The wind power turbine in Galidorf is the tallest in the world. But it’s not the only interesting fact about this newly built wind tower.

The town Gaildorf, near Stuttgart in southwest Germany, is now home to the world’s largest wind turbine. Max Bögl Wind AG constructed the turbine, and its central hub alone measures some 178 meters (584 feet). With the length of the rotor blades added to that, the turbine’s height is 246.5 meters (808.7 feet).

The wind turbine is part of a wind farm of an additional three turbines, 155 meters in height. The turbines generate 3.4 MW each. Able to generate an average of 10,500 MWh every year. Enough electricity to power 2,500 four-person households.

Their exceptional height is not the only interesting part about them, the turbines are also energy storage facilities. Inside each of the wind turbines, there is a 40 meters high – built-in – water reservoir in the bottom part of the turbine tower.

The water towers are part of a system with a pumping plant and A penstock connects them with a hydroelectric power station and its lower reservoir located 200 meters deeper into the valley. This energy storage concept uses the foundation of the wind turbine as a water reservoir to create a ‘water battery’.

When there is an excess of electricity in the grid, the wind turbines pump up water to harness potential energy and then releases water depending on the needs and electricity prices. The water reservoirs have a storage capacity of 70 MWh. The pumped-storage plant is able to switch between production and storage within 30 seconds.

“Without large-scale and forward-looking projects and ideas, the energy transition in Germany cannot succeed. With the water battery and hybrid towers, we are making wind energy a more attractive and efficient source of clean energy while also setting new records,”

– Josef Knitl, Board Member at Max Bögl Wind AG.

The wind farm was built by the German company Max Bögl Wind AG and General Electric Renewable Energy.