Nordex Energy South Africa has confirmed its latest wind turbine, the N175/6.X, is market-ready following testing and deployment earlier this year in Santow, Germany.
The model features a hybrid concrete-steel tower with a hub height of up to 179 metres, the tallest produced by Nordex to date, and is designed to improve efficiency in low-to-medium wind areas such as Mpumalanga.
The turbine includes longer blades and reinforced structural components to manage increased mechanical loads. This technical adaptation aims to increase energy output in regions affected by grid constraints, the company says.
“Hub height is important as more wind energy projects shift inland due to grid access limitations,” says Robert Timmers, MD of Nordex Energy South Africa. The hybrid tower design offers flexibility in construction logistics and potential for local manufacturing, he adds.
The local manufacturing of concrete tower sections could support regional employment, skills development and domestic procurement, aligning with the objectives of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition strategy, Timmers says.
Both the new N175/6.X and existing N163/6.X turbines from Nordex’s Delta4000 platform, currently in use at Eastern Cape wind farms, share common electrical systems. This standardisation aims to facilitate maintenance operations and reduce technical complexities.
