Germany has erected the world's tallest wind turbine, which could produce twice as much energy

Germany has completed the erection of a 365-metre wind turbine in the town of Schipkau, in the Lausitz region. The facility is scheduled to become operational in November. The structure is considered the world’s tallest wind installation and was built in a former mining area undergoing an energy transition.

The turbine has a tower with a hub height of 300 metres, while the blades bring its total height to 365 metres. By comparison, Berlin’s television tower is 368 metres tall. According to Gicon, the project’s developer, the facility could produce approximately twice as much energy as a conventional turbine with the same rotor diameter, thanks to stronger and more consistent winds at higher altitudes.

The project is testing the concept of “second-level” wind farms, in which very tall turbines could be installed in existing wind farms without occupying additional land. The Schipkau wind farm has been operating since 2000 and includes approximately 50 turbines. The new facility is expected to provide enough energy for around 7,500 households.

Funding of between €20 million and €30 million was provided by the German state through the SPRIND agency. The tower was erected with the help of a special cable system, without cranes capable of operating at its final height. The project is being monitored as a solution for increasing energy production in areas where the expansion of wind farms is limited. Critics, however, dispute the facility’s impact on the landscape and biodiversity.