ENERCON began its road to economical / ecological success when graduate engineer Aloys Wobben founded the company in 1984. A small team of engineers developed the first E-15 / 16 wind turbine with a rated power of 55 kW. To start with, ENERCON systems still featured gearboxes. However in 1992, the changeover to gearless technology came about with the first ENERCON E-40 / 500 kW. This innovative drive system with few rotating components ensures nearly friction-free energy flow providing outstanding performance and reliability. Mechanical stress, operating and maintenance costs are reduced, and the system’s service life is increased.