2024-11-25
http://w3.windfair.us/wind-energy/news/2585-project-developers-move-into-more-and-more-markets-exhibitors-at-windenergy-present-wind-farm-plans

Project developers move into more and more markets Exhibitors at WindEnergy present wind farm plans

The wind market is becoming increasingly international, with more and more countries around the globe discovering the benefits of wind for power generating. A broad spectrum of globally operating project developers will present their latest plans in Asia, Eastern and Western Europe, and in America, at the premier fair international fair WindEnergy 2006 in Hamburg from 16 to 19 May. These international companies continue to see joint ventures as the most effective way of developing new markets, as shown by the WindEnergy Study 2006. Its figures indicate that 59% of respondents approach foreign markets by means of joint ventures; the figure in 2004 was still as much as 67%. There are nearly a third now (versus 25% in 2004) who prefer to establish a local company. There were still 10% of respondents who felt that they could develop the international market purely by means of exports.

Good knowledge of the new market is often the most important requirement for success. Valuable information on conditions in today's target markets is provided for trade visitors at the "National Forum" (Hall A3) at the WindEnergy. There will be more than 25 national presentations, from Argentina to the USA, where experts from public authorities, wind energy associations and other competent institutions give information on the legal, political and economic circumstances and developments, which vary from one country to another.

The Bremen based company WPD AG (Hall A1) is successful in Taiwan and recently won the award for the "Deal of the year" with its 50 MW wind farm Miaoli there (with investment of €65 million). A further 75 MW are to follow in 2008. In Portugal, a WPD-led consortium submitted a proposal for the "1000 MW wind energy tender" to the government, and in Spain they are currently planning wind farms with a total of approx. 100 MW, and the same in Italy. There is a dependable planning situation for wind energy remuneration on the Iberian peninsula - turbine operators can choose between a fixed-price remuneration per kilowatt hour generated, or trading on the daily market. "In France, we want to put 390 megawatts of wind power onto the grid in the next three years, 120 MW of these as early as next year", says WPD Press Officer Christian Schnibbe.

WPD also targets Eastern European business, in cooperation with EnerSys GmbH (Hall A1), which is likewise a WindEnergy exhibitor. The two companies have plans in Croatia to get the 12 MW Trtar-Krtolin wind farm on the Dalmatian coast on stream by summer. That would only be Croatia's second wind farm, but EnerSys Managing Director Dr. Hartmut Brösamle is confident that he will be able to implement further projects on the Adriatic coast in the near future. EnerSys mainly provides international project development know-how, while WPD is responsible for financing and project implementation.

Another exhibitor at the WindEnergy is Bucharest-based Green Energy (Hall A1), which intends to build a 20 MW wind farm in Romania before the end of this year. That would multiply the installed wind power in Romania by more than twelve times "at one blow", because current wind turbines there only amount to 1.4 MW.

The project developer renergys (Hall A1) is active in Brazil and elsewhere. A joint venture between SES and renergys is proceeding there with the Brazilian partner Bioenergy Geradora de Energia, for construction of the "Millennium Wind Farm" project in the Province of Paraiba. It has obtained the important Proinfa grid feed-in remuneration, and finance approval by the BNB Bank. All in all, SES plans wind farms totalling 350 MW. In Germany, renergys operates the 76.5 MW Dahme wind farm, one of the largest in the country. "In France, we are developing projects for wind farms amounting to 24 MW, and we are already thinking of establishing wind power of 50 to 60 MW per annum", says renergys spokesperson Beatrice Bod. All in all, plans in Europe and Brazil add up to 450 megawatts by the end of 2007.

France and the UK are the main target markets for Enertrag AG (Hall A3), another exhibitor in Hamburg, which makes lighting and operating systems for wind turbines. The subsidiary Enertrag France Sarl has implemented its third project in northern France, operating wind farms there with a total of 28 MW, and with another 44 MW in planning. The British subsidiary Enertrag UK will put its 18 MW wind farm North Pickenham near Norwich on stream this year, and has two further wind farms with a total of some 50 MW in the project pipeline for implementation by early 2008.

WKN (Hall A3) is another global player at WindEnergy 2006. The subsidiary Windkraft Nord USA Inc. in San Diego wants to set up a 63 MW wind farm in Texas, and "US wind farms with another 116 MW are in development," says WKN press officer Catrin Petersen. In Italy, the company has started a joint venture with aerosol for construction of the 72 MW large-scale project "Francoforte" in Sicily, and already plans further wind farms with 50 MW. The intended WKN wind farms in Spain are of similar size. In France, the planners intend to start with a "standard project" with 12 MW, due to the restrictions applicable there. "Within Eastern Europe, we are putting out our feelers towards Hungary," adds Petersen. In Poland, wind farms with a total of 63 MW are currently in preparation.
Source:
WindEnergy
Author:
G.Blickle
Email:
gudrun.blickle@hamburg-messe.de







Keyword Search

© smart dolphin Gmbh 1999 - 2024