ENERTRAG has commissioned the first construction phase of its Bütow II wind project in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, with six Nordex N163 turbines now feeding the grid. The phase forms part of a wider repowering scheme that replaces turbines installed in 1999 with larger, more productive machines.
Across the full Bütow project, ENERTRAG is replacing 32 turbines from 1999 with 14 Nordex N163 units. The number of turbines falls by more than half, while installed capacity rises roughly fivefold and annual energy output increases to almost ten times the previous level. The latest commissioning covers the first of three planned phases, with two further stages to follow in the coming years.
The developer has agreed a participation model with the municipalities of Bütow and Eldetal that shares project revenues with local authorities and residents. An additional electricity bonus is available to residents through Stadtwerke Malchow, the regional energy partner, with registration handled online.
Ines Jesse, state secretary in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s economics ministry, said the project showed the potential of repowering to deliver more renewable energy from fewer turbines, with greater spacing and direct involvement of local communities. Robert Vogt, ENERTRAG’s regional director for the state, said replacing 32 older turbines with 14 modern ones reflected a long-term commitment to the region built on participation rather than promises.
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, on Germany’s Baltic coast, remains a focus for onshore wind expansion, and repowering older sites is becoming central to lifting output without claiming significant new land.
