One of Europe’s Largest Repowering Projects: VSB Successfully Commissions Elster Wind Farm

Dresden (Germany) – Repowering aging wind farms plays a key role in the expansion of wind energy and the achievement of energy transition goals. With the Elster Wind Farm in Germany, the VSB Group has successfully commissioned one of Europe’s largest and most technologically advanced repowering projects.

With the repowering of the Elster Wind Farm in Saxony-Anhalt, the VSB Group has set a new milestone: Thanks to modern turbine technology from Siemens Gamesa, electricity generation has increased sixfold — while significantly reducing the land area required. The project is a strong example of how existing sites can be elevated to a new performance level using advanced technology.

Modernization with Multiple Benefits: Efficiency and Climate Protection at the Forefront

As part of the repowering process, 50 outdated Enercon E-40 turbines with a total output of around 30 MW were dismantled and replaced by 16 modern Siemens Gamesa SG 6.6-155 turbines, providing a total capacity of 105.6 MW. With an expected annual production of 235 million kWh (235 GWh), VSB estimates the wind farm can supply approximately 67,000 three-person households with electricity and avoid around 180,000 tonnes of CO₂ annually compared to fossil energy sources. Repowering is a powerful lever for reaching Europe’s climate goals – efficient, land-saving, and achievable in the near term. The Elster project shows how existing sites can be elevated to a new level of performance using modern technology,” said Dr. Felix Grolman, CEO of the VSB Group.

According to VSB, the project required complex planning and execution: in addition to dismantling the old turbines, close coordination with authorities and municipalities was essential. “The dismantling of 50 turbines, the use of the latest technology, and close coordination with authorities and municipalities made this one of the most complex projects in our company’s history,” noted Thomas Winkler, Managing Director of VSB Germany.

Innovative Technologies and Partner Concepts for Economic Success

A unique feature of the Elster Wind Farm is the so-called split-scope concept: VSB assigned project partners separately. Max Bögl Wind AG was responsible for the foundations and concrete segments of the hybrid towers, while Siemens Gamesa handled the steel tower segments and turbine technology. This approach significantly improved the economic efficiency of the repowering project.

“Modern turbines such as the SG 6.6-155 not only deliver higher yields using less land – they also make a measurable contribution to climate protection. Over its lifetime, each turbine generates around 48 times more energy than is required for its manufacture, installation and operation,“ explained Christian Essiger, Head of Onshore Business in Germany at Siemens Gamesa.

“ Thanks to their combination of concrete and steel, our hybrid towers ensure the structural stability of turbines with a hub height of 165 metres. At the same time, the use of eco-concrete reduces CO₂ emissions by 50 percent compared to conventional steel tower solutions,” added Josef Knitl, Board Member at Max Bögl Wind AG.

Outlook: Expansion and Future Prospects

VSB plans to expand the site with two additional wind turbines in autumn 2025. This underlines the company’s strategy of smartly developing existing sites and securing sustainable energy supply for the long term.

Headquartered in Dresden, the VSB Group is one of Europe’s leading renewable energy developers. Since 2025, the company has been part of TotalEnergies and focuses on onshore wind and photovoltaic projects, battery storage, and e-mobility for heavy-duty transport. With a project pipeline of more than 18 GW and over 750 completed installations since 1996, VSB is a well-established player in the market.

Source: IWR Online, 20 Aug 2025