Revolution in the Elster wind power park: Six times more energy, less space!

Revolution in the Elster wind power park: Six times more energy, less space!

On August 15, 2025, the Elster wind farm, an impressive repowering project, officially opened its doors. Initiated by the VSB Group from Dresden, this is one of the largest repowering projects in Europe. The Energy Minister Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann described the project as a “lighthouse project” that sets standards for the future.

A clear step forward: the old image of the wind farm has been fundamentally changed. Instead of 50 outdated wind turbines that were put into operation between 2000 and 2002 and had a total output of 30 MW, there are now 16 modern wind turbines with an impressive height of 242 meters and a total output of 105.6 MW. These new turbines will generate approximately 235 GWh of electricity annually — more than six times the previous amount. This means that around 67,000 three-person households can be supplied.

Environmental protection and efficiency

But it's not just electricity generation that has been optimized. The annual CO₂ savings of around 180,000 tons is a further step towards environmental protection. In addition, the area used for wind power will be reduced by a third, which further increases the efficiency of the project. The advantages of repowering are clear: existing locations are used, more powerful and quieter turbines are used, while at the same time the risk of collision for birds and bats is reduced through the latest technology.

However, the project goes beyond technical aspects. Accompanying environmental measures, such as planting fruit trees, installing bat boxes or relocating sand lizards, show that nature conservation is also a top priority here. Temporary turbine shutdowns protect birds of prey during their breeding season. The areas that are no longer needed are ecologically upgraded or converted into arable land.

Economic impulses for the region

Another advantage of the Elster wind farm is the economic integration of the region. The local communities benefit from financial advantages, and regional companies are also involved in the project. At the same time, a fixed-interest savings model was introduced for citizens to involve them in the success of the project and to give citizens a good hand in their own financial future.

A look at the wind power landscape in Saxony-Anhalt shows that the state is considered a pioneer in wind power expansion. As of mid-August 2025, there are a total of 2,756 wind turbines with a total output of 5.66 GW in Saxony-Anhalt, including 144 in the Wittenberg district. In 2024, almost a seventh of the nationwide repowering output was accounted for by Saxony-Anhalt, which underlines the importance of the region.