Saxony: €10M wind turbine dismantled after 2.5 years due to persistent humming noise

The wind turbine is visible on a hill near the municipality of Oberwiera in the Zwickau district. It has since been dismantled. Source: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

The ten-million-euro wind turbine only went into operation at the end of 2023 and was considered the tallest wind turbine in Saxony at the time. The case is considered unique in Germany.

Following massive complaints from residents, a wind turbine in Oberwiera (Zwickau district) is being dismantled after just two and a half years. The three rotor blades have already been removed and brought to the ground by crane. Only the nearly 170-meter-high tower and the nacelle remain.

The ten-million-euro wind turbine went into operation at the end of 2023 and was considered the tallest wind turbine in Saxony at the time. However, shortly thereafter, complaints from residents about disturbing noise increased. They reported a permanent humming sound, which they compared to the turbine noise of aircraft.

A gearbox replacement did not bring any improvement. The operator subsequently agreed with manufacturer Vestas to dismantle the turbine. They did not provide any information on the costs.

The wind turbine in Oberwiera is being dismantled. Source: Andreas Hummel/dpa

Case in Oberwiera Unique So Far

The case in Oberwiera is considered unique in Germany. According to its own information, the industry association BWE is not aware of any cases in which a wind turbine was completely dismantled for this reason. However, similar problems have been reported elsewhere, such as in the town of Uhingen in Baden-Württemberg.

According to the BWE, almost 30,000 wind turbines are in operation in Germany. Complaints about disturbing noises from them are very rare, the association said.

The honorary mayor of Oberwiera, Holger Quellmalz (CDU), had already announced resistance to any new wind turbines in the 1,000-inhabitant town before the dismantling: "I don't want any more wind turbines in Oberwiera."

Blade of Wind Turbine in the North Sea Breaks Off

Meanwhile, in an offshore wind farm about 90 kilometers northwest of the North Sea island of Borkum, a blade of a wind turbine broke off and temporarily endangered shipping. The 20-meter-long and two-meter-wide rotor blade posed a significant risk to maritime shipping due to its size and nature between the "EnBW Hohe See" and EnBW "He Dreiht" wind farms, the Federal Police reported. It was floating just below the water surface and was therefore difficult to see.

The 20-meter-long rotor blade is being pulled on board via the stern ramp. Source: ---/Bundespolizeiinspektion See Cuxhaven/dpa

The operator of the wind farm notified emergency services after a recovery attempt by its own work vessels was unsuccessful. A Federal Police ship diverted shipping traffic and took the blade, which had been cut into pieces, on board at the scene. The cause of the blade breakage is still unclear, a Federal Police spokesman said. The extent of the damage is also not yet known.

The offshore wind farm "He Dreiht" from energy supplier EnBW is expected to supply 1.1 million households with 64 wind turbines from autumn 2026. The "Hohe See" wind farm has been on the grid since 2019.

dpa/saha