Putting green wind power ahead of old coal

With the old coal-fired power station still puffing away in the background, the new wind turbines in front of it are heralding the age of sustainable energy generation. GP JOULE PROJECTS, the arm of the GP JOULE Group responsible for developing onshore wind and ground-mounted photovoltaic systems, planned, designed and built the wind farm and has recently put it into operation. The farm is now being handed over to the company’s project partner CEZ, while GP JOULE will retain responsibility for its technical and commercial management as well as servicing.

The two Nordex N149/5.X systems installed in Datteln boast a total capacity of 11.4 megawatts. They will generate an average of 31.6 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to power around 10,500 homes (assuming annual consumption of 3,000 kilowatt-hours).

GP JOULE had begun to lay the groundwork for the project, such as constructing the access road, in April 2023. Connecting up the systems meant laying nearly 12 kilometres of cabling, which posed a number of technical, planning and structural challenges. These included cutting across whole neighbourhoods while looking out for their existing infrastructure and crossing railway tracks, high-voltage power lines, several bodies of water and an as-yet unbuilt major road. On top of all this, two Second World War bombs had to be defused and made safe. Now, however, no more barriers remain to the production of climate-friendly electricity.

“Although you’ll always get a few challenges, we really did find ourselves battling numerous obstacles all at once here in Datteln,” says Thomas Süßenbach, the project’s manager at GP JOULE PROJECTS. “However, we were able to overcome them with some good forward planning and intensive construction management on site. We also enjoyed a very constructive and focused working relationship with the relevant administrative authorities, landowners and locals, for which they all deserve our most heartfelt thanks.”

Ownership to pass to CEZ, with GP JOULE handling operations, servicing and maintenance

GP JOULE is to remain the on-site point of contact for the Datteln wind farm. The energy company CEZ, initially a joint shareholder in the project and now the sole owner of the systems, has tasked GP JOULE SERVICE with their commercial and technical management following the successful commissioning. “CEZ is really happy to be taking full ownership of the Datteln wind farm, a status that will further strengthen our position as a renewable-energy producer in Germany,” says Thomas Steinkellner, Managing Director – Onshore Wind Project Development Joint Ventures at CEZ. “Our proven partnership with GP JOULE for project development and the prospect of continuing our cooperation on technical and commercial management will ensure the wind farm’s efficiency and long-term reliability.”

How well this cooperation is working has been clear to see from the delivery of the wind farm project: “The work we did with GP JOULE to get the project off the ground was characterised by mutual respect, exemplary professionalism and a deep-rooted shared understanding of the significance of this project and the challenges it presented,” Thomas Steinkellner enthuses. “The way we overcame manifold challenges in the development and construction phase is a ringing endorsement of the quality and effectiveness of our collaboration.” 

Thomas Süßenbach adds: “We firmly believe that projects like the Datteln wind farm are the future, and we’re delighted that 0.2 cents out of every kilowatt-hour generated will now be going to the local authority thanks to the amended German Renewable Energy Sources Act.”

Besides new energy, therefore, the Datteln wind farm will also be delivering added value to the region.

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About GP JOULE
GP JOULE is an integrated energy supplier that covers the entire energy value chain, from generation to use – and from consulting and financing through to project planning, construction and service. GP JOULE produces and sells wind and solar power, green hydrogen and heat and makes use of it where it is most effective: in electric and hydrogen-based mobility, in households and in industry. From its base in Germany, GP JOULE has been shaping the future of energy in Europe since 2009. For a secure, independent and sustainable supply of energy. For 100% renewable energy for everyone.

GP JOULE won the 2022 German Mobility Award for its eFarm hydrogen mobility project.

About the CEZ Group
A leading commercial enterprise in the Czech Republic and an established energy company in Western, Central and Southern Europe, the CEZ Group is setting new standards in the energy industry. As a key player in the energy sector, it covers the generation, distribution, trading and sale of electricity and heat as well as offering a comprehensive range of energy services. With a diverse production portfolio that takes in everything from conventional power stations to solar, wind and other renewable resources, the CEZ Group is playing an active role in advancing the energy transition.

The CEZ Group is committed to environmental sustainability and technological innovation. It provides power generation and storage solutions to its customers – households, businesses and local authorities – and provides services designed to make them more energy-efficient. It is injecting fresh impetus into the industry by taking stakes in numerous cleantech companies involved in cutting-edge energy technologies and making substantial investment in scientific research and development.

In line with the EU’s decarbonisation strategy, the CEZ Group set out its objectives and targets for 2030 in May 2021 as part of its strategy entitled “VISION 2030 – Clean energy of tomorrow”. This underscores its commitment to supply safe, reliable and sustainable energy to its customers and society as a whole and thus to play a big part in securing a clean and sustainable energy future for generations to come.

Press contact

Jürn Kruse
Corporate Communications
GP JOULE Group
presse@gp-joule.de

Tel. +49 (0)4671-6074-213
Mobile +49 (0)160-1540265

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