 2MW, hub height 125m, will be the highest wind turbine generator in Central Saxony. As general contractor, eab will take responsibility for the implementation of the sites.
The extension of the Pegau site with 2 Enercon E70 turbines, nominal output 2.3MW, hub height 113.5m, will continue after the winter break. With the construction of the concrete towers, Enercon has overcome a complex foundation challenge from last autumn. The particular ground conditions, marked by re-cultivated open-cast mining, demanded improvement of the substructure for building using vibro displacement densification. The project should go into production in June.
Potential purchasers are already interested in further projects which are still going through the licensing process. "These are largely private investors who are looking for stand-alone sites. Banks and investors are again setting great store by experience and competence in project management. In order to do justice to the increased demand for German wind turbine generators and thus to make a greater contribution to expanding renewable energy, we are constantly looking for new projects in all stages of development," says Dr. Rainer Sack, Managing Director of eab.