Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
serious problems in keeping up with the other pioneering countries.
In the mid-1980s nobody believed that Germany would ever rise
to that extent as we know it by 2012.
Nevertheless, there were several early initiatives in Germany of
which few turned out to become global companies. The combination
of the private sector and federal support backed the late rise of
wind power in Germany and the countries' strong position in the
global wind industry of the recent years. The number of installed
wind turbines in Germany exceeded 22 000 in 2011. Installed
capacity grew to approximately 29 GW while the percentage of
electricity produced by wind turbines approaches the 10% mark.
And when looking at employment, the wind industry provided a
job for roughly 100 000 people in Germany alone.
This chapter looks back to the 1980s and 1990s, and presents
various early companies that made the German wind power scene.
Manufacturers, wind turbine types and the market development
are examined to give an overview of the origin of what would
become one of the largest and important wind turbine markets
ever. Though many of the names and types mentioned in the
following pages are dated far back in the 1980s, it is important to
avoid focusing solely on global companies but to honour smaller
attempts, too.
18.2 
Early Activities in the 1980s
18.2.1  Summary of German 1980s Wind Power 
Activities
18.2.1.1  General overview
In the early 1980s the German wind power scene consisted of two
opposite parties: On the one hand the government that funded
large-scale wind turbines ranging from 265-3000 kW. The main
intention was to quickly develop large wind turbines for the
country's supply and for the international market. At that time
some European neighbours and especially the United States,
where large-scale prototype machines already operated, quickly
made progress in this new technology. Thus, large wind turbines
based on German know-how and manufactured by German
companies had to be realised in order not to drop out of the inter-
national competition.
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