Wind turbines: How much power can they provide?

A fundamental idea of the researchers while developing the model was to increase the efficiency with which the wind power is used. The scientists show that in particular repowering -- i.e. the replacement of old, small plants with newer, larger ones -- enables enormous increases in yields of up to several hundred percent. As a result, the cost of generating electricity, which is created when the energy is converted into electricity, can be reduced significantly to a level comparable to that of brown coal. However, in order to meet the current expansion targets of the Federal Government, a significant portion of the 30,000 wind turbines must be renewed and 6,000 additional systems must be additionally installed.

Based on the researchers' model, the available wind resources can be determined for all common plant types. Also, the expansion target can be adjusted as desired. Using the model, scientists can develop and assess scenarios in which the plant density, the expansion strategy and the repowering intensity are varied. The model also allows for a balanced spatial distribution. "In principal, we can avoid a disproportionate concentration in certain regions," summarizes Jung. In addition, the algorithm takes into account that the number of new installations to be installed is kept as low as possible. "This would minimize disruptions in the landscape while taking the landscape and nature conservation into account," says Schindler.