Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, electricity production from wind turbines was estimated to be around 314 gigawatts per hour - the equivalent to the consumption of up to 170,000 people. The Wincrange wind farm alone can produce electricity to serve 35,000 people, but the site, which is made up of seven large wind turbines, has come under pressure due to the health crisis.
The main reason is the country's classification as a risk zone. The wind farm is a German construction, but recent travel restrictions have made it difficult to bring fitters to the site.
A second issue is the massive drop in electricity consumption in recent months. Lockdown meant consumption dropped due to office and business closures, while favourable winds paired with low consumption has led to frequent negative energy prices, particularly at weekends. The situation, although more stable in recent months, caused major losses for the wind farm in the spring.
In addition to the seven wind turbines in the new Wincrange park, the town has 16 other wind turbines. The first was installed 20 years ago, making the town a pioneering municipality in wind energy. The concept has generally been well accepted by the population. However, the mayor is of the opinion that the municipality has reached its limits and that 23 units are sufficient.
Claude Boever, director at the site, said although wind energy is in tune with the times, he could not imagine seeing turbines on every hill in the region. Photovoltaics currently represent the real competition at this level.
RTL Télé Lëtzebuerg report below (in Luxembourgish):
