German renewable energy firm Energiequelle has started construction on its Minden-Hahlen repowering project in North Rhine-Westphalia, the company said on Tuesday.
The project involves replacing five older wind turbines with three modern Nordex N149 units, each with a total height of nearly 200 metres. The new turbines will have a combined capacity of 17.1 megawatts (MW), up from the original site’s total capacity of around 5MW.
With rotor diameters of 149 metres, the turbines are expected to generate approximately 40,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually — a sixfold increase in output compared to the existing installation.
“The repowering in Minden is a strategic step toward securing the future. With fewer turbines, we generate significantly more power, ensuring maximum land-use efficiency,” said Jan Schrobsdorff, project manager at Energiequelle.
The new units will replace two NEG Micon NM 60/1000 and three Enercon E-40 turbines. The company said the project was developed in close coordination with the city of Minden and local planning authorities. Approval was granted in December 2024 under Germany’s Federal Immission Control Act.
Once operational, which is expected by October 2026, the wind farm will produce enough electricity to supply roughly 9,500 households, according to Energiequelle.
The Minden-Hahlen repowering initiative reflects broader trends across Germany, where developers are increasingly upgrading older wind assets to improve efficiency and output without expanding land use.
