One of Europe’s Largest Repowering Projects: First Commissioning at VSB’s Elster Wind Farm Imminent
Press / Dresden/Zahna-Elster / 16.04.2025
The repowering of the Elster wind farm, developed by the VSB Group, is entering its final phase: installation of the last of 16 new wind turbines is nearing completion. In parallel, the phased commissioning process is set to begin in the coming days. The first turbine, a Siemens Gamesa SG 6.6-155, will soon feed sustainably generated electricity into the grid operated by Mitteldeutsche Netzgesellschaft Strom mbH.
Elster is among the largest repowering projects in Europe: 16 high-performance new turbines are replacing 50 older ones – delivering four times the output with only a third of the number of turbines. With a total installed capacity of 105.6 megawatts, the upgraded wind farm will generate approximately 235 gigawatt-hours of green electricity annually – six times more than before. That equates to the electricity needs of around 67,000 three-person households, or roughly 470 million 40-degree wash cycles.
Construction is progressing at full speed: while major components are currently being installed on the final turbine, interior works on the remaining, already erected turbines are advancing rapidly. Over the next few days, commissioning of the completed turbines will begin in stages. The grid connection of the entire repowered wind farm is expected to be completed by summer 2025.
Planning is already under way for a further expansion phase: preparatory work for two additional wind turbines on the site is scheduled to begin by the end of the year. This will allow the location’s full potential to be further realised.
“The Elster project is more than just a wind farm – it’s a symbol of the urgent transformation our energy infrastructure needs. We’re proud to be helping shape this transition and to demonstrate how existing sites can be ‘recycled’ and optimised using modern technology,” says Thomas Winkler, Managing Director of VSB Germany.
“At the same time, the project serves as a prime example of how established wind sites can evolve – a strategy of growing importance across Europe, as many turbines approach the end of their economic lifespan,” adds Dr Felix Grolman, CEO of the VSB Group.
VSB has been active at the Elster site in Saxony-Anhalt for more than two decades, developing the original wind farm across five construction phases. The 50 legacy turbines (ENERCON E-40), erected between 2000 and 2002, were dismantled between autumn 2021 and autumn 2022. Many have since been recommissioned abroad or repurposed as spare parts for existing sites.
