Wind turbines in Italy: Vestas signs 55 MW wind farm order

Vestas has received an order for a total capacity of 55 MW consisting of 21 units of the V100-2.6 MW wind turbine for the “Orta Nova” wind power plant, which will be located in the Apulia region in Italy.

The order has been placed by Parco Eolico Orta Nova Srl, a special purpose company of Inergia S.p.A., a company exclusively dedicated to the production of renewable energy.

The contract comprises supply and installation of the wind turbines, a VestasOnline® Business SCADA system, as well as a 15-year service and maintenance AOM 4000 agreement (Active Output Management). The AOM 4000 is a full-scope service contract, consisting of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance and consumables, which offers solid risk management for customers, who want an availability guarantee measured against an agreed threshold. This type of contract offers customers assured performance avoiding unforeseen operational costs of any kind.

Delivery of the first turbines is expected to start during the fourth quarter of 2012 and the project is expected to be operational within 2012.

“Our company has been actively operating in the energy sector since 2003, always striving to contribute to the country’s renewable energy mix and further develop new and different technologies,” states Onorio Onori, Chief Executive Officer of Inergia S.p.A., who continues, “for this reason we have once again chosen Vestas’ technological leadership for this new project, which will be the first in Italy with V100-2.6 MW turbines.”

“Based on the V90-3.0 MW turbine, one of the most proven in the industry, with more than 2,400 installations since 2002, the V100-2.6 MW uses technology which has already shown its efficiency and durability in the field,” affirms Juan Araluce, Chief Sales Officer, Vestas Wind Systems A/S and Acting President, Vestas Mediterranean, who continues, “and we are pleased that Inergia S.p.A. has chosen this turbine for its new wind project in Apulia.”

“It is a pleasure for us to announce this new order from Inergia S.p.A, the second one in 2012, after the “Stornara” wind power plant (6 V90-2.0 MW turbines). This new contract confirms Vestas as Inergia’s main supplier which gives us pride and a feedback on our relationship with the company,” states Rainer Karan, General Manager, Vestas Italia, “the Orta Nova wind power plant will be yet another project to be installed in Apulia, where Vestas has installed close to 40 per cent of the region’s overall capacity.”

The “Orta Nova” wind power plant will produce approx. 123,000 MWh per year, which corresponds to an annual saving of 48,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it will provide enough electricity to cover the residential electricity consumption of around 110,000 people in Italy.

Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the global fight against climate change. In Q1 2012, the company reached a significant milestone: 50 GW of global installed capacity, amounting to more than 46,000 wind turbines currently reducing carbon emissions by approximately 55 million tons of CO2 every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence. Today, Vestas has installed turbines in 69 countries, and for our own operations alone we provide jobs for over 20,000 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world.
Vestas in Italy

Vestas has been operating in the Italian market since 1998 through the company Vestas Italia, which is the sales unit in Vestas Mediterranean handing all sales operations and maintenance activities in Italy. This unit is also responsible for the business development activities in the markets of the Balkans, Libya, Egypt and Jordan.

Vestas Italia’s headquarters and main sales office are located in Rome. The company also has an operations office in Taranto, a customer service centre in San Giorgio, as well as service and logistics facilities spread all over the country and on the main islands. In addition, Vestas has two production facilities for blades and nacelles for the V52 and the V90 in Taranto.

Having delivered 2,664 MW in Italy as of 31 December 2011, and with a well-structured service and maintenance organisation, Vestas is the most experienced partner within the wind energy industry in Italy.

Wind power in Italy

1997: 103 MW
1998: 178 MW (+72.9 %)
1999: 283 MW (+59 %)
2000: 427 MW (+50.9 %)
2001: 682 MW (+59.8 %)
2002: 785 MW (+15.2 %)
2003: 904 MW (+15.2 %)
2004: 1,265 MW (+40 %)
2005: 1,718 MW (+35.9 %)
2006: 2,123 MW (+23.6 %)
2007: 2,726 MW (+28.5 %)
2008: 3,736 MW (+37.1 %)
2009: 4,850 MW (+29.9 %)
2010: 5,797 MW (+19.6 %)
2011: 6,737 MW (+16.3 %)

www.vestas.com