RWE has begun to produce power for the first time at the Zuidwester wind farm in the Netherlands, parts of which are still being built. The total investment is over €150 million.

Fifty turbines installed during the late 1980s and early 1990s are being replaced by large new turbines. Each of the new Zuidwester turbines can generate as much electricity as all 50 turbines of the old wind farm combined.

The electrical energy generated here will be sufficient to supply the equivalent of 80,000 households per year with green electricity.

The new Enercon onshore wind turbines are the largest in the world with a hub height of 135 metres and a capacity of 7.5 megawatts each (90 MW in total).

Rick van Mensvoort, RWE Construction Manager said:

“We started building work here in March 2014. That was followed by the construction of the substation, the laying of the electricity cables and the installation of foundations and towers. Three weeks ago, we were able to install the first wind turbine.”

The Government of the Netherlands intends to increase the share of renewable energies from 5.6% in 2014 to 14% in 2020. The so-called Energy Agreement has set a target of 6,000 megawatts for onshore wind power generation. This represents a more than doubling of the Netherlands’ current onshore wind capacity (approximately 2,500 megawatts).