Images of the construction and operation of the Quarnstedt-Störkathen Wind Farm
The wind farm Quarnstedt-Störkathen I is located just a few kilometres from Prokon's headquarters in Itzehoe. The wind turbines there were built in 2001 and are turning with a total installed capacity of 11.7 MW. Quarnstedt-Störkathen I is one of the older wind farms in Prokon's portfolio, with over 20 years of operation. In early 2024, approval was granted for a repowering project in a record time of only seven months. Nine of the eleven old turbines will be replaced by just four new ones, which will then have a combined installed capacity of 28 MW – more than double the previous amount. Two existing turbines, located outside the newly designated suitability area, are protected and allowed to continue operating as long as their technical condition allows for cost-effective production. The dismantling of the old turbines is set to start in the first half of 2026, followed by the construction of the new ones in the second half of the year. A network connection with sufficient capacity is expected to be available by the end of 2027.
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The operational lifespan of the existing turbines, which have been turning in the wind farm for 23 years now, is coming to an end, making the repowering of the park the logical next step. Quarnstedt I is one of Prokon's oldest existing wind farms. After commissioning in 2001, the Quarnstedt-Störkathen II park, which is located in the same area, was commissioned ten years later. These turbines are expected to continue operating until the early 2030s, before another round of repowering will become necessary.
A similar process is currently underway in Prokon’s Horst wind farm, which is also located just a few kilometres from the company’s headquarters in Itzehoe. For the wind farm, which has been in operation since 2000, the construction of four new turbines (28 MW) is also planned, following the decommissioning of the eight existing ones.
No, unfortunately, it's not that simple. When planning a wind farm, countless different parameters are taken into account, including the direction from which the wind mostly comes and the turbulences created behind the turbines. The new, more powerful turbines are not only taller, but also have longer rotor blades. This creates different turbulences, which can affect the performance of the turbines behind them and even compromise their stability. Additionally, taller turbines require larger distances, for example, when it comes to residential areas. For these reasons, the locations of the new turbines are recalculated and are highly likely to not be at the former sites.
In the development of wind energy turbines, so much has changed over the past 20 years that the performance today is a multiple of the models around the turn of the millennium. This applies both to the technology in the turbines and, in particular, the size of the components. While total heights of 100 metres were still the standard 20 years ago, today it is typically 200 to 260 metres. Rotor blades were 30 metres long to convert the wind's energy into electricity. Nowadays, turbines have rotor blades of 80 metres in length or even more. All these factors lead to significantly higher performance, resulting in correspondingly higher yields.
Here you can find a step-by-step explanation of how to build a wind turbine
Find out more about the construction of the Oldendorf wind farm here