Repowering of wind power plants: Assessing future impacts and needs, exemplified for Austria

Abstract

The expansion of wind power is crucial for meeting climate targets and achieving a more independent energy supply in Austria. When suitable land becomes scarce, repowering provides an opportunity to receive significantly higher yields with the same land use.This thesis investigates how repowering can contribute to national wind energy targets by assessing future technological and economic developments in Austria.The method consists of layered models that integrate a wind park database, simulated and real-world capacity factors, technological trends and an economic sensitivity analysis. Based on this, several repowering scenarios were developed, incorporating regional differences, turbine trends and different installation densities for new developments in Austria.In most scenarios, repowering at least doubles the current energy yield from existing wind park areas by 2050. Modern turbines already produce, on average, three times more than those from 2010 and up to seven times more by 2050. The economic analysis shows that repowering projects are economically viable under a wide range of market conditions, often with payback periods well below the turbine lifetime.The results show that repowering makes a valuable contribution to both the economic and ecological performance of wind energy. It significantly boosts the efficiency of existing wind sites, but meeting Austria’s energy targets can only be done through a combination of repowering and the development of new wind power areas.