In Oberwiera, in the Zwickau district, a nearly new, massive wind turbine is set to be dismantled starting in July 2026 following complaints from local residents about persistent noise. The operator notified the environmental authority of the planned dismantling on June 16, 2026, as even replacing the gearbox failed to provide an adequate solution. The turbine had gone online in December 2023—ranking as Saxony’s largest—and is now being removed after just over two and a half years.
From engineering giant to demolition candidate: Why the XXL wind turbine is set to disappear
The turbine was not Germany’s largest, but it ranked among the country’s biggest onshore installations. In Saxony, it held a unique position with a total height of around 250 meters. It also featured a hub height of 169 meters and a rotor diameter of 162 meters.
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Manufacturer Vestas marketed the V162 platform as a technical evolution designed for sites with low to medium wind speeds. The large rotor was intended to generate high electricity yields, while the turbine—with a capacity of six megawatts—was theoretically capable of supplying up to 5,000 households. It is precisely this high-performance promise that makes the decommissioning particularly sensitive from both political and technical standpoints.
Noise complaints hit a flagship project backed by policymakers
Although the turbine held an operating permit, reports from the dpa news agency indicate that it operated at reduced capacity from the very beginning. The manufacturer replaced the gearbox last year, but the intervention resulted in only partial improvement. Consequently, the operator and manufacturer agreed to dismantle the turbine.
State policymakers have been pushing for more land designated for wind power for years. Saxony is required to designate land covering 1.3 percent of its total area by 2027, with the target rising to 2.0 percent by 2032. However, the Oberwiera case demonstrates that political expansion targets do not guarantee trouble-free technology.
Subsidy issues remain complex following decommissioning
It is impossible to determine a precise figure for the direct subsidies allocated to this specific project based on public records. In principle, however, the turbine could generate guaranteed revenue through the EEG (Renewable Energy Sources Act) system, provided it fed electricity into the grid and secured a feed-in tariff award. Reduced operation therefore limits potential revenue from electricity generation.
For onshore wind energy, the maximum bid prices in 2023 auctions reached up to 7.35 cents per kilowatt-hour. However, this does not automatically translate into a payout at that level; the actual financial outcome depends on the awarded tariff, the market price of electricity, the volume of electricity fed into the grid, and the market premium.
Decommissioning Entails Specialized Transport and New Cost Considerations
The permit already required a security deposit to cover decommissioning costs. A sum of 250,000 euros had to be deposited for the benefit of the Zwickau district; however, this figure does not reflect the actual total costs. The tower, nacelle, rotor, foundations, cables, crane pads, and access roads all need to be removed.
Logistics will once again impact the region. The rotor blades measure approximately 81 meters in length, requiring specialized transport vehicles, road closures, and precise route planning. For Oberwiera, this marks the end of an XXL wind turbine, even as Saxony continues to seek new wind energy capacity.
Author: Blackout News
Sources: Focus (18.06.26) – Welt (18.06.26) – t-online (18.06.26) – Sächsische Zeitung (19.06.26)