WKN, a company within the PNE Wind Group, is named Schleswig-Holstein’s first “fair wind farm planner”

The Husum-based wind energy project developer WKN AG and its subsidiary WKN WERTEWIND GmbH are the first companies to be awarded the “Fairer Windparkplaner Schleswig-Holstein” seal. To receive this label, companies must comply with the guidelines for fair wind energy expansion in Schleswig-Holstein. The guidelines have been developed by the Wind Energy Technology Institute (WETI) at the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences. These companies place great emphasis in their day-to-day work on fair planning for all parties involved, as well as on a high degree of transparency.

This new seal is based on a voluntary agreement with developers in Schleswig-Holstein and, by means of compliance with established criteria, aims to ensure clear and transparent project planning. These guidelines are an initiative of the Federal State of Schleswig-Holstein as well as the wind energy sector itself. They are published by the Wind Energy Technology Institute (WETI) at the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with a committee of experts. The independent inspection body is located at SCS Hohmeyer|Partner GmbH in Flensburg, Germany. Key criteria are the provision of detailed information regarding planning process transparency, fair contract practices, offering of financial investment options, regional support and added value. The inspection body conducts annual audits to ensure planners are keeping to the terms of their voluntary commitment.

WKN AG has been planning and developing wind farms in its home market of Schleswig-Holstein and beyond since 1990. “Our priority has always been to realise projects in close cooperation with the community, land owners and local residents,” says Roland Stanze, COO of Husum-based WKN AG. “In recent years in particular, these aspects have become immensely important for pioneers in wind technology operating in Schleswig-Holstein. It is with this in mind that we founded WKN WERTEWIND, which aims to enhance trust in wind energy, particularly in Schleswig-Holstein. We are very happy to receive this seal and see it as recognition of our philosophy,” adds Andreas Hornig, Head of Project Development in Germany.

Martin Jahn, Managing Director of the new inspection body, also commented: “We are very happy to finally be able to start awarding the new seal. With WKN AG and WKN WERTEWIND GmbH as pioneers and the first seal bearers, we hope that wind energy will see a rise in public acceptance in Schleswig-Holstein.”

To find out more about the “Faire Windparkplaner Schleswig-Holstein” seal, visit www.fairewindenergie-sh.de

WKN AG

WKN AG has planned, installed and operated turnkey wind energy farms in Germany since 1990. In addition, WKN AG is internationally represented by subsidiaries and joint-ventures in numerous European countries, South Africa and the US. Up to now, the company has initiated and realized projects with a total of about 1,450 megawatts capacity.

The headquarters of the WKN-Group are located at the “House of Future Energies”, an established centre of excellence for renewable energy sources in Husum/Germany. About 89 percent of WKN shares are owned by PNE WIND AG located in Cuxhaven/Germany while approx. 11 percent are held by private and institutional shareholders.