How does repowering a wind farm work?

On average repowering more than doubles the generation capacity (in MW) of a wind farms and triples the electricity output because the new turbines produce more power per unit of capacity. And it achieves this while reducing the number of turbines on average by 27%.

Where did wind energy come from?

The wind energy industry in Europe dates back almost forty years, with the continent's first wind farm opening in 1982 on the Greek island of Kythnos. It had five turbines with a capacity of 20 kilowatts each. Almost 10 years later the world’s first offshore wind farm was erected off the coast of Denmark.

Are Europe's first generation wind farms getting old?

Europe’s first generation wind farms are getting old. 38 GW of onshore wind capacity is reaching the end of its normal operational life of 20 years between now and 2025. When they reach 20 years, there are three options: lifetime extension, decommissioning or repowering.

What if a wind farm reaches the end of its life?

When a wind farm reaches the end of its life, you’ve got various options. You can extend its lifetime by doing repairs and minor upgrades on the turbines. You can completely decommission it by taking down the old turbines and restore the site to its previous state. Or you can repower it – replacing the old turbines with new, more efficient ones.

How does less wind affect electricity production?

Less wind has a direct impact on the amount of electricity that can be generated by the many wind farms across Europe. In March this year, Britain experienced its longest spell of low wind output in more than a decade.

Should you repower a wind farm?

Repowering has many benefits: it nearly triples the electricity output of a wind farm while reducing the number of turbines by a quarter, all on the same site. Older wind farms are usually on the best locations, but have the least efficient wind turbines. It makes sense to give them more powerful turbines.