Enercon’s direct marketing unit Quadra Energy and independent power provider Greenpeace Energy have concluded a ‘green power purchase agreement’ (Green PPA) for power from wind turbines no longer receiving support under Germany’s Renewable Energy Act (EEG) from 2021 onward.
Initially, Quadra Energy will pool operating Enercon machines with a generation capacity of 50MW and supply Greenpeace Energy – which was founded by the global green campaign group but operates independently – with around 60 gigawatt hours of electricity per year.
A first 4GW in wind power capacity will lose feed-in tariff support in 2021 when their 20-year subsidy period ends. Germany’s EEG first came into force in 2000. EEG support will end for a further 10-11GW until 2025, Norwegian utility Statkraft estimated, which has also closed first PPAs for post-EEG wind capacity.
The first 50MW PPA will amount to about 13% of the total energy purchased by Greenpeace Energy, which also produces electricity from its own renewables projects.
“The conclusion of the ‘Green PPA’ is just the first step of the cooperation between the two companies. Quadra Energy is to become an important strategic partner for Greenpeace Energy in the future,” said Greenpeace Energy board member Sönke Tangermann.
“The cooperation between our two companies enables operators and owners of existing WECs [wind energy converters] to continue operating them profitably,” says Holger Clever, managing director of Quadra Energy.
Quadra Energy and Enercon have developed a service and marketing concept for operators and owners that is adapted to the post-EEG situation called Green Power Purchase and Service Agreement (Green PPSA) that will be offered during the Husum Wind fair that starts in the northern German coastal town Tuesday.
The existing Dorna wind farm in Saxony-Anhalt was the first to be added to the ‘20+’ pool by Quadra Energy. Its 13 turbines will no longer receive a FIT under the EEG from January 2021 onwards, but through the scheme can carry on operating profitably until their scheduled repowering.
