8.2 Group: we are independent experts and advise operators of renewable energy systems - now over 25 years!
Do you...
- plan to build a new on- or offshore wind park and still need some support?
- intend to buy a wind turbine and need an independent assessment of whether the investment is worthwhile?
- have problems with your ground-mounted PV system and need an independent investigation?
- have a wind turbine which is already quite old and now you are thinking about what to do in future?
- intend to enlarge your old CHP plant and need a respective plant certificate?
- have a claim and need an expert opinion for your insurance company ?
- ...
For all these and even further questions you will find the perfect contact and problem solver in our worldwide 8.2 network with more than 180 experts from the areas of wind, PV, CHP, QHSE and grid integration!
Since the founding of the first 8.2 engineering office in 1995, it took only a few years to develop a complete network of independent experts and specialists in various fields of expertise:
- Vibration analysis,
- Boroscopy,
- Condition Monitoring,
- Glass fibre composites,
- Rotorblade inspection by rope access,
- Foundation control .
Today more than 40 engineering offices operate both in Germany as well as internationally under the umbrella of 8.2 Group e.V. We offer comprehensive consulting services and perform technical inspections for wind energy plants on- or offshore, solar and combined heat & power plants as well as for electrical grids / grid integration.
Up till now our 8.2 team has performed more than 80,000 technical inspections and 20 GW technical Due Diligence projects all over the world.
What does 8.2 actually mean?
These are the 2 questions which we are always asked
Whether at exhibitions or in customer meetings - we get these two questions again and again:
- Your company structure - what is it again?
- What does the name "8.2" actually mean?
In order to avoid answering these questions again and again - we will do it now for you:
Your company structure - what is it again?
The Sunday driving ban during the oil crisis of the 70s - that's how it all began.
Manfred Lührs, then a student of mechanical engineering and welding technology, had to push his moped home after a party because of the current driving ban. "What could the solution to our energy problems be?" he mused on his way home. The road was long - and then he had a brilliant idea: wind! It's blowing constantly and everywhere. "I have to do something with renewable energies - that's the solution to our energy problems," he decided when he finally arrived home.
At the time, the wind industry was still in its infancy. However, through various positions in his professional career Manfred Lührs finally made it to his aim: in 1995 he founded his own engineering office at his old master yard in Süderdeich where he could realize his vision as expert for renewable energy. This office laid the foundation for our current company!Soon he had so much success with his work as an expert and consultant for wind turbines that he urgently needed help. Simply hiring employees - no, that was not in line with his „8.2 Vision“. Independent partners – that was his aim and another independent office should therefore support him. He found the perfect partner in Jürgen Holzmüller, who also had extensive experience in the wind industry and who shared the same ideas and convictions.
During the following years many other engineers joined with their offices who also shared the visions of Manfred Lührs and Jürgen Holzmüller.
Thus, the project "8.2“ grew and the amount of services offered steadily increased. Apart from the area of wind, our experts are currently also working in the areas of solar, CHP, net integration and QHSE under the umbrella of 8.2 .
And that leads us directly into the second question:
What does our name "8.2" actually mean?When Manfred Lührs decided to become an independent engineer, he needed a name for his project. The name should be surprising, one to be kept in mind and not just an ordinary name with the term "wind" in it.
And then he had his decisive thought: the hexagonal bolts in wind turbines have a number embossed on the head to indicate the material. For wind turbines, the most common ones are 8.8, 10.9 and 12.9. „8.2 does not exist but 8 and 2 are my favourite numbers!“ confessed company founder Manfred Lührs.
We have to admit: the name sometimes bothers us. For example, no one knows directly what we do. Or because you can't register a URL that contains a dot. But at least: sometimes our name brings us advantages! In trade fair directories, for example, we are always at the top - even before companies that begin with "A".
In any case, Manfred Lührs's lucky numbers have also brought us luck. And he himself is still enthusiastically involved and supports the "newcomers" at 8.2 with his experience.
But for how long?
"8 and 2 are actually my favourite numbers“, said Manfred Lührs „so I guess I'll keep going until I am 82 years old.“