The official inauguration of the “SUDWAND” wind farm took place last Friday, in the presence of, among others, the Minister of Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism Lex Delles and the Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity Serge Wilmes.
The two wind turbines in Steinbrücken and Peppingen went into operation in the summer of last year. With an installed capacity of around 8.5 MW, their annual production is estimated at around 15.3 million KWh, which corresponds to the consumption of around 3,400 households, or the equivalent of around 13,600 people.
A joint project of SUDenergie and Soler
The “SUDWAND” wind farm, a joint project by SUDenergie and Soler, currently includes two wind engines, one in the municipality of Monnerich, in Mettendallerbësch near Steinbrücken, and one in the municipality of Roeser in Peppingen on the Tontebichelchen.
The project was initiated in 2015 by the two project partners SUDenergie and Soler in close cooperation with the municipalities of Monnerich and Roeser. From the very beginning, the different project partners put a lot of attention to engage affected citizenzs. Also, the numerous environmental criteria were an integral part when designing and planning the project. Following initial on-site analyses at various locations, two sites were eventually retained for further development in a first phase.
For example, a strict restriction procedure lays down buffer zones around populated areas and thus excludes them from planning. In addition, it is particularly important for the project partners to comply with national limits with regard to noise and shadows.
The local public got the project presented for the first time at information meetings in early 2018. Although wind turbines are not yet very familiar in the south of the country, unlike in the north of Luxembourg, citizens showed a high level of interest and acceptance right from the start.
After the project partners had agreed on the first two locations in Steinbrücken and Peppingen, these sites had to pass further detailed analyses, an environmental impact assessment and subsequent approval procedures. Once all the necessary procedures were successfully completed, infrastructure work could begin in March 2022. The foundations were poured in October 2022 and the steel towers were installed in May 2023. After the construction work was completed, the wind turbines were finally put into operation in July 2023.
“With the SUDWAND wind farm, we are taking an important step towards the energy transition in Luxembourg. Despite the importance of wind energy for our country, we see that the approval process for wind turbines is taking too long. We are therefore investigating, together with the different parties involved, how we can shorten the time between planning and implementation. Wind energy is strategically important to achieve Luxembourg's climate goals. Together with photovoltaics, it is one of the central pillars for accelerating renewable electricity production in our country.”
Lex Delles, Minister of Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism
“Wind power is an important source of energy to achieve our PNEC goals. The energy crisis cannot be tackled separately from the climate and biodiversity crisis. It's about finding a balance between the different needs that arise in this area of tension. Although great progress has been made recently in the field of renewable energy, we still need to accelerate our expansion. As a government, we pursue all of these goals.”
Serge Wilmes, Minister of Environment, Climate and Biodiversity
Soler is a joint venture of SEO (Société Electrique de l'Our) and Enovos Luxembourg which each have a half stake in the company that was founded in 2001. In addition to operating three hydroelectric power plants, Soler also plans, builds and operates wind turbines. Today, Soler operates 14 wind farms with a total of 49 wind turbines (as of October 2024) and a total installed capacity of 155.81 MW and an average annual production of over 341 GWh. In collaboration with municipalities, Soler is currently developing further wind farm projects in various parts of the country and is repowering the oldest wind farms.