The size of a turbine dictates how easy or difficult it will be to build and deploy.
At the Janneby-Süderzollhaus wind farm in Germany, the newest version of ENERCON’s E-175 EP5 E2 was built at the site by attaching the two largest parts together, rather than shipping each portion separately.
This is not a common method. Most turbine components arrive as complete assemblies.
The E-175 EP5 E2 required a different approach.
Why this turbine belongs among Europe’s largest
The E-175 EP5 E2 (second prototype) ranks among the largest onshore wind turbines in Europe.
A rotor diameter of 175m, a hub height of 132m, and a rated output of 7 MW place it among the largest onshore turbines operating in Europe.
Those dimensions help explain why moving the machine has become part of the engineering challenge.
In terms of size, there is no question that the larger the turbine, the more energy that can be generated from the same location.
That pursuit of increased scale has been driving wind energy developments for many years.
With every increase in size comes yet another issue.
Components become increasingly difficult to make.
Then, they become increasingly difficult to ship.
Eventually, they become too heavy to move at all.
The generator arrives in two pieces for a reason
Each of the turbines will be manufactured by ENERCON.
The prototype project is being developed together with DenkerWulf.
The E-175 EP5 E2 utilizes an externally mounted rotor generator.
This generator is one of the main differences that characterize the turbine.
The generator is shipped in two portions and then assembled upon arrival at the site.
Roadways do not suddenly appear when turbines get larger. Bridges, intersections, and other transportation restrictions remain unchanged.
By splitting the generator into two segments, it reduces the difficulty associated with moving it to areas where transporting a complete unit would be problematic.
What appears unusual on the construction site is ultimately a response to the realities of transportation.
The bigger the machine becomes, the harder it becomes to move in one piece.
How the external rotor supports a larger turbine
Splitting up the generator is just a small part of the engineering challenge.
The design is also intended to increase torque.
Torque is the rotational force which causes a generator to turn.
Increased torque supports the turbine’s higher power output.
As rotor diameters grow, so does the need for increased torque.
The turbine is a reflection of the 6 MW class to the 7 MW class.
ENERCON and DenkerWulf have partnered for over thirty years in Germany’s wind industry and have collectively created more than 500 MW of installed capacity.
The new prototype extends that partnership into a larger generation of turbines.
What the project says about the future of turbine design
Janneby-Süderzollhaus is more than a prototype site.
It demonstrates the path turbine manufacturers are taking with regard to the growth of turbines.
Wind turbines continue to increase in size.
An increase in size requires an increase in all other major components.
Generators are becoming larger.
Transportation is getting progressively more difficult.
Assembly methods are changing.
The E-175 EP5 E2 shows us that reality.
Each increase in turbine size forces manufacturers to rethink how major components are designed, transported, and assembled.
Bigger turbines require different logistics
A second turbine of identical specifications is scheduled for delivery at the wind farm in 2026, indicating continued rollout of the E-175 EP5 E2 design.
The most compelling aspect of the E-175 EP5 E2 isn’t its 7MW output but rather the fact that one of its largest components arrived at the site in two separate pieces.
That component being split apart for shipment indicates that while bigger turbines are possible, they require different approaches to designing, building, transporting, and assembling them.
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