In addition to solar energy, wind power is the second major pillar within the energy transition that Germany has been striving for for many years. While wind turbines are already shaping numerous areas of land, as well as coastal and maritime regions, there are still ambitious goals to be achieved in the next few decades. The question automatically arises as to how wind can actually be turned into usable wind energy.
Every wind turbine is preceded by a thorough location search
The yield of a later wind turbine correlates directly with the previously chosen location. The aim is always to choose a location that, on the one hand, has strong winds as often as possible, consistently and accordingly.
Therefore, a wind report is created at the beginning. Using lidar and mast measurements, it is determined over a longer period of time whether the location is actually suitable for wind turbines. Among other things, turbulence, wind direction and, of course, wind speed are measured. At the same time, a soil report is carried out, which, among other things, examines accessibility, the exact soil conditions and nature conservation aspects.
It is always advantageous if the respective area is already designated as a concentration zone for wind energy, as this significantly simplifies and speeds up the approval process. In any case, at the end of the process a decision is made as to whether there is sufficient wind energy to ensure a positive energy yield from the system.
Approach to evaluation
The global electricity mix for the first half of 2025 made it clear that this process generally works. This is the first time globally more energy generated from renewable energy sources than from coal.
During the evaluation, calculation models are typically created that estimate how much electricity the system will generate in the next 20 to 25 years. This yield later correlates directly with the revenue generated from the energy sold. On the other hand, there are the costs for technical planning, further reports, the approval process and regular expenses for maintenance and repairs.
At the same time, it must also be checked how the power grid is developed in the region. The expansion of cables is a potentially high cost factor, which is why it is advantageous when planning if as few cables as possible have to be laid. It must also be ensured that there is still network capacity in the region.
Once all the modalities of the wind turbine have been documented, evaluated and clarified, those responsible go through the complex approval process step by step, secure the financing and later break the ground. In the last ten years, there has been a growth of around 11% in the total output of wind turbines worldwide. True, this is less than the historical ones Growth rates between the year 2000 and 2015, but still an impressive value.
Now the construction of the wind turbine and wind turbines begins
There is still a lot to do before a wind turbine is actually built on site. Among other things, the ground needs to be developed and the infrastructure for later construction needs to be created. That means:
- Access routes must be created
- the ground needs to be stabilized
- If necessary, drainage must take place
- Construction sites must be signposted
- Often individual areas also need to be dredged
For land-based systems, the base is usually stable concrete, which, due to its material properties, is able to reliably support the subsequent weight. The concrete is typically laid as a flat foundation, so the actual concrete area is not limited to the relatively small area on which the respective wind turbine will later stand.
The Construction of the wind turbine is now making steady progress. The individual parts of the wind turbine have already been produced at this point and are now being delivered to the construction site. First, the tower segments are assembled, which are often made in an equally robust tubular steel construction.
Then it comes to the many individual parts that ultimately turn a wind turbine into a wind turbine. Nacelle, hub and rotor blades are assembled. The drive units are already integrated into the gondola. As soon as the basic framework is in place, the actual electrical system begins. This is of course also necessary, because at this point in time no usable energy can be generated from the mechanical design alone. The systems are now connected electrically using a medium-voltage cable, then feed lines are laid and transformers are installed.
If the electrical system works properly and has received all the necessary safety certificates, the system can now be connected to the actual power grid for the first time. For particularly large wind turbines, a transformation or substation is necessary; for smaller systems, this can sometimes be dispensed with.
The wind turbine is put into operation for the first time
The development has now been completed in the broadest sense, but that does not mean that the wind turbine is actually generating electricity. First, various tests are carried out to ensure that all individual components and areas function perfectly and, above all, that they work with each other. Mechanics, controls, electrics and required safety shutdowns are put to the test individually and in conjunction with each other. Only when all tests have been verifiably passed and no problems arise will the system actually be connected to the grid in a practical manner.
Based on the impressive size of the wind turbines alone, it should be understandable that this entire process takes more than just a few weeks. Most average-sized wind turbines go through these development phases over a period of several months, sometimes even longer than a year.
What happens after the wind turbine is commissioned?
Once it has been put into operation, you obviously don’t let the wind turbine run “just like that”. The condition of all individual components is continuously monitored, and various optimizations often take place, especially in the initial phase, in order to further maximize the electricity yield generated. Incidentally, such systems run optimally when the wind is as constant as possible, medium to strong. If the wind is too strong, the system switches off at a certain wind speed.
In order to further maximize yield, modern wind turbines react completely or partially automatically, at least in various aspects. For example, innovative wind turbines are able to automatically and dynamically adapt their blade angles to the current wind conditions. This makes sense from the perspective of another aspect: For many wind turbines, it is not just about supplying as much energy as possible, but also about continuously providing a fixed control output. At the same time, the power grid should be stabilized.
Wind energy is also continually developing
Most wind turbines function in this way over a period of 20 to 25 years, after which their expected “end of life” has been reached. At this point it is now important to assess whether the system is still in such a good condition that it could continue to be operated or whether, for example, it will be dismantled. Old systems are often dismantled and parts of the infrastructure, such as access routes or network connections, can continue to be used for new systems. This reduces the costs for newly built wind turbines.
There is currently more focus on offshore and floating wind turbines. There is a simple reason for this: the wind is relatively constant at sea, and the large wind turbines don’t bother anyone. Intelligent control options are also being used more and more frequently in order to maximize the real yield of the system over its entire service life, but also to extend maintenance intervals and even the entire service life of the system. Particular attention is now paid to the recycling properties of rotor blades.
12/03/2025