Issue 1 | 2016
The Nordex/AWP Review – Wind. Energy. Power.
N131/3300
installed
Upbeat mood in
the United States
Sustainability
strategy
Nordex and Acciona
Windpower are now one
company An interview with the CEO and COO
12
Together, on the
same course
Merger
Top Topic
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said Aristotle, and I believe
that this is a good description of our situation following the merger with
­Acciona Windpower. As a result, we have grown, gained new colleagues,
market shares and revenues – and all this will only strengthen us as a company in the long term. We have taken the step that was necessary to shore
up our business on a sustainable basis, but what we have gained in addition
to this is also important: we complement each other in our strengths, experience and expertise.
12 | Together, on the same course
Nordex and Acciona Windpower are
now one company
Imprint
We must take advantage of this gain over and above the pure key business
figures as it gives us the opportunity to develop together into one of the
biggest and best manufacturers of wind turbines in the world. In this way,
we are combining the strengths of both companies in order to provide efficient solutions that, as far as possible, cater for the needs of our customers.
­Because ultimately we will be judged on the profitability of our turbines and
projects. So with this merger we have taken a major step towards our key
aim of complete customer satisfaction. Let’s begin!
Publisher: Nordex SE,
Langenhorner Chaussee 600,
22419 Hamburg, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)40 300 301 000
Email: [email protected]
Project management and responsible party under
German press law: Sandra Jaekel
Authors in this issue: Silke Brandes (SBR),
Sandra Jaekel (SJA), Susanne Schumann (SSC),
Irmela Tölke (ITO)
Photo credits: Nordex unless otherwise noted
Yours,
Design: Orange Cube Werbeagentur GmbH,
Hamburg, Germany
Printed by: Rasch Druckerei und Verlag GmbH &
Co. KG, Bramsche, Germany
Lars Bondo Krogsgaard,
CEO Nordex SE
Paper: this customer magazine is
printed on Novatech satin, 150 g/m².
Circulation: 11,000 (4,000 in German,
6,000 in English and 1,000 in Spanish)
Reproductions, in part or in whole,
and electronic processing of this
­publication are only permitted with
the express consent of the publisher.
6
N131/3300
20
Upbeat mood in the
United States
Inside
4 | Lots of happy m
­ emories
A look back at the anniversary roadshow
5 | Helping to shape Europe
The Nordex Group has taken on a
leading role within WindEurope
6 | A boost to the
light-wind sector
The N131/3300 builds upon a
successful tradition­
Outside
8 | Sustainability continues to
gain in importance
Strategy, goals and challenges
20 | Upbeat mood in the United States
PTC extension lends optimism to
wind sector
10 | A leader in smart services
University of St Gallen bestows
Successful Practice Award
24 | Sustainable success
in Germany
2015 was a record year for Nordex
26 | Two new projects for
the N100/3300
Eneco and Nordex power ahead in
the strong-wind sector
Knowledge
30 | Technical Lexicon
Part 6: Anti-icing
31 | The world’s winds
Part 3: Chinook
Lots of happy ­memories:
a look back at the
anniversary roadshow
From elegant events to fun frolics, traditional soirées to modern parties, and festivities
that took place anywhere from down by the
shore to high above the rooftops – the 30year anniversary celebrations that Nordex
hosted in 2015 to thank its customers were
a massive hit. The local flavour of the events
ensured their popularity with the guests,
whilst at the same time, highlighting what
makes each region special.
Early December saw the anniversary parties start to wind down
with a sizzling celebration in Montevideo, Uruguay. Nordex reserved a ranch in the heart of the city with plenty of space for approximately 90 guests. And the space did not go unused – spurred
on and led by a group of performers, many of the guests took to
the dancefloor. We witnessed the tango, milonga and malambo
– all of the Latin American dances made an appearance. Parties
attended by companies in Helsinki, Finland and Warsaw, Poland
were slightly less energetic but just as easy-going. After enjoying
the fresh air on a boat ride, the guests at the event in Finland had
dinner in an atmospheric vaulted cellar, while in Poland attendees
marvelled at the views over Warsaw from the Palace of Culture
and Science and were dazzled by a stunning light show.
The roadshow finale took place in Istanbul, Turkey. Despite having
to postpone this event at the last minute due to a terrorist attack
in October, we welcomed a surprisingly high number of around
240 guests. “The fact that so many customers turned out for
the event just goes to show the extent of their appreciation for
us,”says Ibrahim Oezarslan, Managing Director for Turkey. And so
the celebrations came to a close in Istanbul, to a soundtrack of
singing and the melodies of an electric violinist. They are sure to
live on in the memories of all those who were there. Text: SSC
4 | INSIDE SALES
Helping to
shape Europe
The Nordex Group has taken on a leading
role within WindEurope. By serving as its
lead sponsor, the company is consciously­
­assuming greater responsibility in the
­pursuit of a common European energy
­market. This approach will ultimately pay
off for ­customers, too.
“This year, the European Commission set the course for new
guidelines on renewable energy, in the form of the Renew­able
Energy Directive (RED II),” explains Tony Adam, Manager­ of
Public Affairs. “We expect an intense debate about the highly-regulated market. Lead sponsorship gives us a collective
stake in shaping WindEurope, while at the same time laying
the groundwork for us to put forward our ideas about the Euro­
pean energy market of the future, and to help shape it with our
customers in mind.”
The Directive will set out the framework for the delivery of renewable energy between 2020 and 2030. As such, it will work
in conjunction with regulation for the common energy market,
with a direct impact on the renewable energy market environment in Europe. As Tony Adam says, “Ultimately, this is also
about optimal market integration for renewable energy. With
its technological dynamism, the European wind industry’s role
as a model for the rest of the world should not be underestimated. By working together, we can really bring this quality to
bear.” Text: SBR
Calendar
2016
Annual General Meeting
(AGM), Rostock
10 May 2016
“We are delighted that European
manu­facturer Nordex is playing a role in
­shaping the European energy market of
the f­ uture. Together with the other leading­
players­in Europe’s wind sector, we are
driving forward the debate in an effective
and determined way, with a view to ­t aking
the Renewable Energy Directive
and the ­market design dossier in an
optimal direction.”
Giles Dickson, CEO WindEurope
What is WindEurope?
WindEurope, which until April was known as
EWEA (European Wind Energy Association), is
the association for wind energy in Europe. It
represents the European wind energy sector
in Europe and worldwide. With 500 members
in over 60 countries, WindEurope is the largest
network of its kind in the world, and thus an important voice among those advocating a world
based on sustainable energy with an emphasis
on wind energy.
Windpower 2016,
New Orleans
23– 26 May 2016
Group interim report for 1st
half of year 2016
Analysts’ conference call
28 July 2016
Brazil Windpower, Rio
30 August–1 September 2016
WindEnergy Hamburg 2016
27–30 September 2016
Capital Markets Day, Hamburg
28 September 2016
A boost to the
light-wind sector: the
N131/3300 builds upon
a successful tradition­
Voss Energy GmbH was the first customer to opt for
the N131/3300. Originally, the company planned to
­install six N131/3000 turbines at its Krampfer wind
farm in Brandenburg. But when Nordex launched its
more ­powerful light-wind turbine in September 2015,
the Rostock-based project developer soon prepared
the way for the new turbine to make its debut.
Photos: Matthias Viertel,
Ove Arscholl
6 | INSIDE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
A quiet giant
“Getting the approval for the N131/3000 carried
across to the N131/3300 was made all the easier
due to the fact that we complied with the maximum
sound levels,” explains Nils Lehming, Product Manager at Nordex. Just like the N131/3000, the guaranteed sound power level for the 3.3-megawatt version
is 104.5 A-weighted decibels. As such, it is one of the
quietest turbines in its category on the market. “We
are currently implementing a number of different
projects in collaboration with Nordex,” says Kathrin
Traxel, Managing Director of Voss Energy. “Our association with Nordex goes back many years, and we
are delighted to have found a local partner within the
business that manufactures its products in Rostock
and offers a wide product range. As Nordex­could
deliver the N131/3300 earlier than the turbine that
had originally been planned, we made the switch.”
In late 2015, Nordex obtained type certification for
the 3.3-megawatt version. The manufacturer has
­d e­veloped this turbine specifically for the German
market, with 134-metre and 164-metre towers. Both
versions have already been type-certified.
The first N131/3300 at the Krampfer site, at 134 metres
high, was installed in December 2015. “The turbine
feeds constant power into the system. ­Considering
that we are still carrying out some tests on it, the
­power curve has remained very good,” says Peter Voß,
Project Manager at Voss Energy. With its rated output,
which is 10 percent higher than that of the N131/3000,
the German turbine can generate a yield improvement of up to 6 percent, depending on the l­ocation.
“The turbine has met all of our expectations, from its
rapid launch to its performance when it is in regular­
operation,” says Claus Tjarks, Prototyping Project­
Manager at Nordex.
Observing the
“launch”of the first
N131/3300 off the
production line:
Martina Löffler,
Axel Melcher,
Günter Steininger,
Nils Lehming (all from
Nordex); Kathrin
Traxel (Voss Energy),
Building upon the strengths of
its predecessor
As a variation on the N131/3000, the German turbine
continues a successful tradition: after the Delta Generation turbine was named “Best Turbine of the Year”
in 2014 by the trade magazine Windpower Monthly,
it was still ranked second in 2015. “We have transferred the features that made our Gamma Generation
turbines so successful across to our Delta Generation
turbines and developed them further. So it’s no surprise that we’re seeing good results in this respect,”
says Nils Lehming. The system upon which the
N131/3000 was based has received a further distinction, too: in 2015, Windpower Monthly awarded the
N117/2400 the bronze prize in the category for turbines up to 2.9 megawatts. This means that, a whole
two years after becoming the leader in this category,
this turbine is still amongst the best on the market.
Claus Tjarks
(Nordex), Peter Voß
(Voss Energy)
In addition to the sound power level, the power curve
of the N131/3000 has now been fully confirmed.
­Nordex is awaiting international type certification for
the turbine around the middle of this year. Surveying of the N131/3300 is underway, and the turbines
at the Krampfer site will soon have company nearby as Nordex is also to supply the Uckley wind farm
in Brandenburg, which will feature ten N131/3300
turbines. Text: SSC
INSIDE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT | 7
Sustainability continues
to gain in importance
Since late 2015, Nordex has pursued its own sustainability strategy, and its latest annual
­report contains a detailed section on this topic for the very first time. Nordex/AWP 360°
spoke to Angelika Bauschke, Head of Sustainability Management, about the company’s
­current strategy and the goals and challenges in this field.
How has Nordex gone about identifying these
­aspects and developing its strategy?
This was an inclusive process, involving all of the key
areas of the company. Overall, we identified around
100 relevant issues, which we pared back to the essentials and then worked into a specific strategy.
Could you describe this strategy for us briefly?
Our strategy is summed up by the slogan “Harnessing wind intelligently – living sustainability”. This
­c overs the three key areas of people, environment
and economy, and addresses a total of eight sustainability issues, for which we have defined specific
­t argets and indicators.
What are Nordex’s objectives for the
“people” area?
Photo: Christiane Koch
Angelika Bauschke,
Head of Sustainability
Why is sustainability an important issue
for Nordex?
Management, presents
Nordex’s successes,
tasks and goals in
sustainability-related
areas in the current
annual report.
As a listed company, we are obliged to report on our
sustainability, but aspects of sustainability are also
playing an increasingly important role in the allocation
and funding of projects. What’s more, sustainability is
a value-driver. Our efforts and transparency in this area
also help to build confidence amongst stakeholders.
Nordex therefore sees sustainability as an opportunity­
and aims to remain an attractive business partner
­going forward.
Along with recruitment and employee development­,
we are placing particular emphasis on health and
safety in the workplace. In order to review our work
safety measures, Nordex is examining lost time ­injury
frequency (LTIF, accident-related absences for every­
1,000 employees) and, as part of its sustainability
strategy, has set itself the target of achieving an LTIF
of under 5 by 2018. Furthermore, the corporate ­culture
plays a major part in this area. As such, Nordex attaches great importance to ensuring that it remains an
­attractive employer and will continue to demonstrate
its social commitment within its target markets.
What is your understanding of sustainability?
Does Nordex also have specific
environmental goals?
Sustainability encompasses all areas of life – environment, economy, people – and each company has to
define and address the aspects that are crucial in its
own case.
Environmental aspects need to be taken into account in all life-cycle phases of a wind turbine. This
begins in the development phase and continues
through the procurement, production, operational and
8 | INSIDE SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT
further processing phases. We aim to improve the
en­vironmental record of our facilities. For instance,
this will involve reducing the energy consumption
and waste produced for each turbine. At the same
time, N
­ ordex wants to reach 85 percent recyclability
for its turbines by 2018, and to ensure that 100 percent of power provided by third parties comes from
renewable sources.
And what are Nordex’s economic
sustainability objectives?
We have set ourselves three main goals in this area:
first, Nordex aims to reduce its electricity gener­
ation costs (LCOE, levelised cost of energy) in 2018
by 18 percent compared to the figures for 2015; this
means that we are looking to reduce the costs of each
­k ilowatt-hour of electricity generated. Second, we
will continue to develop our turbines with the s­ pecific
r equirements of our target markets in mind and
­
­carry our environmental sustainability requirements
and social standards across to our subcontractors
and suppliers.
Photo: Douglas Barnes
How will you achieve these goals in practice?
Our approach allows for the gradual achievement of
objectives in all areas and at all locations. Our vision
is to live sustainability together with our suppliers
and service providers. This is a process that will grow
over years. Text: ITO
The Nordex sustainability strategy
at a glance
PEOPLE
Environmental
footprint
Decomposition
and recycling
Environmental
behaviour
Health and
Safety
Corporate
culture
Sustainable
product
development
Cost of
energy
Supply chain
Health and Safety
LTIF < 5
Corporate culture
High employer
attractiveness
E ngagement in at least
one social project in
each focus market
ENVIRONMENT
Environmental footprint
Improvement of the envir­
onmental balance
of wind turbines
R eduction of energy use
and waste per wind
turbine produced
Decomposition and
recycling
8 5% recyclability of
wind turbines
Environmental behaviour
ECONOMY
Cost of energy
–18%
Sustainable product
development
M arket-specific product
development in Nordex
target markets
Supply chain
Integration of sustain­ability requirements into
the procurement process
100% of purchased power
for Nordex consumption
from renewable energy
INSIDE SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT | 9
A leader in
smart services
Together with four other companies, in late 2015 Nordex was granted the
­“Successful Practice Award for Excellence in Smart Services” by the Institute of
Technology Management at the University of St Gallen. This award recognises not
only the range of products currently offered by the prize winners, but also gives
fresh impetus to additional customer-oriented services.
After they were awarded the prize, the five companies­
took part in a benchmarking exercise that involved
­vi­sits to each other’s facilities. As part of this process,
they exchanged experiences in the field of smart services and gave each other insights into their product
development. “This part of the award is particularly
valuable because it allows us to ensure a cross-industry transfer of knowledge that extends beyond the
duration of the study,” says Thomas Zedler, Head of
Remote Services.
Learning from and alongside the best
The participants can also continue to learn from one
another in the future through cooperative dialogue,
jointly-clarify related issues and develop new applications. Thomas Zedler explains that “It is exciting to
see how other industries solve their own problems.
We are really inspired by this collaboration, and I am
sure that we will be able to make use of it to develop
new services and products for our customers.”
Thomas Zedler (first
left) accepts the
­Remote Services prize
on behalf of Nordex
­Energy, alongside
Hartmut Armbrust
(John Deere), Stefan
Rauscher (Kärcher)
and Adrian Staufer
(Schindler).
Photos:
University of St Gallen
10 | INSIDE SERVICE
The employees from
Nordex Remote Service
have round-the-clock
turbine data.
Photo: Dominic Fraser
“This part of the award
is particularly valuable
­because it allows us to
ensure a cross-industry
transfer of knowledge
that extends beyond the
­duration of the study.”
Thomas Zedler, Head of Remote Services
The winners were delighted
with this trophy.
Setting cross-industry standards
The University of St Gallen contacted more than
1,000 companies in order to carry out this benchmarking study on the theme of “the future success
of smart services”. Thomas Zedler took part in the
online questionnaire on behalf of Nordex, as did 142
other companies. After the data had been analysed,
the Institute of Technology Management chose 11
candidates who demonstrated the highest level of
achievement in the smart services area. Through detailed telephone interviews, the Institute selected the
five companies whose smart services applications
were the most advanced. “To be chosen alongside
major industrial companies like John Deere, Kärcher,
Schindler and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen was not
only a huge honour, but also an important recognition of our development work,” says Thomas Zedler.
“This prize shows that we are setting cross-industry
standards with our range of products in the areas of
data analysis and networking, as well as proactive­
­applications.” Text: ITO
What are Smart Services?
“Smart Services” are information and service-based
products, such as mobile applications, online portals
or sharing services. They are based on the growing
intelligence of machines and the ongoing ­digitisation
of work processes. Company-specific and ­outside
supply chains are connected via the Internet.
(Source: Fraunhofer IAO)
INSIDE SERVICE | 11
Photos: Christian Fraembs,
Christiane Koch, Ulrich Mertens
12 | TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE
Together, on the
same course –
Nordex and Acciona Windpower
are now one company
Since 1 April 2016, it has been a done deal – Nordex and Acciona Windpower
(AWP) have joined forces. The two companies are now one and are following
the same aim: to become a front runner in the wind industry in order to supply­
their customers with first-class projects and the most cost-effective power
plants possible. Nordex/AWP 360° interviews CEO, Lars Bondo Krogsgaard
(LBK) and COO, José Luis Blanco (JLB).
TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE | 13
“We will be stronger as
a result of pooling our
strengths. This step will
shore up our business
for the long term. The
wind e
­ nergy sector is still
­relatively young and so very
much in a state of flux.”
Lars Bondo Krogsgaard, CEO Nordex SE
What do you expect from the merger in terms
of business?
LBK: We will be stronger as a result of pooling our
strengths. This step will shore up our business for the
long term. The wind energy sector is still relatively
young and so very much in a state of flux. As we get
bigger we will become less dependent on the demand
from individual markets and will be better able to compensate for fluctuations. And this is in our interest, but
also in the interest of our customers, business partners and employees.
The Spanish and Germans are said to have very
different mentalities. How did things work out
when staff first met each other?
JLB: We had a very open and friendly atmosphere
straight away and my impression is that this is the
case across the company. One thing learned during
the first meetings is that staff from the two company­
headquarters in Pamplona and Hamburg both con­
sider themselves “northerners” and so are similar in
a number of ways which are probably not typical for
the rest of the two countries.
LBK: Agreed! If I had to put together a football team
made up of German and Spanish players, I would say
that both can play elegantly with short passes. It’s a
good idea to look at what you have in common. Of
course, we’re not football teams but part of an international group that has many different nationalities
under its roof, so our day-to-day business already entails plenty of intercultural exchange.
14 | TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE
JLB: On top of this, an increase in our combined order
receipts will ensure that the capacity of our factories
is used to the maximum. We see this merger as one
milestone on the way to a long-term leading global
pos­ition in the industry as it opens up further growth
potential for us.
In other words, it’s primarily about growth? What
is the target for growth?
LBK: We definitely have to get bigger, stronger and
more sustainable. We will improve the profitability of
our company and we are planning to increase sales
by up to EUR 4.5 billion. This will give us financial
secur­ity and maximum flexibility. Then again, for our
­customers this means that their investment is safer.
This is important as they conclude a contract for a
­project with a term of 20 years. However, in terms of
growth, we are aiming at much more than exploiting
synergistic benefits, for example when it comes to
procurement or cross-selling and far beyond cost-saving – we must take advantage of the opportu­nities!
The two companies are an ideal match. If we can succeed in combining the best of both sides, this will
take us a long way (cf. fig. r.).
Acciona Windpower has extensive experience in
implementing large-scale projects.
Nordex and Acciona Windpower complement each other perfectly
ACCIONA
WINDPOWER
NORDEX
MARKET
FOCUS
COSTUMER
FOCUS
PRODUCT
FOCUS
TECHNOLOGY
FOCUS
Emerging and
growth markets
Utilities/IPPs
Projects without
land constraints
Concrete towers
+
+
+
+
Europe
Small and
medium-sized
Complex and
land-constrained
projects
Blades
=
=
=
=
TRULY
GLOBAL
BROAD
CUSTOMER BASE
DIVERSE
PROJECTS
COMPLEMENTARY
TECHNOLOGIES
A STRONGER AND MORE COMPETITIVE COMPANY
TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE | 15
Two companies,
one vision
We are one company. At our heart: six core
values that we believe in.
01
We believe in affordable,
sustainable energy.
As a company, we want to offer the
lowest cost of energy possible to
In what way do the two companies match?
Can you give us an example?
LBK: Let’s take a look at the markets: until now,
­Nordex generated 80 percent of its revenue in Europe,
while AWP focused on emerging markets. We will
merge our markets in Europe with the growth markets
in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Together we will target 80 percent of the world market, excluding China.
AWP has wide-ranging experience in implementing
particularly large projects, while Nordex has done especially well in challenging locations. Together we will
be able to offer solutions for the entire spectrum of
geographical conditions.
our customers.
02
We put the customer front and centre.
By staying close and listening to our
customers’ feedback, we offer the best
possible service.
03
We think globally.
Because scale yields opportunity,
we aim to become one of the
biggest manufacturers of wind
turbines worldwide.
04
We want to be transparent.
As we believe in processes and systems
as drivers of efficiency, quality and
safety, we try to make our business as
comprehensible as possible.
05
We take responsibility for what we do.
Our projects have an impact on many
people. That’s why we act in an ethical
manner, and high ethical standards
are paramount.
06
We are who we hire.
That’s why we value a supportive
company culture and try as hard as
possible to be an attractive employer for
both current and new employees.
By doing what we believe in, our employees,
our customers and society as a whole will
benefit from our efforts.
16 | TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE
Up to now, one of Nordex’ special strengths
has been its individual approach to customers.
Won’t your growth plans come into conflict
with this?
JLB: The customer is our main focus and that will remain the case. We will be able to meet a much broader
spectrum of customer requirements – from small and
medium-sized projects to those with power suppliers.
Nordex unlocks even challenging locations such as forest
or industrial sites.
But with our pooled specialist knowledge, in future we
will be able to gear solutions even more closely to the
different needs of our customers. We want to react
flexibly to the individual wishes of our customers and
accommodate them as far as possible. We ensure we
can do this thanks to our regional structure, in which
our staff can be close enough to the customer to deal
with their specific needs.
What will be the future product strategy? Which
turbines will you offer?
JLB: The two companies are also a good match in
terms of products. Although this question comes a little early – we’ve only just been given the green light
for the merger – the following is already clear: we will
take a very close look at what the market wants, adapt
our product portfolio accordingly and develop it in such
a way that we are able to offer the most economical
turbines possible. What is important is making effective use of the strengths of both companies. Our primary objective is still to reduce the cost of energy, as
this will make it possible for our customers to increase
their returns.
TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE | 17
“For years now both
­companies have been
­working on reducing the
costs of e
­ nergy production.
Combining our expertise,
amongst others, in terms
of rotor blade and tower
­technology, will make our
customers’ projects even
more profitable.”
José Luis Blanco, COO Nordex SE
How far can you reduce the costs of energy in the
medium term and how do you plan to achieve this?
JLB: For years now both companies have been working on reducing the costs of energy production. Combining our expertise, amongst others, in terms of rotor
blade and tower technology, will make our customers’
projects even more profitable. For example, on-site
production of the concrete tower reduces transport
costs – plus, no maintenance is required for these. We
Two histories, one future
Founding of
Nordex
in Denmark
Commencement
of industrial rotor
blade production
Installation
of the 1,000th
Nordex turbine
Completion of the
world’s first series
multi-MW turbine
First company
worldwide to produce
a MW-class turbine
2000
1985
1995
1999
2003
2000
Launch of
Gamma
Generation
Installation of
the 2,000th
Nordex turbine
2001
2005
2007
2010
2003
Start of the series production
of the AW 1500
First AW 60/1300
prototype
18 | TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE
2008
Opening of the wind turbine
assembly plant in Barásoain, Spain
Introduction
of the AW 3000
Opening of the first
turbine facility in
the Americas
can develop lighter, longer and, thus, more efficient
blades by using carbon. These will, in turn, reduce
the costs of energy due to the increased yield. But of
course, there are many more factors to be con­sidered.
We are aiming at decreasing energy production costs
by 18 percent over the next three years, and we are
convinced that we will attain this ambitious target.
What changes will there be in the company
­structure and areas of responsibility? Will our
­customers have new contact persons?
LBK: Here too, we have tried to combine the best of
both companies. The Management Board comprises
members from AWP and Nordex. Our new company
will manage its business through nine regions with
the head of each reporting to the Management Board.
Strong regions are important for us because this is
where we make contact with our customers. We still
have a great deal of work to do in order to perfect the
organisation. Here we can count on many experienced
managers at Nordex and AWP. But for our customers,
nothing will change and their contact persons will remain the same.
What are the next steps for the merged company
Nordex/AWP?
LBK: In May, the Supervisory Board will be elected at
the AGM and will include our new main shareholder,
then we shall be properly set up there too. After
that the main task will be the transformation into a
new company and we are well on the way to this.
My thanks go to the many colleagues who have been
working constructively on the project for weeks now
– on top of their day-to-day work. Text: SJA
The new Chief Sales
Officer, Patxi Landa
Key figures for Nordex
and Acciona Windpower
Launch of Delta
Generation
2013
2014
2013
More than 2,000 MW sold of
the AW 3000 platform
Industrial implementation in Brazil with
the opening of hub production plant
2016
Nordex and
Acciona Windpower
become one company
NORDEX
- More than 3,300 employees
- More than 7,000 wind turbine generators
(13.1 GW) installed in over 40 countries
- Up to EUR 2.3 billion in revenue (2015e)
- Headquarters: Hamburg (Germany),
Manufacturing facilities: Germany
ACCIONA WINDPOWER
- Approx. 1,400 employees
- More than 3,200 wind turbine generators
(5.5 GW) installed in more than
18 countries
- Approx. EUR 1 billion in revenue (2015e)
- Headquarters: Pamplona (Spain), Manufacturing facilities: Spain, Brazil, India, USA
TOP TOPIC TOGETHER ON THE SAME COURSE | 19
Upbeat mood in the United
States: PTC extension lends
optimism to wind sector
At the end of last year, the US administration again gave the green light for
more growth in the wind industry. The extension of the Production Tax Credit
(PTC) enables operators of wind farms to plan on a more dependable basis
for a further three years. “We are very pleased about the government’s decision. The entire sector will benefit from this – and as our products are a good
match for the market, we see the PTC extension as a major opportunity for
us,” says Enrique Teruel, Nordex Regional Managing Director North America.
Photos: Douglas Barnes
20 | OUTSIDE USA
At the Thunder Spirit wind farm in
North Dakota, 43 N100/2500 turbines
produce clean electricity.
OUTSIDE USA | 21
The PTC is a federal bonus for wind farms on top of
the fixed feed-in proceeds. Together with the Investment Tax Credit (ITC), it is a regulatory instrument for
making regenerative energies competitive, vis-à-vis
coal and gas, and thus promotes the growth of renewable energy technologies. The PTC was introduced by
the administration under George H. W. Bush in 1992.
Since then, various administrations have extended or
amended it, mostly for periods of between two and
four years.
The US wants to cover
more than a third of its
power consumption
This incentive system has fulfilled its purpose in
many respects: over the past 25 years, installed wind
power output in the US has increased from just 1,600
megawatts to today’s almost 75,000 megawatts.
This makes the United States the largest wind market in the world after China. “In such a vast country
as North America, the natural potential for wind energy is huge; both in the West and East coast regions, as well as in the partially sparsely-populated
interior. If the right economic incentives are given, a
lot of clean electricity can be produced here,” says
­E nrique Teruel.
with wind energy by
2050. The PTC extension helps achieve this
objective.
22 | OUTSIDE USA
According to the latest law passed by the government, the incentive now amounts to a benchmark of
2.3 cents per kilowatt-hour (ct/kWh). This amount applies to projects where construction (on- or off-site)
is to commence this year. For wind farms starting
construction in the course of the coming three years
through to 2019, the credit is reduced by 20 percent
per annum (see figure). Based on the rules of the
­program, this will allow for the incentive to be captured in some way, at least up until 2021, and may
provide a nice bridge to the implementation of the
Clean Power Plan (a program to reduce carbon emissions from power plants) which is anticipated to take
effect in 2022.
PTC incentives up to 2019
PRODUCTION IN CT/KWH
A market incentive scheme that works
2.3 ¢
1.84 ¢
1.38 ¢
0.92 ¢
2016
2017
2018
2019
START OF CONSTRUCTION OR SUPPLY
Source: www.awea.org
“In the long term, we
want to reduce our
energy ­production costs
to such an extent that we
can compete with other
forms of energy without
incentives.”
Enrique Teruel, Nordex Regional Managing Director
North America
New opportunities for high towers and
large rotors
With the clear policy direction in the US, it is now easier for project developers to plan for the use of the
­latest technologies. Currently, there are longer lead
times for obtaining permits for projects that have tip
heights above 150 metres, but with a longer planning
­runway and certainty around policy, there is more time
to accommodate this possibility. This will lead to pos­
sible opportunities for the high towers and large rotors.
Due to the merger with Acciona Windpower, N
­ ordex
now offers concrete-next-to-steel towers and a
132-metre rotor in addition to the 131-metre rotor.
Thus, the manufacturer is well equipped even for
certain lower-wind projects in previously untapped
­regions of the country such as the south-east. “Combing the product portfolios from the two respective
companies will lead to more possible options given
the ­diverse site conditions present in the US market,”
says Enrique Teruel. Together the companies now have
a share of around 7 percent of the US market.
It is not possible to say how the administration will
­decide on the PTC after 2019. What is evident is that
the global trend in recent years towards a sustainable
and ­climate-friendly policy has also reached the United
States. As an example of this, in 2008 the Bush administration announced its intention to increase the share
of wind energy in overall electricity consumption from
4 percent at the time to 20 percent by 2030. Barack Obama­
added a further growth target of 35 percent by 2050.
“If it is necessary to extend the incentive system, the
government will do so in order to meet these targets.
Nevertheless, we see this credit merely as a support.
In the long term, we want to reduce our energy production costs to such an extent that we can compete
with other forms of energy without incentives,” says
Enrique Teruel. Decreasing the COE has always been
one of Nordex’ most important goals and is a major
part of the company’s DNA. Text: SSC
The Thunder Spirit
wind farm
Planning the Thunder Spirit wind farm
provided a good example of the m
­ ajor
drawback of the PTC: its short h
­ alf-life.
As each time governments only ­approve
its extension for a period of two to
four years, there are occasionally
­periods of uncertainty or even gaps.
For example, the PTC suddenly expired
on 31 ­December 2013.
This was the same time when the project developer, Wind
Works Power Corporation, was planning the ­Thunder
Spirit­wind farm, the implementation of which was later
taken over by the American company Allete Clean Energy.
This wind farm is located in North Dakota and consists of
43 N100/2500 turbines. Building work on the project began in November 2014, so in the planning phase, it was
not certain whether the farm would benefit from the PTC.
In order to make sure that the operator of the wind farm,
Montana-Dakota Utilities, would obtain this subsidy,
­N ordex delivered and stored some components early
(“safe harbouring”) as then the project was deemed to
have commenced. This in turn was only possible thanks
to highly-individualised logistics planning in the course of
which Nordex coordinated transport from different storage points, some of them situated far apart.
“In the case of Thunder Spirit, Nordex showed that it was
flexible and could be depended on. This is exactly what
we expect of manufacturers whose turbines we buy,” said
Dr Ingo Stuckmann, CEO of Wind Works Power Corpor­
ation. The 107.5-megawatt wind farm has been in operation
since the beginning of the year and supplies electricity to
some 31,000 households in the region. Text: SSC
Sustainable success
in Germany
For Nordex in Germany, 2015 was a record year. Compared to the
previous year, onshore installed capacity rose by 6 percent to 437 megawatts and the market share was just under 12 percent (2014: 8.7 percent).
Nordex/AWP 360° explores what’s behind these achievements and
­explains why 2016 will see even more success.
24 | OUTSIDE GERMANY
Designing the future: Nordex
­supports NEW 4.0 model test
Nordex is taking part in NEW 4.0, the “Northern German
­Energy Transition”. The project initiative involving about 50 partners from the areas of economy, science and politics aims to
use the model region of Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein (consumer/generator) to show that renewable e
­ nergy sources
– optimised to match consumption – can cover the whole
of Germany’s demand for electricity by 2050. The project is
­being funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic­Affairs and
Energy as “Smart Energy Showcases – Wind”. NEW 4.0 starts
in November 2016. Preparations for the four-year running time
are in full swing not just at N
­ ordex, which is supplying turbines that are incorporated in ­decisive project processes.
­Topics such as load management, and temporary accumulators as well as efficient information and communication
technol­ogy are also being addressed in ­order to ­coordinate
on-site ­consumption of energy.
www.new4-0.de
Share of renewables in gross electricity consumption
in Germany
80%
60%
40%
20%
2020
Photo: Ulrich Mertens
2025
2030
2040
2050
The share of renewable energies in mixed power is steadily increasing. While
expansion objectives for 2025 may be exceeded, expansion is expected to lag
behind objectives from 2030.
Sources: Prognos/EWI/GWS 2014
The good market position can mainly be attributed to the sophisticated product range for light-wind locations. In Bavaria,
for example, Nordex achieved a share of 50 percent through
the erection of 80 N117/2400 turbines. Siegbert Pump, Head
of Sales in Germany, says: “The N117/2400 generates very
good yields even at IEC 3 sites with a specific area coverage of
223 W/m 2. This success was our impetus to introduce a f­ urther
optimised light-wind turbine, the N131/3300, on the German
market at the end of 2015. Since the amount of orders we received in the transition to 2016 has risen further, we expect this
year to see an even greater increase in our installed capacity
than in the c­ omparable time frame from 2014/2015.”
The customer is king
Other factors also contribute to Nordex’s success, one such example being the significant role played by Project Management’s
team effort. “Our task is to stay customer-focused and operate on
a project-by-project basis, and we take our job very seriously,” emphasises Eike Schmidt, Head of Project Management in Germany.
“The customer is king. So we respond to our customers with
flexibility and individual solutions, and we have no problem seeing
through smaller projects or even just installing individual turbines.
We always look for – and find – the best solution.” This claim also
applies to the current amendment to the German renewable energy act. Nordex has continually anticipated the long-planned and
much-discussed tender design and prepared itself for any conceivable scenario. “Today’s outlook is very positive, and we firmly
believe that we will achieve our aim of having a share of 45 percent of renewables in the electricity sector by 2025,” says Tony
Adam, Manager of Public Affairs, Corporate Communications.
Technical options
The development of technical options is also a decisive factor for
success in Germany. Take this current example: Nordex has been
working with a specialist company to develop a solution for needbased aviation obstruction lighting – that is, lighting that only
switches on when a plane approaches. The solution is expected
to be ready for series production in Q4 of 2016. “These devices
increase acceptance by nearby residents and meet regulatory requirements. We expect to see a clear advantage when it comes to
building permission in future,” says Florian Kraus, Product ­Manager
for this technical option. Text: SBR
OUTSIDE GERMANY | 25
Two new projects for the N100/3300:
Eneco and Nordex
power ahead in the
strong-wind sector
Delfzijl-Noord in the Netherlands and Moy in Scotland are
two Eneco wind farms with Nordex Delta turbines that
went on grid last winter. Today they are producing clean
energy – but installation of the two projects presented
some challenges.
Photos: Ulrich Mertens,
Robert Ayres
26 | OUTSIDE NETHERLANDS AND GREAT BRITAIN
The Delfzijl-Noord wind farm
required precision work during
its erection on a dyke along the
Dutch coast.
Seafarers can see them in the distance before their
charts can tell them that land is in sight: 14 wind
­turbines lined up like a string of pearls appear to
rise directly from the sea. Together with five more
­turbines that form a kind of pentagon at the end of
the row, they make up the Delfzijl-Noord wind farm,
a strong-wind project operated by the power sup­
plier Eneco. What makes this wind farm special? The
turbines stand on the Schermdijk dyke off the Dutch
coast on the Ems estuary.
Surrounded by water
Delfzijl is the second wind farm Nordex has installed
on a dyke but the first coastal project to extend into
the sea on a 5-metre-wide causeway. “In terms of
wind conditions, such sites are very attractive – but
they involve some special challenges for construction
work,” says Dayne Coxon, the Nordex­Project Manager. As the turbines are completely surrounded by water, the team coordinated construction work with the
tides and storms. 14 turbines are not positioned on
the dyke itself, but on a very narrow 4-kilometre-long
break­­water off the coast. “Due to the narrowness of
OUTSIDE NETHERLANDS AND GREAT BRITAIN | 27
the site we had very little space for storage and had
to rely on the components being delivered ­exactly
on time. This was challenging for planning and coordination,” explains Dayne Coxon. While the first Nordex­
dyke project, Kreekrak, consisted of 31 smaller­
N100/2500 turbines on 80-metre towers, in the
case of Delfzijl, the manufacturer supplied its larger­
­Delta turbine on 100-metre towers – a premiere in
the Netherlands.
Sustainable and flexible
As with the Dutch premiere, the N100/3300 debut
in Scotland was also an Eneco project. Last year the
manufacturer supplied 20 turbines of this type for the
Moy wind farm. “We have been working with ­Nordex
for a long time. Our decision to use them in Great Britain is based on the good turbines that Nordex­o
­ ffers,”
says an employee from Eneco. For Moy, N
­ ordex
worked with a transport solution that was both efficient and environmentally friendly. The turbine parts
were shipped to Scotland in 14 separate trips via
the port of Inverness. Two hundred heavy transports
Highlanders: these turbines in the north of Scotland sit peacefully
on rather difficult terrain and are still waiting for a grid connection
after installation.
brought them to the site – just 25 kilometres to the
south of the city. “We used Inverness as the delivery
point for this project for the first time in order to keep
road transport to a minimum,” says Dayne Coxon. The
result was minimal CO² emissions.
OUR
REGIONAL TIP!
Loch Ness
About 10 kilometres from Inverness lies the most famous
lake in Scotland, Loch Ness (“loch” is Scottish Gaelic for
“lake”). Originating from a narrow glacial valley that ­existed
in the Ice Age, the loch is 37 kilometres long and only
about 1.5 kilometres wide. At its deepest point, Loch Ness
­measures 230 metres, making it the largest loch in Scotland
by volume.
It became famous from the legend of Nessie, the Loch
Ness monster, who is said to live in the loch and has drawn
in tourists to the area for years. Those who wish to get to
the b
­ ottom of the stories and theories surrounding this
mysterious­monster can investigate it at the Nessie Centre
in Drumnadrochit. Urquhart Castle offers an especially beautiful view over the loch. One of the oldest and largest castles
in ­Scotland with an eventful history, it sits at a splendid point
directly at the water’s edge. Those wishing to explore Loch
Ness by boat should ideally set off from Inverness.
Sources: www.wikipedia.org; www.schottland-guide.com
28 | OUTSIDE NETHERLANDS AND GREAT BRITAIN
Like Delfzijl-Noord, the Scottish site presented some
challenges. The wind farm is located on moorlands
and the turbines are lined up in three rows. A river
winds its way between the turbines, with a depth
of 10 metres at some points. Four bridges had to
be built to provide access to the individual turbines.
­Furthermore, due to the soft ground, Nordex was
only able to hoist one whole rotor. For the other 19
turbines the manufacturer installed the blades individually – exactly as done in Delfzijl – which involves
more work in the air and takes longer to erect.
Immediately on site
The Delfzijl-Noord wind farm’s own service point is
right next to the site. “We have a perfect view of
the turbines from our station. If necessary we can
be on the turbine in minutes,” says Dennis Kamps,
Lead Technician Service Operations in Delfzijl. As the
nearest­ service point for Delfzijl is in Oostvoorne,
some three hours away by car, for this wind farm
Nordex­has opened its own branch and taken on several new service technicians.“The region offers good
wind conditions and more projects are being planned.
Perhaps there will be even more projects for us here
in the future,” says Dennis Kamps. Concerning the
turbines’ output, the service technicians are happy:
in the first three months since grid connection in
­December 2015, the turbines’ average availability was
above 97 percent. Text: SSC
OUTSIDE NETHERLANDS AND GREAT BRITAIN | 29
Technical Lexicon
Part 6:
Anti-icing
In the technical lexicon section, Nordex/AWP 360° explains the key
­components of the wind turbines. The Nordex anti-icing system does not
­actually form part of the basic equipment, but is becoming an increasingly
­popular option.
30 | KNOWLEDGE TECHNICAL LEXICON
The world’s winds, part 3:
The anti-icing system is essentially a rotor blade heating system that was first developed by Nordex for
Gamma Generation facilities, and is now available for
the N117/3000 and the N131/3000. But it’s much more
than that: it is based on an intelligent concept that
really­sets the company apart from the competition.
What makes it particularly special is that the system
does not only turn on once ice has already formed on
the blade – it prevents ice from forming altogether.
Targeted application
For this purpose, the anti-icing system comprises not
only heating pads, which are already used in the production of the blades themselves and positioned u
­ nder
the surface of each blade, but also features highly
­responsive sensors. Among other functions, these
gather data about outside conditions and promptly
register when ice is threatening to form. They report
this to the anti-icing controls via the Nordex Control
management system software. In turn, the controls
activate the heating elements located on the leading
edge of each rotor blade, in the very area that is critical­
for aerodynamic performance. They warm this area to
above zero degrees, so that ice cannot form.
Of course, ice can still form in spots where there are
no heating elements, but this has a negligible effect
on the turbine’s yield and is therefore deemed acceptable within an overall cost-benefit analysis.
A clear track record
The anti-icing system is particularly worthwhile in cold
regions. If ice forms on the blade, it may create additional loads that could lead to the rotor becoming
unbalanced and the turbine shutting down. The aerodynamics can also be affected, which means a loss of
yield for customers. At its test site in northern Sweden, Nordex compared the yields of a turbine that
used an anti-icing solution with one that did not. In the
2011 year of operation, the yield of the turbine with
­anti-icing was approximately 8 percent higher, and
even 25 percent higher during the coldest months.
Chinook
The third part of this series “The
world’s winds” is about chinooks. The
North American wind gets its name
from the Chinook Native Americans.
When it was set up in 2011, Cedar Creek 2, with its 60
N90/2500 turbines, was the largest Nordex wind farm
in the world. It is situated in the north-west of the state
of Colorado, USA, in the district of Weld. Kenneth Jaffe,
Senior Wind & Site Engineer, Nordex USA: “The wind
farm is directly affected by the chinook weather phenomenon and had to be especially designed for this
­climate. In winter, the chinook can raise temperatures
from –20 degrees Celsius to +10 degrees Celsius and
more within a very short time. A snow cover of 20 centimetres can melt or evaporate within a few hours.”
The chinook can be compared with the foehn in the
northern Alps, but is even drier and warmer. H
­ umid
air moves in from the Pacific and falls as rain or snow
on the western side of the Rocky Mountains. The air,
now warmed up and dry, reaches the eastern side
of the mountain chain as a gusty, warm downwind.
Kenneth Jaffe comments: “So wind speeds of up to
­
25 metres per second are possible at the Cedar Creek project. Local winds from the canyons can even reach more
than 50 metres per second at the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains, for example in Boulder and Golden, Colorado.”
In the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, the chinook produced a spectacular effect: temperatures rose by 42 degrees Celsius in just five hours, melting all the snow. The
IOC would have done better to consult the Chinook ­Native
Americans before selecting the site for the games, as the
wind is named after them and they know that when the
chinook comes, the ice on the r­ ivers cracks.
Further development underway
5
Experience from more than 400 megawatts of installed systems shows that the anti-icing system is
very robust. Nordex is now continuing to develop
this solution based on its knowledge about ­c ertain
D elta Generation turbine types. The next in­
­
c ar­
nation of ­Nordex anti-icing systems should see the
o ptimisation of sensors and operating modes in
­
particular. Text: SBR
4
Strong wind
–12°C
3
Heat added
Ch
2
Altidude (km)
Chinook
wall cloud
Moisture lost
ino
ok
Warm,
dry
1
0
10°C
18°C
TOGETHER
ON THE SAME
COURSE
As Nordex and Acciona Windpower merge, we emerge as
one of the largest global suppliers of the wind industry.
We share the same vision: Consequently lowering the cost of energy
while offering the best and most reliable customer service.
Because we are closer to the wind – and closer to you.