Definitions, explanations, facts

Background knowledge

BSH

Abbreviation for the Bundesamt für Seeschifffahrt und Hydrografie in Hamburg (German Federal Ministry for Shipping and Hydrography in Hamburg)

CO2 neutrality

Describes processes or situations which do not change the current global CO2 equilibrium

EEG

Erneuerbare Energien Gesetz, (German Renewable Energies Law), which specifies the nature and extent of subsidies for renewable energies

Remuneration for feeding electricity into the grid

Fixed price for feeding electricity generated from renewable energies into the public electricity grid. In Germany, the Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz (EEG) fixes this price.

Emission

The release of (damaging) substances such as, e.g. CO2 into the environment

Energy suppliers

Companies which generate and market electricity by the use of fossil based fuels or renewable energy sources

Renewable energies

Energy from energy sources, which are constantly replenished (e.g. plants) or which are available in unlimited quantities (wind, solar energy)

European Wind Energy Association

Financial investor

Investors from the financial sector, who make investments purely for earning profits (as opposed to strategic investors, mostly from the same sector)

Generator

Converts kinetic energy into electrical energy

Greenfield development

“On a greenfield site”; a description for development right from the first project phase (as opposed to the takeover of already existing projects)

HGB

Handelsgesetzbuch (German Commercial Code), which specifies the German accounting rules; definitive for the capacity of capital oriented companies in Germany to pay a dividend

High voltage electricity

Electricity with a voltage of more than 1,000 volts, serves to transmit electrical energy with low losses

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)

International accounting rules, whose aim is to standardise the annual accounts of (mostly capital market oriented) companies

Infrastructure funds

Funds which have specialised in investments in the public supply sector (e.g. in the areas of traffic or energy)

IPP (Independent Power Producer)

Joint venture

A business co-operation between two or more companies

Kommanditist (limited liability shareholder)

A shareholder in a Kommanditgesellschaft (KG), who is only liable to the extent of his capital deposit as opposed to a Komplementär, who has full liability

Megawatt

One million watts (physical unit of power, equivalent to energy per unit of time)

“Milestone” principle

Payment of the purchase price in individual instalments according to the progress of a project

Hub

The turbine component to which the rotor blades are attached

Offshore

Before the coast, at sea

Onshore

On the mainland

Prime Standard

Stock exchange segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange with the highest transparency standards

Repowering

Replacing older wind energy turbines with modern, more powerful and thus more efficient turbines

Rotor blade

Rotating part of a wind energy turbine which, by turning, transfers kinetic energy to the generator

Agents

Specialised in the distribution and further marketing of a wind farm to investors through smaller funds

Remuneration system

Regulatory basis for the amount paid for energy fed into the grid

Security of supply

Security of energy consumers regarding price, quality and amount of energy required

Convertible bond

Interest bearing bond, which gives the bearer the right to convert it into shares during a conversion period at a previously specified conversion rate

Wind energy turbine

Converts the kinetic energy of the wind into electrical energy and feeds it into the electricity grid

Average annual wind speed

Measurement of the wind power prevailing in a region