Höhlerberg Wind Farm Expansion: Last Site Agreement Signed

The wind turbine project in the Helgenwald forest in the German municipality of Fernwald has now cleared a crucial hurdle: The land lease agreement for the last site where wind turbines will be erected has been discussed, reviewed, and unanimously accepted by the Fernwald local council. This means that the project can continue to move along according to plan and that the next stages can now begin.

Key information

The four N175 wind turbines have a total height of 179 meters and a rated capacity of 27 MW. And as the owner of the land where they will be erected, the municipality of Fernwald is involved in the project. This means that the wind turbines will not just be supplying 14,000 four-person households in the region with green power, but also that the lease income derived from them will directly benefit the community.

“By signing this lease agreement, we’re clearly showing how we want our community to develop sustainably. This wind farm expansion will boost the regional creation of value and enable Fernwald to contribute proactively to the energy transition in a lasting manner – both economically and environmentally. It also goes without saying that when facilities that use renewables are built in the immediate vicinity of our community, we believe that it’s only right and logical that Fernwald benefit in a real way. So we will not be limiting ourselves to passively supervising this development, but are instead interested in actively helping shape it,” Mayor Manuel Rosenke said.

“Expanding the wind farm not only represents clear added value for Fernwald, but will also reinforce the region’s local energy infrastructure in the long term. To put it succinctly, projects like this show that community engagement and business investments can go hand in hand and deliver a solid and important contribution to our energy transition together,” confirms Nicolas Christoph, the Corporate Director of Wind Power, Solar, Hydro & Business Development at Koehler Renewable Energy.

Part of a bigger plan

The four wind turbines that will be erected in Fernwald are an addition to the Höhlerberg wind farm, which is already under construction. Windenergiepark Höhlerberg GmbH & Co. KG, which is developing and will be operating both the Höhlerberg wind farm and the expansion area in the Helgenwald forest, is a joint venture between Qair and Koehler Renewable Energy. Together, these two companies are pursuing a long-term strategy with diversified approaches that includes not only this project, but also others in the region, with one example being the Steinbach solar farm. This means that the area is gradually growing into a key hub of renewable energy for the region, all while being accompanied by extensive nature and species conservation measures.

“By expanding the Höhlerberg project, we’re advancing a forward-looking project in the region. It highlights just how strong our joint commitment to the German state of Hesse is and how we’re focused on being continuously there on the ground where we’re needed. Also, we’re simultaneously boosting the regional creation of value and delivering long-term partnerships and dependable prospects for the community and landowners. At the same time, we’re doubling down on our commitment to the energy transition throughout all of Germany – gradually and in close coordination with the various relevant regions,” explains Qair Project Manager Anna Fritsch.

Next project stages – expansion area in the Helgenwald forest

As of this writing, the submitted application documents are being completed. Once this is done, a public hearing will be held by the Gießen regional board, which will in turn carry out all the associated activities required by law in order to ensure that the public has the opportunity to provide adequate input and participate in the process. Moreover, these activities include ensuring that all public agencies and entities, such as local authorities, are involved in the process as well. Qair and Koehler Renewable Energy expect for the process to be completed and the corresponding permit to be issued before the year is over.

Next project stages – Höhlerberg

The preparation work for construction at the Höhlerberg site was recently carried out, and the corresponding earthworks are slated to begin in mid-March of this year. This stage will include removing topsoil, preparing the foundation pits, and building an access road for vehicles and deliveries. Needless to say, all this construction work will be closely supervised with environmental and soil monitoring.

Once the aforementioned earthworks and access road are completed, things will be ready for the next stages in the construction project. Work on the project’s power lines is scheduled to begin in August of this year and will take around 60 days and be done by the end of October.

Finally, the foundations for the two Nordex N163 wind turbines will start being built at the end of June 2026 while earthworks are ongoing. The towers are then expected to be erected at the beginning of November, before the large turbine components are delivered in February of next year. This will be followed by the corresponding installation work, which should start in mid-March 2027 and take about two months before the turbines are put into operation in quick succession: The first wind turbine should go online in April 2027, followed by the second in May 2027.