World Wind Watch | Green Energy News

July 10, 2005 – Vol.10 No.16

WORLD WIND WATCH.

Scotland, one of the windiest places in Europe, may be poised to be the continent’s capitol of wind energy. (Especially if the latest wind farm plan becomes reality.)

SSE Generation (a division of Scottish and Southern Energy) and Viking Energy have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that is expected to lead to a joint venture that, in turn, would lead to a 600-megawatt wind farm in the Shetland Islands.

The two companies currently have individual plans to build 300 megawatt wind farms in the area. But, the joint venture would combine the two plans into a single facility.

Scottish and Southern Energy already is the U.K.’s largest renewable energy developer. Viking Energy was formed to represent the Shetland Islands Council’s interest in large scale wind energy development. The partnership of the regional government and industry could lead to the construction of Europe’s largest community-backed wind farm.

Once the joint agreement is formalized and plans are made, the project will still need approvals from the Scottish Executive for both the wind farm and an undersea cable to link the project to the mainland.

If built, the project will be able to operate at maximum generating capacity up to 50 percent of the time, making it the most productive wind farm in Europe. Visit Scottish and Southern Energy http://www.scottish-southern.co.uk/

An already constructed wind farm in Scotland - Crystal Rig - is set to grow by 52 new turbines. With more than 100 megawatts added to the existing capacity of 62.5 megawatts, the project will grow to 164 megawatts and be the largest, to date, onshore wind farm in the U.K..

Crystal Rig is being developed by Fred Olsen Renewables Limited and straddles the border of Scotland and England. Visit Fred Olsen at http://www.fredolsen.com/

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) has approved an up to 200-megawatt wind farm to be developed by Forward Energy, a subsidiary of Invenergy of Chicago, Illinois.

The project, to be known as the Forward Wind Energy Center will have up to 133 turbines and located in Fond du Lac and Dodge counties. The project will cover 32,400 acres of operating farmland. Farmers will enjoy the financial benefits of the new crop (wind).

The project will be the largest, single clean energy project built in the state according to the PSC. The state now has 53 megawatts of wind energy capacity. Visit Invenergy at http://www.invenergyllc.com/

The mountainous U.S. state of West Virginia now has only one operating wind farm, the Mountaineer Wind Energy Center. If all goes well - that is permitting is approved - Mountaineer will be joined in 2006 by the Beech Ridge Wind Farm also to be developed by Invenergy.

Beech Ridge will have a capacity of up to 200 megawatts with 50 -130 turbines depending the size of the project that wins approvals. Visit Invenergy at http://www.invenergyllc.com/

Vestas Wind Systems will be providing 36, 2.0 megawatt turbines for installation in four adjacent wind farms in Italy. The order was placed by Italian wind developer Fri-El GreenPower and companies of French power generator EDF. The order for 72 megawatts of new wind capacity included site preparation, installation, commissioning, and grid connection. Visit Vestas at http://www.vestas.com/