Nordex has commissioned TÜV SÜD to carry out the type certification of their new wind turbine N149/4.0-4.5. Type certification of wind turbines is a procedure recognised at international level for establishing that these complex technical systems comply with international standards.

The Nordex Group is an international leading supplier of wind turbines. Their focus is on powerful multi-megawatt turbines. The new wind turbine N149/4.0-4.5 has a rated output of 4.5 Megawatt (MW) and a rotor diameter of 149.1 metres and can also be operated in alternative modes, depending on site specific requirements, at a maximum output of between 4.00 MW and 4.50 MW. It is installed onshore with hub heights between 105 and 164 m and is also suitable for cold climate sites.

Within the scope of wind turbine type certification, TÜV SÜD's experts will examine and assess the overall design and all key components of the wind turbine. Certification is aimed at confirming the quality of standard-conforming design and production and the wind turbine's power performance. "Investors, project engineers and wind-farm managers worldwide rely on wind turbines certified according to international standards", says Dr Alexander Kupzok, Team Leader Wind Turbine Type Certification, TÜV SÜD Industrie Service GmbH. "Given this, type certification is regarded as a prerequisite for tendering in international wind energy projects." It is a recognised procedure and frequently represents the first step within the scope of the project certification process.

Nordex commissioned TÜV SÜD to perform not only type certification, but also type approval of its turbines according to the 2012 DIBt guideline based on German building code. Completion of certification, followed by market launch and serial production, is scheduled for 2019.