82 metre rotor, gearless direct-drive. One of Enercon's most installed models, and it was built in several power ratings: the E82 E2 at 2.0 and 2.3 MW, the E82 E4 at 3.0 MW. Because the same rotor diameter was offered with different generator and control configurations, it pays to establish which variant you are standing under before saying "E82".
E70 vs E82
Feature
E70
E82
Rated power
2.3 MW
2.0 / 2.3 / 3.0 MW (variant)
Rotor diameter
70 m
82 m
Swept area
3,848 m²
5,281 m² (+37%)
Blade length
~34 m
~40 m
Rotor speed
6.6–16.5 rpm
6–18 rpm
Drivetrain
Direct-drive
Direct-drive (same)
Hub height
64 / 76 / 98 m
78 / 85 / 98 / 108 / 138 m
Assembly time
12–14 days
14–16 days
Gearbox maintenance
None
None
Specifications
Parameter
Value
Rated power
2000 / 2300 kW (E2), 3000 kW (E4)
Rotor diameter
82 m
Swept area
5,281 m²
Blade length
~40 m
Hub height (typical)
78 / 85 / 98 / 108 / 138 m
Rotor speed
6–18 rpm (variable)
Cut-in
2 m/s
Rated wind speed
~12–13 m/s (variant dependent)
High wind behaviour
Storm control — graded reduction, not a hard cut
Generator
Many-poled annular generator, gearless
Gearbox
None
Pitch
Independent electric pitch with backup supply
Model-specific systems
Annular generator
Arrangement: rotor hub coupled directly to the generator rotor; the converter produces grid-compatible output from the low-speed machine.
Advantage: no transmission loss, no gear noise, no reduction-stage failure category.
Difficulty: very heavy and large in diameter — transport and erection planning is built around this one component.
Critical maintenance: the cooling air ducts. Blocked ducts at dusty or salty sites come straight back as a temperature alarm; see Case 04 for the diagnostic pattern.
Storm control
Behaviour: rather than shutting down at a fixed wind speed, the machine progressively reduces blade angle and speed and keeps producing.
Benefit: partial output on stormy days, and fewer repeated stop-start cycles, which matters for structural fatigue.
Common misreading: low power at high wind looks like a fault to an operator. Checking the active control mode in SCADA settles it without a climb.
Pitch and redundancy
Each blade has its own drive, backed by a stored energy source able to feather the blades on grid loss.
On a direct-drive machine the aerodynamic brake is the primary safety function, which makes backup capacity testing a non-negotiable maintenance item.
Yaw
Electric yaw drives on a ring gear; heavier nacelle than the E70, so higher yaw moment.
Typical issue: lubrication starvation leading to bearing drag and oscillation — see Case 03 and Case 06.
Assembly stages (14–16 days)
Days 1–2: crane pad, ground bearing capacity, dedicated lift plan for the annular generator, safety briefing.
Days 3–7: tower erection; varies with concrete/steel hybrid or steel tower, and the tall hub options (108–138 m) extend it.
Days 8–10: generator and hub — the most delicate step, needing a narrow wind window.
Days 11–14: blade installation, ~40 m blades. Longer than the E70 but still manageable compared with 4 MW machines.
Day 15: electrical and control — converter connections, SCADA, backup supply tests.
Day 16: commissioning — grid synchronisation, pitch calibration, storm control parameter verification.
Maintenance schedule
Task
Interval
Note
Visual inspection
Monthly
Blades, nacelle, tower, leak traces
Generator cooling duct cleaning
6 months
The primary job on this design
Ventilation and filter check
3 months
Is airflow normal?
Pitch drive and backup supply test
12 months
Safety function — never skipped
Yaw bearing greasing
12 months
Inspect purged grease for metal
Blade cleaning and surface check
12–24 months
Measurable efficiency gain
Generator insulation (megohm) test
24 months
Moisture and ageing
Bolt torque check
12–24 months
Tower flange and blade root, star pattern
Control software update
As required
Carried out by the OEM
Faults seen most
Generator temperature alarm: nearly always a blocked cooling duct or restricted airflow. Take a physical IR reading before anything else, because sensor drift produces an identical picture.
Storm control mistaken for a fault: normal behaviour misread as a problem.
Pitch calibration drift: a few degrees between blades returns as vibration and lost production.
Yaw lubrication starvation: a blocked line leaves one sector unfed; metal appears in the purged grease.
Gearbox failure: none, by design — the main reason E82 availability figures run ahead of comparable geared machines.