WKN news
WKN-SHARES
PNE W IND AG now holds approximately 83 percent of W K N AG.
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RENEWABLES NOW!
German Renewable Energ y Law: Political claims
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TECHNOLOGY
Requirements for tailored night recognition systems increasing
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REPOWERING
The next repowering project of the W K N group is in the planning stage .
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T H E H O U S E O F F U T U R E E N E R G I E S M A G A Z I N EN O . 2 | 2 0 1 3 | O C T O B E R
STIFF BREEZE
New W KN advertising campaignPAGE 5
WKN news | 2/201302 03
Renewables now!WKN AND THE ENERGY TURNAROUND: The energy turnaround and its
costs are an issue for discussion that goes back further than this year.
However, since the beginning of 2013 it has become a strongly debated
topic; the energy turnaround also became a key issue in the election
campaign.
The main focus is on the Renewable Energy Law (Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz = EEG) that – with the construct of the renewable energy apportion-ment i.e. the difference between the guaranteed price paid to producers for EE electricity and the stock market price – continues to be held respon-sible for the rising electricity prices and the stock market price in public discussion.
Thus, the Husum-based project developer WKN AG is requesting the following:
“Generally we believe it is necessary to ensure the cost efficient expansion of renewable energies,” WKN CEO Martinus Scherweit clarifies. “In doing so, relief to citizens should be paramount rather than short-term activism by reducing and cancel-ling remuneration claims.”
The major part of the branch is aggravated by the undifferentiated to misused representation of the EEGs for the most part in politics and the media as the reason for the increase in electrical power costs. In particular, the price lowering impact of renewable energies should no longer result in an increase in the differential costs and thus lead to an EEG apportionment. In the opinion of leading experts the almost comprehensive exemption of many industrial and trade companies should be urgently reviewed in order to relieve private elec-tricity consumers. /
CAMPAIGN of the initiative “Renewables now!”.
Further information at www.erneuerbare-jetzt.de
THE FOUNDER OF THE WKN-GROUP: Volker Friedrichsen
• Maintain the feed-in priority for renewables
• Maintain a fixed regulation for remune-ration over a reliably long remuneration period of 20 years
• Protect already decided investments
• Maintain the current two-step remuneration system from the initial remuneration and a lower basic remuneration time-dependent on the quality of the site.
• Maintain the current annual degression of 1.5 %
• Modify the conditions of the so-called reference location for typical wind energy turbines of the present-day construction size
• Maintain the system service (SDL) bonus as stipulated in the EEG until 01/01/2015
• Create and maintain incentives conducive to further the technical development of wind energy turbines for the whole power supply system.
• Create transparency with regard to the electricity price
PNE WIND AG acquires further WKN-sharesFOLLOWING THE ACQUISITION of Siemens’ 29.33 percent stake,
PNE WIND AG now holds approximately 83 percent of WKN AG.
PNE WIND AG located in Cuxhaven has increased its stake in the Husum-based WKN AG to 82.75 percent. Within the framework of a joint sales right, 29.33 percent of the WKN shares were pur-chased from Siemens Project Ventures GmbH.
Before PNE WIND AG already acquired 53.42 per-cent of WKN AG from the Volker Friedrichsen Beteiligungs-GmbH. The previously announced intention to acquire approximately 83 percent of WKN AG is now complete.
Also after the PNE WIND takeover, WKN AG con-tinues to operate as an independent company. /
Company profile: PNE WIND AGWITH ITS HEADQUARTERS IN CUXHAVEN, PNE WIND AG plans and realises wind farm projects on land (onshore) and on the high seas (offshore).
In doing so, its core competence lies in the de-velopment, project planning, and financing of wind farms and in their operation and sales re-spectively with the provision of subsequent ser-vice. To date, the company has constructed 100 wind farms with 575 wind energy plants and a total nominal output of 828 MW.
In addition to its business activities in the estab-lished German home market, PNE WIND AG is increasingly expanding into dynamic growth markets and is already represented in joint ven-tures and by subsidiary companies in Southeast
Europe, Great Britain, USA and Canada. In these countries wind farm projects with a nominal output of more than 2,000 MW are currently being developed and are to be completed in the medium term.
In addition, PNE WIND AG is developing off-shore wind farm projects, of which four major projects in German waters have already been approved. An entry into promising foreign mar-kets is also being examined with regard to the offshore sector. /
WKN news | 2/201304 05
WKN AG · House of Future Energies · Otto-Hahn Straße 12 – 16 · 25813 HusumTel: +49 4841 8944 - 100 · www.wkn-ag.de · E-Mail: [email protected]
Renewable energiesfor today and tomorrow.
windy guysdonotworkhereweareseriouspeople
Colorful super heroesNEW WKN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN: Since mid 2010 many
WKN employees gave a true face that varied every month to the
project developer in the “local heroes” advertising campaign.
The testimonial series has been – and will continue to be – used also in WKN recruiting measures with a high degree of identification.
Now, however, it’s going to be gaudy for the Husum staff and their branches: The super heroes are sprea-ding out in the project developer’s advertisements.
Whether “local heroes” or “super heroes” – the WKN advertising campaign presents itself in the style of our entrepreneurial values: down-to-earth with passion and authenticity. Just serious people. /
THE MESSAGE
down-to-earth, passion and authenticity
Bank group prema- turely extends WKN loan contractA SYNDICATED CREDIT LINE of 29 million Euros for the Husum-based
project developer has been prematurely extended until mid 2016
Recently the existing syndicated working capital credit line for the project developer WKN AG has been prematurely extended for about another two years. The credit line of 29 million Euros secures the firm financial base for the operative business of the next coming years.
The bank consortium led by Commerzbank Ak-tiengesellschaft and the Deutsche Bank AG as joint mandated lead arranger and bookrunner now pro-vide the credit line originally from the year 2011 until 30 June 2016.
“The premature extension of the syndicated credit line for this amount confirms the confidence of our banks in WKN and their new majority shareholder PNE WIND AG”, CFO Michael Ostwald comments on the conclusion of the contract. In July 2013, the majority shares of WKN were transferred to PNE WIND AG with its company headquarters in Cuxhaven. With this WKN AG continues to oper-ate as an independent company. /
IS HIGHLY PLEASED WITH THE AGREEMENT:
CFO Michael Ostwald
WKN news | 2/201306 07
More affordable than ever beforePRIVATE BUILDING AND PROPERTY FINANCING: The time is right for
building or buying property. But the re-funding of existing debts can also
momentarily bring a tremendous interest rate advantage.
Anyone currently involved in this subject will al-ready have established that conditions are very much in favour of the customer at present. First meetings with the house bank may already have been held and the required information and do-cuments collected. In other words: The time has come to obtain other financing offers.
With Sven Maaß, who has been with Capital-Concept Assekuranz GmbH at the House of Futu-re Energies for some months now, the insurance broker has brought on board an expert for private financing. “As our customers from the insurance sector know, we offer independent consultation and work out the best possible offer together with the person involved,” CCA Managing Director Stephan Koth explains. An extensive analysis of the personal financial situation therefore forms the basis for the determination of the best possi-ble financing concept.
But the CCA concept is not only of interest when buying or building property. Substantial improve-ments may also arise upon expiration of the fixed interest rate period for an ongoing loan. “This also applies if the date is only due within three years from now,” Koth emphasises. Clear advantages may be expected in the current low interest period.
CCA offers independent consultation and works out the best possible offer together with the person involved.
“Together with our sales partners, we have many possibilities of supplying our customers with in-teresting financing offers,” finance specialist Sven Maaß explains. The insurance expert from Husum cooperates with more than 300 well-known banks and insurance companies. /
Aloft lies the powerCONCERNING: NIGHT LIGHTING
All parties concerned with the planning of a wind farm agree on one thing: If the energy turnaround is to be successful, technically state-of-the-art and thus highly efficient wind turbines must also be constructed onshore.
However, here lies the crux of the matter along with the partly difficult legal frame conditions and opposition in many German communities. One of the crucial reasons for this is the so-called night lighting.
Based on air-traffic constraints wind turbines with a to-tal height exceeding 100 metres absolutely require day and night recognition. Night recognition is assured by install-ing red f lashing lights that are to be permanently lighted when darkness falls.
“Permanent night lighting is for the greater part nonsense because on most of the sites concerned there is no permanent night air-traffic.”
Due to the night lighting issue the urban development planning in some places limits, however, the total height of the turbines to 100 metres. Turbines of this height are no longer technically up to par, squander huge site potential and in some places hinder new construction or repowe-ring, in the worst case even completely.
“Permanent night lighting is for the greater part nonsense because on most of the sites concerned there is no perma-nent night air-traffic,” Olaf Nicolaisen, Managing Director of BGZ Fondsverwaltung, describes the problem. “There are different systems that are based on the need for night lighting, i. e. only assure night lighting if there are f lying objects in the vicinity.”
A distinction is made between active and passive systems. In many countries outside Germany, these systems have already been authorised and are functioning standards. “They have not been authorised yet in Germany,” Nicolais-en continues. “Various pilot projects are running at this time. When need-based lighting is permitted in Germany, there is a chance that various municipalities will revoke their height restrictions.” /
CCA SPECIALIST SVEN
MAASS is available for a
detailed and confidential
meeting and will gladly pro-
vide you with further infor-
mation. He can be reached
at the phone number
0049-4841-8944-941 or at
WKN news | 2/201308 09
The pro lends a helping hand ENERGY-CONSULT IS AN EXPERT IN MATTERS OF CONFORMITY
CERTIFICATES: In accordance with the Renewable Energy Law
(Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz = EEG ) wind energy turbines and wind
farms must fulfil the specific requirements of the power supply network.
For example this pertains to voltage maintenance, the provision of active and reactive power as well as to the conditions under which wind turbines are allowed to be switched off from the grid or must support the power system. This system services (Systemdienstleistungen = SDL) is also referred to as power plant properties which are the prerequi-site for the complete integration of wind farms in the generation mix of all power plants as well as for the support of supply security and thus finally for the eligibility for remuneration and bonuses under the Renewable Energy Sources Act.
In the corresponding certification process it is nec-essary to obtain the so-called declaration of con-formity. It is the final step in proving to the grid operator that the wind farm has fulfilled all the requirements in compliance with the grid code. This is a very complex process throughout since the electrical requirements imposed on the wind
farms or also on a single wind turbine are, to say the least, challenging.
Since the beginning of 2013 energy-consult, a WKN AG trade mark, offers to prepare declara-tions of conformity – a service in great demand. “More and more customers are engaging us to as-sist them with the certification of their wind farms. The subsequent declaration of conformity is a very essential milestone,” Kai Nohme, the head of ener-gy-consult, reports.
Since 1991 energy-consult partners have already experienced more than simply the operational management of their wind farms. This specialist in Husum closes the gap between the manufacturer and the operator of a wind farm thereby continual-ly expanding its own service range. /
WWW.ENERGY-CONSULT.NET
Turning old into newREPOWERING EVALUATION ON THE WEIDEHOF WIND FARM: The next
repowering project of the WKN group is in the planning stage.
Six Vestas V47 wind turbines of the Westküste AG from 1999 operating
in the territory of the Reinsbüttel Township in the state district of
Dithmarschen are to be replaced.
The corresponding Federal Immissions Protec-tion (BlmSch) permits for six Enercon E 70 wind turbines have already been obtained. “Four of the six sites had to be fought for due to problems with the German Air Traffic Safety authorities because of the wind farm location near to an airfield,” Olaf Nicolaisen, Managing Director of the BGZ Fondsverwaltung, reports. “The proximity to the
airfield along with communal land-use planning restrictions was the reason why only turbines with a total height of 100 metres have currently been authorised.” (Editor’s note: see also article “Night
lighting”, p. 7.)
At this time relative profitability calculations and the conceptual design under corporate law are being carried out. Further, the financing of the re-powering project has already been inquired.
Repowering projects are an essential part of the energy turnaround
There is still a huge question mark concerning profitability at the moment – in all projects every-where – due to the point in time as well as the ex-tent of the intervention within the scope of the up-coming amendment to the renewable energy law (EEG). “No matter what the outcome is – reasona-ble transitional periods are indispensable in order to ensure investment security,” says not only Olaf Nicolaisen.
Generally repowering is a typically win-win situ-ation: With the same number of wind turbines the output produced is increased by at least a factor of 2.5. Moreover, the net value added is extended con-siderably. “Without a doubt – repowering projects are an essential part of the energy turnaround,” ac-cording to Nicolaisen. /
ONE OF THE FIRST REPOWERING PROJECTS OF THE
WKN-GROUP: Wind farm Hedwigenkoog in the very North
of Germany
WKN news | 2/201310 11
Technical Operational Management – by expertsENERGY-CONSULT CONCLUDES NEW CONTRACTS: energy-consult’s Technical Operational Management takes further wind farms under its wings: The Husum team is immediately responsible for the technical management of a 30.4 MW farm in the Hemme Civil Wind Farm (Schleswig-Holstein). On the wind farm various types of wind turbines from several manufacturers contribute to the energy turnaround.
The Bordelum III Wind Farm in Schleswig-Holstein also relies on the expertise of the experienced energy-consult team: 19 turbines of various types with a total output of 52.95 MW are under their technical supervision.
Beyond doubt a top technical condition is the prerequisite for maximising the energy yield of any investment. For this reason an increasing number of operators are taking advantage of the professional operational management of energy-consult. /
New at the House of Future Energies: Again, new colleagues have joined the WKN-Group. WELCOME!
MAY 2013
Maik Göllert
Project Development Germany
WKN AG
Ewelina Szulc
Project Development Poland
Sevivon
JUNE 2013
Adam Kopeć
Technical Drawing
Sevivon
JULY 2013
Beate Pillardy
Group Accounting
WKN AG
Agnieszka Kowalska
Project Development Poland
Sevivon
Sandra Nordqvist
Project Development Sweden
VKS Vindkraft Sverige
Torsten Haering
Commercial Manager
BGZ Fondsverwaltung GmbH
Magali Lopin
Wind & Sites / GIS
WKN France
AUGUST 2013
Natalie Petersen
Apprentice Commercial
Office Administration
WKN AG
Arne Hansen
Apprentice IT Technician
WKN AG
Marcin Domanski
Project Development Poland
Sevivon
SEPTEMBER 2013
Meike Schulz
Controlling & Commercial
Management
WKN AG
OCTOBER 2013
Andreas Hornig-Krause
Legal & Compliance
WKN AG
Carsten Kühne
Sales & Purchasing
WKN AG
Till Fiedler
Project Development Germany
WKN AG
NOVEMBER 2013
Gautier Decaën
Project Development Review
WKN AG
Stefan Rühs
Finance
WKN AG
New WKN branch in bella RomaWKN ITALY: Light flooded and equipped with all the modern facili-ties, easily accessible and – what is simply essential for the Italians – a café bar located right under it: that’s how WKN presents its new office in Italy in the eternal city.
In June it was finally ready. After the dis-creetly prolonged renovation of the facilities the metropolitan WKN Italy team was able to take over their brand spanking new branch office in the capital.
“Not only is the office in Rome exceptional-ly beautiful but it is down-right practical to reach,” WKN Italy Managing Director Dirk Jonassen expresses. The building is situated half-way between the airport and the city centre and thus is optimally located. “A WKN head office in Rome along with our branch on Sicily had become necessary since most of our projects are planned in the mean time on the mainland in various regions of Italy,” Jonassen goes on to report. The 49- year-old German has now settled with his family from Munich to Rome and feels as snug as a bug in a rug. Together with Mario Presti who has also been Managing Director of WKN Italy since 2006, he manages WKN activities in bella Italia. /
ImprintPUBLISHER
WKN AG
House of Future Energies
Otto-Hahn-Straße 12–16, 25813 Husum
EDITOR
Catrin Petersen, WKN AG
GRAPHIC DESIGN:
HOCHZWEI
Büro für visuelle Kommunikation GmbH & Co. KG,
Flensburg, www.hoch2.de
PRINTING
Druckhaus Leupelt GmbH & Co. KG
Handewitt, www.leupelt.de
House of Future Energies Competence Centre and Think Tank
WKN AG
Development, financing and turn-key erection
of wind and solar projects
Tel.: 04841 89 44-100, [email protected]
www.wkn-ag.de
WKN Windkraft Nord Beteiligungs-GmbH
Full partner of windfarm KG’s
Tel.: 04841 89 44-221, [email protected]
www.bgz-gmbh.de
BGZ Fondsverwaltung GmbH
Administration of energy farms
Tel.: 04841 89 44-825, [email protected]
www.bgz-gmbh.de
Capital-Concept Assekuranz GmbH
Insurance Broker since 1991
Tel.: 04841 89 44-938, [email protected]
www.cca-gmbh.de
energy-consult – A WKN trademark
Technical Operations Management
Tel.: 04841 89 44-413, [email protected]
www.energy-consult.net
Innovative Wind Concepts GmbH
Development of wind energy projects
in Middle- and Eastern Europe
Tel.: 04841 89 44-955, [email protected]
www.iw-concepts.de
