Wind plant moving up the size scale

Germany's largest wind farm is now on line, reports Tacke Windtechnik, the project developer and turbine supplier. After a planning saga which began in 1992 and involved several court cases, 41, 600 kW Tacke Windtechnik machines have been installed at Utgast in a DEM 41 million project.

The main investor and operator is Ostwind Verwaltung, based in Liechtenstein and Regensburg. It owns 34 of the turbines. The other machines are the property of local investors. With a rated capacity of 28.2 MW, the project was planned by Germania Windpark, a Tacke subsidiary. Financing was arranged through another Tacke arm, Winvest.

"First experience has been gained by Winvest in the commercial and financial organisation of large wind projects," said Franz Tacke at the project's recent inauguration. "A wide area of activities has opened up for both companies and the Tacke group is now in a position to realise large projects, from initial planning through financing to commissioning, both at home and abroad," he said.