The Aloys Wobben Foundation, owner of turbine manufacturer Enercon, and German utility EWE have agreed to set up a joint venture company to pool their onshore wind activity.
The 50/50 joint venture will have a 2500MW portfolio based on existing wind capacity and a project pipeline of 2300MW. EWE will be responsible for managing the new company and Aloys Wobben will chair the supervisory board. Talks to finalise the new partnership will conclude this year.
The joint venture will enable Enercon to focus on its core competencies in wind farm development and construction, as well as turbine sales and servicing, said Aloys Wobben chief executive Heiko Janssen.
“The planned joint venture with EWE is therefore an important building block for the Aloys Wobben Foundation for the ongoing realignment of the Enercon Group and offers good opportunities to further develop the value of the portfolio and project pipeline together with a regional partner,” Janssen added.
EWE chief executive Stefan Dohler said: “We share with the Aloys Wobben Foundation the shared vision of a climate-friendly energy supply based on renewable energies. For this reason, the expansion of wind energy is a key strategic growth area for EWE.”
EWE and Aloys Wobben are both based in the north-west of Germany. Dohler said it was an “obvious and sensible step” to bundle both companies’ “strength and experience” in the region.
