RWE has connected a 27MW wind farm (pictured) on the A44n motorway in Germany to the grid.
Its six turbines produce green electricity for around 26,000 households – more than the city of Jüchen has itself.
RWE, the city of Jüchen and the energy supplier NEW will jointly operate the wind farm in the future.
Managing director of NEW Re Michael Theisejans said: “Green electricity from the region for the region – this guiding principle makes a significant contribution to the success of the energy transition.
“We need the acceptance of local people and companies that work successfully with the surrounding communities.
“This wind farm is an excellent example of this.”
Head of RWE’s construction department for wind and solar parks in Germany Agata Schallenberg added: “From the exchange with the authorities to the laying of the last cable – all colleagues and partner companies involved have done a great job.
“The wind farm on recultivated opencast mining areas contributes to RWE’s goal of consistently expanding the share of renewable energy generation in the Rhenish mining area.”
The construction of the new wind farm was necessary because the concrete parts of the hybrid towers of the original wind turbines had been found to have structural defects, RWE said.
The wind farm was not only built from scratch, but also sustainably: large parts of the old turbines, such as nacelles, hubs and rotor blades, could be reused in a resource-saving manner, it added.
RWE holds 51% of shares in the cooperative wind farm, while the city of Jüchen and NEW hold 49%.