ENERCON has just installed the first wind turbine in their new E-101 series. The 3 MW prototype was erected near Görmin, Germany (Mecklenburg West Pomerania) atop a 97 metre precast concrete tower. Once final equipping has been completed, it is scheduled to be connected to the grid and take up immediate operation.

ENERCON began preparing the site at the beginning of the year with access roads, crane pads and pre-assembly areas. The foundation was poured in February and the tower installed in March. After pre-assembling the turbine components the machine house and rotor hub were hoisted last week.

This first prototype (two further machines are in the process of being installed in Haren (Emsland)) is a significant milestone marking the introduction of the new series. “The E-101 has taken the lead in our future planning,” explains Stefan Lütkemeyer, Head of ENERCON Sales department. The productive E-101 has a rotor diameter of 101 metres and complements ENERCON’s product range between the E-82 E3/3 MW and the E-126/7.5 MW.

This Wind Class IIA turbine can be installed at nearly any site worldwide. “Currently the machine can be supplied with hub heights up to 135 metres making the E-101 especially lucrative for inland sites,” says Lütkemeyer.

In addition to ENERCON’s renowned gearless direct drive with variable speeds, single blade adjustment and modular construction, the machine includes other special features such as air/water cooling, a load-sensing system in the rotor blades as well as rotor blade heating.