8.2 Group: we are independent experts and consult operators of renewable energy systems - for now over 25 years!

  • You are planning to build a new on- or offshore wind park and you still need some support?
  • You intend to buy a wind turbine and need an independent assessment of whether the investment is worthwhile?
  • You have problems with your ground-mounted PV system and need an independent investigation?
  • You have a wind turbine which is already quite old and now you are thinking about what to do in future?
  • You intend to enlarge your old CHP plant and need a respective plant certificate?
  • You have a claim and need an expert opinion for your assurance 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 foundation 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 etc.

Today 40 engineering offices are cooperating nationally 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 65,000 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:

  1. Your company structure - how is that again?
  2. What does 8.2 actually mean?

In order to avoid answering these questions again and again - we will do it now for you:

Your company structure - how is that again?

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 be the solution to our energy problems?" he mused on his way home. The road was long - and then he had a brilliant idea: wind! It's blowing always 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.

But it was not yet that far, because the wind industry was still in its infancy at that time. However, his professional career lead Manfred Lührs via various stations finally 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. That was the foundation stone for our present 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 employees – that was his aim and another independent office should therefore support him. He found the perfect partner in Jürgen Holzmüller, who also had a lot of experience in wind industry and who shared the same ideas and convicitons.

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 also the amount of services offered was steadily increasing. Apart from the area wind, at the moment experts are working also in the areas of solar, CHP, net integration and QHSE under the umbrella of 8.2 .

And that ends up directly in the second question:


What does 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 such 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!“ confesses company founder Manfred Lührs.

We have to admit: the name sometimes bothers us. For example, because no one knows directly what we are doing. 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".

Manfred Lührs's lucky numbers have also brought us luck in any case. 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.“