Connect with the World at WindEnergy Hamburg 2024

WindEnergy Hamburg is the world’s biggest and most important wind business platform for exchanging news and views, building networks and closing major deals. National and international wind industry associations cooperate with WindEnergy Hamburg and encourage their members to attend.

From equipment and component manufacturers to project developers and operators, and through to scientists and politicians, WindEnergy Hamburg, held from 24 to 27 September 2024, will the meeting place of the entire international wind energy sector. Repowering, grid intertie challenges and new energy storage solutions are at the top of the agenda.

The goal is set: By 2030, the EU wants to have 425 gigawatts of wind energy generation capacity in place, with two thirds contributed by onshore units. To date, however, Europe has installed no more than 272 gigawatts (79 per cent of which are onshore turbines). So to achieve the 2030 goal, it will be necessary to install an average of 33 gigawatts every year. “We can only reach this by maximising our expansion efforts. One key means to that end is repowering – replacing wind turbines that have reached the end of their lifespan with more powerful models,” explains Claus Ulrich Selbach, Business Unit Director Maritime and Technology Fairs & Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress. A joint EU directive facilitating wind energy projects has improved the conditions for the construction of additional high-output wind farms.

At WindEnergy Hamburg in September, decision-makers will be able to meet the right partners for implementing repowering projects. One of them is the Norwegian wind energy company Statkraft which intends to modernise 35 older wind farms it has acquired in Germany. “A major portion of the energy transition on shore will be accomplished through repowering projects,” states Stefan-Jörg Göbel, Statkraft Country Manager in Germany. A wind turbine erected 15 years ago typically has a capacity of 2 to 3 megawatts. By comparison, the latest-generation turbines designed for onshore use have a capacity of 6 to 7 megawatts.

More power, larger components

These state-of-the-art units are more powerful but also significantly larger than their predecessors. Over the past 30 years, the hub height has tripled. And while in 1980 a typical rotor had a diameter of 15 metres, this dimension is expected to increase to 250 metres by 2035. At WindEnergy Hamburg, experienced logistics companies and heavy-lift specialists such as Eager.One, Liebherr, Schmidbauer and Gruber Logistics will showcase solutions for handling these oversized items safely.

But repowered wind turbines not only come with logistical challenges. Their higher energy output also requires smart grid feed-in management as well as innovative, high-performance energy storage technologies. For exhibitors addressing this field of expertise, WindEnergy Hamburg will lay out a dedicated Storage Tour at WindEnergy Hamburg. “The Storage Tour will allow visitors and exhibitors to locate all companies dedicated to this complex topic at a glance, and speak with them directly,” says Andreas Arnheim, Director WindEnergy Hamburg. Exhibitors will include Avacon, GP Joule, OAT and many others.

Grid operators and governments under pressure to act

Upgrading the electricity distribution network is a top priority. The energy transition cannot succeed unless new wind farms can be tied into the grid quickly, and the power they generate can be distributed as needed. “It is now up to major grid operators as well as governments to accelerate their infrastructure projects. As the world's leading expo for wind energy, we are the right meeting place for the industry. We set the stage for the market stakeholders and facilitate networking and interaction,“ says Arnheim.

A total of 150 conferences and panel discussions featuring renowned speakers will take place during WindEnergy Hamburg. They will play a key role in moving things along. For example, there will be events focused on equipment engineering, regulatory matters, finance, grid engineering, supply chains, digitalisation/AI and project planning, among others. The stages will be accessible to trade fair attendees free of charge.

Expect much more than a trade fair. With its comprehensive supporting program, WindEnergy Hamburg gives all exhibitors and visitors the opportunity to expand their knowledge and intensify contacts. There will be a high-caliber program on offer with specialist forums and conferences, workshops, and lectures – all playing a significant contribution to the development of the wind energy sector.

Get your tickets here.

WindEnergy Hamburg | https://www.windenergyhamburg.com/