World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

July 4, 2004 – Vol.9 No.15

WORLD WIND WATCH.

Today with only 239 megawatts of capacity France is a relatively small player in wind energy.

That is set to change. Since 2001 an additional 852 megawatts of new capacity has been approved by the government with another 2525 megawatts requested by wind developers. And, the French Government wants to do more with plans to add 2000 - 6000 megawatts by 2007 with 500 -1500 of that to be offshore.

The Ministry of the Economy, Finances and Industry wants to start moving forward has issued tenders for both 500 megawatts of on and offshore wind generated electricity. The proposals in the offer to buy offshore wind energy end August 13, onshore October 30 and January 30, 2005 (in two phases.)

Vestas Wind Systems has received an order for 20 NM72/1.5 megawatt turbines for what is the first phase of the Portland Wind Energy Project in Victoria, Australia.

When complete, Portland, being built by Pacific Hydro, will have a capacity of 195 megawatts and will double Australia’s wind capacity. Portland will also be the largest wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere.

Confidant that the wind industry will grow in Australia, Vestas is building a blade factory there. Their facility in Portland will be able to produce 100 sets of turbine blades per year with 50 employees.

The announcement of the turbine order and factory go-ahead came before a press release from Australia’s Minister for Industry, Tourism and Resources Ian Macfarlane entitled Energy White Paper Fans a Good Breeze.

Pacific Hydro called the press release a farce and a disaster for the Australian renewables industry. The Australian government wants to pursue untested carbon sequestration to control greenhouse gas emissions instead of pursuing renewables.

Vestas also received orders for 26 V90/3.0 megawatt turbines for a wind farm in Portugal and another order for 29 V80/2.0 megawatt turbines for installation in Greece. Visit Vestas at http://www.vestas.com/ , Pacific Hydro at http://www.pacifichydro.com.au/ .

The Wind Turbine Company (WTC) has been awarded a $800,000 contract with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to continue prototype testing and development of the company’s down-wind, two-rotor-blade, 750-kilowatt turbine.

The company was formed in 1990 and has yet to have a commercial product. The turbine under development in this contract award has smaller capacity than those typically used in most new wind farms. However, the company claims their design is aimed at reducing the cost of wind-generated electricity by approximately one-third.

Visit the Wind Turbine Company at http://www.windturbinecompany.com/ .