Continental will build its first company-owned wind farm near its Korbach tyre plant in Hesse, Germany, as it looks to reduce energy-market exposure and strengthen production competitiveness. The project, planned in Twistetal around eight kilometres from the plant, will combine wind and existing solar power to cover about two-thirds of the site’s electricity demand.
The tyre maker plans to install three Nordex N175/6.X wind turbines, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. Commissioning is expected about 18 months later. Continental says the turbines will generate around 55 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to supply about 15,000 households.
The investment is in the mid-double-digit million-euro range, and all required permits have been obtained. Nordex has separately confirmed a 20 MW order for three latest-generation turbines for the Twistenberg wind farm serving Continental’s Korbach site.
Continental says the wind farm, combined with photovoltaic systems already operating at Korbach, will directly support tyre production. Electricity from the project will be used in processes including rubber mixing and extrusion, where power demand is high and energy-cost volatility can affect manufacturing margins.
Dr Bernhard Trilken, Head of Manufacturing and Logistics at Continental Tires, said the company-owned wind turbines would give the plant more predictable energy costs and reduce exposure to volatile energy markets. He said this was important for competitive tyre production in Germany and could become a blueprint for other Continental sites worldwide.
Korbach produces tyres for passenger cars, motorcycles, bicycles and industrial applications. The plant employs around 2,400 people and is already part of Continental’s broader sustainability work. Tyre News recently reported that Continental’s Korbach plant had earned ISCC PLUS certification, supporting traceability for renewable and recycled inputs used through mass-balance systems.
The project also follows Continental’s wider move away from higher-emission plant energy. Tyre News previously reported that the manufacturer had phased out coal and heavy fuel oil across all tyre production sites by January 2026, switching steam generation and heating to alternative energy sources including biomass, biogas and renewable electricity.
For tyre manufacturers, energy sourcing is becoming a competitiveness issue as well as an environmental one. Mixing, extrusion, curing, steam generation and site heating all require reliable energy. Direct renewable generation can help reduce exposure to wholesale energy swings, although plants still need backup infrastructure when wind and solar output fluctuates.
Continental says Korbach will act as a pilot for future site-level renewable energy projects. The company is assessing other tyre plants for similar schemes, considering wind and solar conditions, regulation, storage options, existing energy systems and economic viability.
Klaus Ohlwein, Head of the Continental tyre plant in Korbach, said the wind farm would help the site cover a significant share of its electricity needs from its own renewable sources at more predictable costs. He said the electricity would be used directly in production, including mixers and extruders.
The company says it has covered its global purchased electricity demand with renewable energy since 2020, using long-term supply contracts and on-site generation. It also says it has cut absolute greenhouse gas emissions from tyre production by about 180,000 tonnes of CO₂e over the past four years by switching to lower-emission energy sources.
In practical terms, the Korbach project points to a broader change in tyre manufacturing. Energy infrastructure is becoming part of plant strategy, especially in Europe, where industrial power costs, carbon targets and supply security increasingly shape investment decisions.
Tagged with: Continental, Korbach tyre plant, wind energy, renewable electricity, tyre manufacturing, Nordex turbines, solar power, tyre production, sustainable manufacturing, German tyre industry, energy security, CO2 reduction
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