The existing turbines, which have been in operation for 18 years, will be replaced by 22 highly efficient 3.2 MW turbines from Siemens.

On Tuesday (27 May) Vattenfall signed an agreement with Siemens for the delivery and service of 22 3.2 MW turbines to the Klim wind farm. This means that Vattenfall is now embarking on its largest so-called repowering project in the Nordic region to date.

The new Direct Drive turbines, which lack a gearbox and are lighter than conventional turbines, will be fully installed during 2015.

Klim will have a power output of 70.4 MW and will be able to supply 58,000 households with renewable electricity.

Alberto Méndez Rebollo, Head of Vattenfall’s Nordic wind power operations, is pleased with the process which led to the decision to launch the repowering project.

“With Siemens as a long-term partner at Klim and the purchase of their Direct Drive turbines, we have secured production and operations which will benefit all parties. The transformation of Klim’s wind farm from its 35 smaller turbines to 22 larger ones has been achieved through a successful process with very few complaints. The cooperation with politicians and the administration in Jammerbugt municipality as well as with the landowners has been totally free of conflict, and the project is a role model for future onshore wind turbine establishments,” says Alberto Méndez Rebollo.

The existing 35,600 kW turbines will be dismantled and sold to a company which will make sure that the turbines are renovated.

After that the turbines will be exported to, among other countries, Italy and Ireland. It may be profitable to use the turbines in these countries for another 20 years due to differing settlement rules.

Read more about the Klim wind farm