RWE commissions wind farm on former opencast mining site

Since spring 2024, the company has installed six 5.7 MW wind turbines on recultivated land at the Inden opencast mine. This also benefits the local community. RWE pays the surrounding municipalities €0.2 per KWh produced. The new wind farm in Aldenhoven is expected to generate revenues of up to €150 000 per year. RWE plans to start construction of two additional 7 MW wind turbines near the new wind farm in Düren-Merken at the beginning of 2026. The company has recently made the investment decision for this project.

Katja Wünschel, CEO RWE Renewables Europe & Australia, commented: “We consider the Rhenish lignite area to be an ideal location for wind power. We have already installed wind turbines with a combined output of 249 MW. We are currently constructing a further 77 MW, and more projects are ready and waiting. The Aldenhoven wind farm is a prime example of efficient electricity generation on recultivated land. It demonstrates collaboration with the relevant authorities and local communities, as well as structural change in action. Six wind turbines can now generate electricity for an estimated 24 000 households on the site of the former Inden opencast mine.”

Onshore wind energy plays a decisive role in the energy transition, forming one of the cornerstones of the expansion of renewable energy sources. RWE is currently constructing wind farms in its home market of Germany with a planned total capacity of 170 MW (676 MW already in operation), including 77 MW in the Rhenish lignite area (Bergheim Wiedenfelder Höhe, Bedburg; 249 MW already installed in the Rhenish lignite area). To establish a strong presence in the regional wind and solar industries, RWE has its headquarters in Essen, as well as nine regional offices throughout Germany.

For more news and technical articles from the global renewable industry, read the latest issue of Energy Global magazine.

Energy Global's Summer 2025 issue

Dive into the latest renewable energy insights in the Summer issue of Energy Global, out now! This edition features a guest comment from Change Rebellion on the role real change management can play in the global energy sector before a regional report, which looks at energy trends and transformations across the Americas. Other key topics are also explored, including offshore support vessels, floating wind, weather analysis, and battery storage. Contributors include Ørsted, CRC Evans, Miros, Solcast, and more, so don’t miss out!

Read the article online at: https://www.energyglobal.com/wind/20082025/rwe-commissions-wind-farm-on-former-opencast-mining-site/