Preparing for the upcoming OnWIND – Onshore Wind Energy, which will take place on 2/3 June 2026 in Hamburg, The Voice of Renewables prepared this report on current state and outlook on onshore wind repowering in Germany.

Germany is entering a new phase in its energy transition, with onshore wind repowering projects playing a decisive role in the country’s push to expand renewable capacity. Under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG), Germany aims to almost double its onshore wind capacity from 64 GW in 2023 to 115 GW by 2030. Repowering—replacing older, smaller turbines with fewer, more powerful machines—is emerging as one of the most efficient ways to boost generation while minimising land use.

Between 2025 and 2030, Germany is expected to add 37.8 GW of onshore wind capacity, supported by recent reforms that streamline permitting and accelerate turbine replacement. A key regulatory milestone was the 2024 amendment of the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG), which simplified approval procedures, extended project execution deadlines, and eased site change conditions. These legal adjustments are designed to cut through the red tape that has long slowed down Germany’s wind expansion.

Recent projects highlight the growing momentum of repowering. In Saxony-Anhalt, Siemens Gamesa replaced 50 ageing turbines with just 16 modern 6.6 MW machines at the Elster Wind Farm, boosting electricity generation sixfold. In Lower Saxony, Nordex Group is supplying eight high-capacity turbines for a 56 MW project in Drochtersen. Meanwhile, VSB Group has connected one of Europe’s largest repowering projects to the grid, a 105.6 MW facility that demonstrates the scale and efficiency of modern turbine technology.

Several companies are taking a leading role in onshore wind repowering in Germany. NeXtWind focuses almost exclusively on acquiring older wind farms, typically from the 2007–2011 period, and upgrading them with new turbines to boost capacity and output; the company recently acquired 12 wind farms from Nadara, lifting its repowering capacity from about 140 MW to over 300 MW, and it aims to reach 3,000 MW of generation potential by 2028. ENOVA Power, through its ENOVA Value unit, is similarly active in buying ageing sites for repowering, with recent projects including Schiphorst in Schleswig-Holstein and Börger-Breddenberg in Emsland. Qualitas Energy has expanded its portfolio with multiple wind farms slated for repowering, including one 99 MW portfolio expected to be upgraded to around 173 MW, as well as a 34 MW pipeline spread across several German states. ENGIE Deutschland Erneuerbare GmbH has also made repowering a central part of its strategy, exemplified by the Karstädt project in Brandenburg, where older farms are being modernised to deliver significantly higher output with fewer, more advanced turbines. Finally, WPD Group, already well established as a developer and operator of onshore wind and solar, is increasingly involved in repowering renewable energy plants as part of its broader activities.

The legal framework for repowering remains closely tied to environmental safeguards. Projects involving turbines over 50 metres are subject to environmental impact assessments and mandatory public consultation under the BImSchG. While the streamlined rules introduced in 2024 have accelerated timelines, developers still face challenges in navigating environmental concerns, wildlife protection, and community acceptance. Balancing these priorities is central to maintaining public support for wind energy expansion.

Financing is also flowing rapidly into repowering projects. NeXtWind, a Berlin-based developer, recently secured €1.4 billion in debt financing, with a further €1.3 billion in accordion facilities, to repower over half of its wind farms by 2028. Qualitas Energy has acquired seven wind farms with plans to expand their capacity from 99 MW to 173 MW, enough to supply more than 118,000 households. Global energy major TotalEnergies has also entered the market, acquiring VSB Group for $1.65 billion to access an 18 GW pipeline of projects in Germany and neighbouring countries.

Despite the progress, challenges remain. Grid infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with renewable expansion. The EU estimates that €477 billion in transmission and €730 billion in distribution investments will be required by 2040 to accommodate growing wind and solar capacity. Without rapid upgrades, grid bottlenecks could slow the integration of new repowered projects, threatening the efficiency of Germany’s green transition.

Still, the outlook is broadly positive. Goal100, a Google-backed German think tank suggests that if current trends continue, Germany could exceed its 2030 onshore wind target by 3 GW (≈ 2.6 %), reaching as much as 118 GW thanks to accelerating repowering activity.

With streamlined regulations, strong investor interest, and the backing of major global energy firms, Germany’s onshore wind sector appears on track to remain the backbone of its energy transition, providing both security of supply and progress towards climate neutrality.

Developers / project owners & specialised repowering players

• NeXtWind — specialist repowering/developer that’s buying older portfolios to upgrade capacity. 
• ENOVA / ENOVA Value — dedicated repowering unit within ENOVA; financial close and active projects in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. 
• Qualitas Energy — investor/owner acquiring portfolios with explicit repowering plans. 
• VSB Group (now part of TotalEnergies) — developer/owner with large repowering projects (Elster) and a big German pipeline; acquired by TotalEnergies. 
• PNE AG — developer with explicit repowering activity and asset sales for repowering projects. 
• BayWa r.e. — developer/IPP offering revamping & repowering services and several German repowering case studies. 
• JUWI — long-standing developer and repowering contractor/investor; many repowering installs. 
• WPD Group / Skyborn (wpd) — developer/operator involved across onshore and repowering activities in Germany. 
• Energiequelle GmbH — regional developer/operator that also executes repowering projects. 
• Alterric — developer/owner placing turbine orders for repowering schemes. 

Major utilities & IPPs doing repowering

• RWE — active repowering projects across Lower Saxony/Schleswig-Holstein and public material on repowering. 
• EnBW — utility running repowering projects (e.g. Düsedau) and large renewables investment plans that include repowering. 
• TotalEnergies (via acquisition of VSB) — now a major owner/developer in German onshore pipeline including repowering projects. 
• E.ON / innogy (legacy assets) — utilities and their successor units are active in repowering or asset optimisation (see company portfolios and repowering statements). 

Turbine manufacturers / suppliers (major suppliers to repowering projects)

• Siemens Gamesa — major supplier on German repowering sites (Elster example). 
• Nordex Group — supplying large new machines to repowering projects (Drochtersen example). 
• Vestas — awarded multiple repowering contracts in Germany (e.g. Schacht Konrad II, Meppen). 
• ENERCON — frequently used in German repowering contracts (e.g. Ihlow, Mittelherwigsdorf). 
• GE Vernova — landing turbine supply deals for German repowering projects. 

EPC / construction / O&M / technical partners (often involved in repowering execution)

• JUWI (contracting arm) — project execution and O&M for repowering. 
• BayWa r.e. (services & EPC) — revamping and repowering services. 
• Enercon (EPC & supply) — supply + project delivery for repowering schemes. 
• Local contractors and specialist hauliers / mast suppliers — many regional firms work on dismantling, transport and tower works (examples appear across project press releases). 

Investors, asset managers & finance houses active in repowering deals

• NeXtWind (backed by institutional debt & project finance) — large debt raise to finance repowering. 
• Qualitas Energy (asset manager / investor in repowering portfolios) — portfolio buys with repowering plans. 
• Partners Group (seller of VSB) / TotalEnergies (buyer) — private markets and large corporates active in platform deals that include repowering pipelines. 
• Luxcara, Greencoat, Cubico and other European asset managers — active investors/asset managers in Germany’s wind market (often for greenfield and brownfield, including repowering targets). 

Regional / specialist developers & local players (examples)

• Prokon / Prokon Regenerative — projects and repowering activity (turbine orders with GE Vernova). 
• WindStrom Erneuerbare (local developer) — customer of Vestas for repowering (Schacht Konrad II). 
• Business in Wind / smaller owner-operators — many small regional owners sell to specialised repowering investors (see industry transaction coverage).

Major commercial / investment banks (lead arrangers, bookrunners, project lenders)

• Deutsche Bank — lead arranger and global coordinator on NeXtWind’s €1.4bn green loan and partner with the EIB on wind guarantees. 
• ING Bank — mandated lead arranger and Green Loan Coordinator on NeXtWind’s facility. 
• Landesbank Baden-Württemberg (LBBW) — co-financier of VSB’s Elster repowering (jointly with DZ Bank) and participant in other project financings. 
• DZ BANK — co-lender on the Elster repowering financing. 
• Deutsche Kreditbank (DKB) — recipient of EIB facilities earmarked for small/medium renewables financing, active in German renewables lending. 
• KfW IPEX-Bank / KfW group — active in export/project and long-term financing for wind (including IPEX press releases on onshore wind financing). 

Development / supranational lenders & guarantors

• European Investment Bank (EIB) — provides direct loans and guarantees to support wind projects and to unlock bank guarantee lines (EIB counter-guarantee for Deutsche Bank). 

Institutional investors, infrastructure funds & asset managers (equity / platform buyers)

• Partners Group — large private markets player previously owner of VSB (sold to TotalEnergies). 
• PSP Investments, IMCO, Sandbrook Capital — listed as institutional investors/backers in NeXtWind’s financing. 
• Qualitas Energy — active acquirer of German wind portfolios with repowering intentions. 
• Luxcara, Greencoat / Schroders Greencoat — infrastructure/renewables asset managers that invest in German wind portfolios and may fund repowering or asset optimisation. 
• EB-SIM (EB-Sustainable Investment Management) — fund manager investing in repowering projects (example: investment in 100 MW repowering project). 

Regional / specialist funds, local banks and niche investors

• Regional savings banks / Landesbanks (example: LBBW) — often provide regional project finance and have co-led repowering deals. 
• Specialist renewable funds (e.g. Energy Invest Mittelhessen Fund) — small/medium funds acquiring repowering projects at local level. 

Hedge funds & activist investors with exposure to German onshore renewables (through corporate stakes or platform deals)

• Elliott Management — an activist investor that took a stake in RWE (influencing corporate capital allocation); while not a project financier per se, activist positions can affect repowering investment decisions at major utilities. 
• Apollo-managed funds — participated in deals around TotalEnergies’ broader renewables transactions (appears in press on platform carve-outs and co-investment).

EVENT ALERT:

OnWIND