The German Perspective, Part 2: A Resilient Renewable Energy Leader (wind)

[jpak]

http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=54420

When Hermann Albers inherited his father's 80 hectare farm in northern Germany in 1981, he soon realized that it would be necessary to supplement his income. At that time, many family farmers around the country were leaving for urban areas in search of higher paying jobs. But Albers was determined to stay. Finally, in the early 90's with the introduction of the first feed-in tariff (FIT), he found his answer: Wind power.

In 1993, Albers finished installing 11 turbines, each 400-kW, on his plot of land. The project cost €8 million euros — a hefty price tag for a farmer. But the decision was the right one, he says. Today the project is comprised of three 5-MW turbines that produce 60 million kilowatt-hours each year, providing him with a sizable revenue stream that has allowed him to expand the original farming operations he inherited.

“I took the chance. I was young and stupid to do this,” Albers says with a chuckle. “Now it doesn't seem so stupid.”

Since his initial investment, Albers has established a fruitful career in the field of wind power. He is currently the President of the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) and has participated in the development of four other projects over the last decade, including a planned 240-MW community-owned offshore wind park, which he hopes will be completed within three years.

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