Before a wind turbine feeds its first electricity into the grid, there is often five years of work behind the project. Planning, approval, construction - each phase has its own logic and challenges. A look behind the scenes shows what it takes for wind power to really flow.

Phase One: Planning - the longest part of the journey

A wind farm doesn't start with cranes and concrete - it starts with files. Site analyses, environmental assessments, coordination with authorities: The approval phase in Germany typically lasts four to five years.¹ The actual construction phase only begins when the authorities, nature conservation and network planning have given the green light.

That sounds like a lot of time - and it is. At the same time, there is a strategic leverin this early phase: Those who get on board early can help shape contract partners, turbine manufacturers and essential conditions. This is exactly where the difference lies between a purely existing investment and a real project development.

Phase Two: Foundation - invisible but crucial

Once the permit has been granted, it literally goes to the ground. The site is measured, the ground is prepared for construction - and then the heart of the facility is created: the foundation. It is circular, made of reinforced concrete and weighs several hundred to over a thousand tonnes, depending on the size of the plant. Hardly anything remains visible later.

The substation is connected to the power grid in parallel with the foundation construction: one of the most technically demanding tasks in the entire project. Without this connection, the wind turbine could not deliver a single kilowatt later.

Nature conservation is also present in this phase: Compensation areas for plants and animals must be created, legal requirements must be met. Wind energy and biodiversity are not mutually exclusive, but they require careful planning.

Stage Three: Setup - Precision work at height

Once the concrete has hardened, the visible part of the project begins. Tower segments are delivered and elevated piece by piece - modern onshore turbines reach hub heights of up to 150 meters .{{fn:² Inside, there are cables, sensor wires, and often a service technician lift.

At the very top is the nacelle with the generator. Then comes perhaps the most spectacular moment of the entire construction site: the installation of the rotor blades. In modern plants, each individual blade is 60 to 90 metres long and weighs up to 25 tonnes. The crane lifts them up individually, one millimetre incorrectly adjusted, and the aerodynamics are no longer right.

In the most intensive construction phase, up to 60 professionals work on the construction site at the same time.³ The actual construction of a system nevertheless often only takes a few weeks - the long preparatory work makes it possible. 

Stage Four: Commissioning - only the test counts

Finished is not finished. A comprehensive commissioning phase is ahead of commercial operation: Functional and safety tests, grid integration, trial operation. Once everything has been checked and approved, regular operation and thus the feeding of green electricity into the grid begins.

In Germany, wind power plants are generally designed for a feed-in tariff over 20 years.{{fn:footnote-d}} This creates predictability - for the operator, and for investors involved in such projects.
 

klimaVest: early on when wind farms are built

klimaVest not only invests in finished systems - the ELTIF also focuses on project developments. The reason is: Anyone who enters a project early can actively help shape planning, contract partners and conditions. This creates better purchase returns and long-term value-added potential.

In the wind sector, klimaVest holds holdings in onshore wind farms in Germany, Finland, France and Ireland. This includes a 49.9% stake in a portfolio of 14 onshore wind farms in Germany, which is operated jointly with EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG.3 The guaranteed technical availability of these plants is contractually at 97 percent.

For investors, this means: They are not spectators of a finished project, but involved in a process that is focused on quality and yield from the outset.