A change to the product designation has been made in the next stage of ENERCON and Lagerwey’s affiliation. In future, all of the new WECs developed in partnership will enter the market as ENERCON WEC types with a uniform “E” series designation. The new E-147 and the new E-160 are taking the lead, and are also being given a power boost.
The E-147 EP5 for wind class IIA sites (IEC) has a nominal power of 5.0 MW. The nominal power of the E-160 EP5 for wind class IIIA sites is 4.6 MW. “This move is a way for us to accommodate the fast-paced developments in our relevant wind energy markets”, explains ENERCON Sales Director Stefan Lütkemeyer. “Our customers are calling for more powerful and more efficient wind turbines. By positioning the E-147 and the E-160 higher, we are offering them other attractive options in a tough competitive environment for their onshore wind projects around the world.”
The rest of the key data and the geometry of the new WEC types will remain largely unchanged. Both of the new developments are based on the EP5 platform, which, like the new EP3 platform, has a compact and cost-optimised design at its root.
The new EP5 WEC types will be a major topic of ENERCON’s presence at the WindEurope Conference & Exhibition in Bilbao (02 – 04 April 2019, Hall 1, Booth D42) and the Hannover Messe (01 – 05 April 2019, Hall 27, Booth L75).
Since they teamed up at the end of 2017, ENERCON and Lagerwey have been rising to the global challenges of the energy transition together. In an interview, ENERCON Sales Director Stefan Lütkemeyer, Lagerwey Sales Director Ronald Boerkamp and Lagerwey Technical Director Aart van de Pol explain the integration of both companies, the exploitation of synergies and the impact of their combined technological forces in the global market. The interview was published in the ENERCON magazine Windblatt (01/2019).
wb: It has been more than a year since ENERCON and Lagerwey formed an affiliation. How is the collaboration working out? What has happened since then?
Stefan Lütkemeyer: Rapid progress has been made in joining the individual areas of both companies since we came together at the end of 2017. Everything is going well, regardless of whether we’re talking about Research and Development, Sales or Purchasing: we are developing new WEC types in cross-company teams, making joint appearances at leading international trade fairs, intensifying our global sales activities together and coordinating uniform supply chains on an international level. This brings with it many challenges, considering the complexity involved in forming an affiliation and the difficult market conditions that leave us with no time for reorganisation. However, our team is working very hard and is coping well with the task at hand.
Ronald Boerkamp: I also get the impression that we have a great team spirit which makes for a very constructive cooperation. In addition to our development work, we are also in the process of establishing uniform standards and processes in all areas of the company. This equally demands a lot of work, but our colleagues are all highly motivated. The nice thing is that our teamwork is already producing excellent results.
wb: What specifically has been achieved at this point?
Aart van de Pol: The most notable accomplishments are the WEC types we have developed together based on the Lagerwey LP4 platform. We will be launching these WECs as the E-147 EP5 and E-160 EP5 in the near future. The fast development, which also involved positioning the WECs at a higher level in terms of nominal power than with the LP4, was only possible because we could pool our R&D resources. Other joint R&D projects include the adaptation of the MST tower concept for the EP3 platform and the development of a more powerful Climbing Crane for WECs bigger than the LP2.
Boerkamp: In terms of project business, we are able to report that the first big contracts have been concluded for the L-136 LP4 and L-147 LP4. We are also already conducting intensive discussions with customers and interested parties on the supply of the new EP5 platform WECs. We are particularly pleased that our customers are putting their trust in these new WEC types, and it is a nice confirmation of the quality of our development work.
Lütkemeyer: Another objective we had was to utilise synergies in the Production and Purchasing divisions. We are making progress here, too: LP2 components for the Russian project that Lagerwey brought to the affiliation, for example, are starting to be produced by our production partners in Germany. Where tapping of new international markets is concerned, we are now at a stage where Purchasing departments in the new countries are coordinating uniform supply chains across all products from the beginning.
wb: What is next in store for the development of technology and the union of the companies?
Lütkemeyer: By the end of the year, Lagerwey will be completely integrated. The effects of this will be seen primarily in our presentation to the public: the products we have developed together will be marketed under the brand name ENERCON. We will start with the new E-147 EP5 and E-160 EP5, which Ronald already mentioned. Lagerwey will disappear as a product designation but will remain as the name of an innovative development unit within the ENERCON group.
van de Pol: On the technology side of things, we will continue to make the most of our huge expertise potential. Both sides put forward highly promising ideas to use in joint developments so that we can provide our customers with the most competitive products in the tough global onshore market. There are a lot of things we can take as starting points: for example, ENERCON’s expertise in the field of rotor blades can also be used in combination with Lagerwey technology. The PMG technology originally developed by Lagerwey for use in the generator area is also conceivable for use with ENERCON WECs.
wb: What significance does the company affiliation have for the increased involvement in international markets?
Lütkemeyer: Joining forces benefits us greatly in global competition. Our accumulated development power puts us in an even better position to supply our customers with the most suitable and most competitive WEC technology for their projects all over the world. We offer them a product portfolio that is optimally enhanced.
Boerkamp: What is more, we now have a competitive edge. It would have been near impossible for Lagerwey to do things like take on major international projects completely on its own. But together with ENERCON it is an entirely different story. As a joint venture we have a much wider range of resources available and a much better standing with international project planners and financiers.
wb: How have customers and business partners reacted to the affiliation?
Lütkemeyer: The majority of our customers have reacted positively and welcome the collaboration. The excellent response to the WECs we have developed together is proof of this. The new WECs are very well received, the LP4 (or EP5) is the technology favoured by customers in many projects in Germany and further afield. This is testimony to the confidence our customers have in us.
wb: And the colleagues? Do the Dutch people get on with the East Frisians?
Boerkamp: Yes, without a doubt. The collaboration is a great success on an internal level, too. We have a fantastic, highly motivated joint team with tremendous expertise.
Lütkemeyer: East Frisians and Dutch people get along well, that’s not a problem (grins) – we’re developing wind energy converters, not playing football!
