A new wind turbine in Schipkau, Germany, reached its final height of 1197 feet (365 meters). The hub sits at 984 feet (300 meters), making it the tallest wind turbine in the world and the second-tallest structure in Germany.

Built by GICON for the Federal Agency for Disruptive Innovation (SPRIND), the inner tower was erected using a specialized strand-jack system. The crew telescoped it up to the target height and locked it in place. The official launch is set for November.

Building Up for More Wind

The GICON high-altitude wind turbine; Photo: GICON

“365 meters – this is an overwhelming moment for our entire team. What was long a challenging idea and then an equally challenging construction project now stands as a globally unique facility in Schipkau,” Prof. Dr. Jochen Großmann, founder and CEO of GICON, said. “This world record belongs to everyone who contributed with their knowledge, dedication, and perseverance – on the construction site and in the many teams behind the project. We at GICON are extremely proud of this.”

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Higher altitudes have stronger, more consistent wind, creating about twice the energy of a normal turbine with the same rotor size. This pilot plant produces 3.8 megawatts, but future sites will aim for over 7 megawatts.

Next Steps

“The high-altitude wind turbine, invented, developed, and built by GICON and Prof. Großmann, transforms a bold, innovative idea into a concrete solution for a local and space-saving energy supply of the future. Reaching its world record height marks an extraordinary milestone, and we congratulate everyone involved in its construction,” Dr. Martin Chaumet, Innovation Manager at SPRIND, explained. “As the first disruptive innovation approved by SPRIND’s Supervisory Board, this high-altitude wind turbine demonstrates how such innovations can be put into practice.

He continued, “SPRIND and GICON implemented it in a timeframe that is uniquely fast for the wind industry. We gratefully acknowledge Prof. Bendix, who introduced us to the topic of high-altitude wind energy right from the founding of SPRIND.”

Assessments show Germany could add up to 4,000 of these turbines to existing wind farms as a second tier, meaning more wind energy without taking up new land. SPRIND and GICON are currently talking with interested parties in the wind sector to figure out how to market the system next.