Finland’s largest wind energy plant starts test run

Finland’s largest wind power station has started test running in Tornio in northern Finland and will start commercial operation at the beginning of 2011, Finnish media reported Wednesday.

The new wind farm was constructed by Finland’s Rajakiiri Company at the onshore area in Tornio. Having installed eight Siemens (NYSE:SI) wind turbines rated at 3.6 megawatts each, the wind power station will most likely produce 85,000 megawatt hours per year, which would be enough to power about 5,000 households.

According to the company, Finland’s installed capacity of wind energy will increase by 20 percent following the new wind power station’s commercial service.

The Finnish government has been strongly supporting the development of wind energy in recent years. The target is to have 6 terawatt hours worth of wind energy annually by 2020. Total installed wind power capacity in Finland has reached 170 megawatt with 125 wind turbines in operation by September 2010.

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