Vestas bags 39 MW wind turbines order for Italian wind farm

Vestas has signed an agreement to supply 13 of its V112-3.0 MW wind turbines to the Matisse wind power plant, which will be located in Italy’s Apulia region.

Vestas has received an order for a total capacity of 39 MW consisting of 13 units of the V112-3.0 MW turbine for the Matisse wind power plant, which will be located in the Apulia region in Italy.

The order has been placed by Farpower S.r.l., a special purpose company of Whysol Investments, an investment company specialised in the development of greenfield energy infrastructure in Europe.

The contract comprises delivery, transportation, installation and commissioning of the 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 turbines for the Matisse wind power plant is expected to start at the beginning of 2013 and the project is expected to be commercially operational by the first quarter of 2013.

The Matisse wind power plant is Whysol’s second wind power project in Italy and the company has chosen Vestas as supplier for its long-standing track record in relation to experience, innovation and competitive strength in the Italian energy market.

With its outstanding annual energy production, the V112-3.0 MW delivers the best possible returns at medium and low wind sites at a low cost of energy. Moreover, due to the high reliability and productivity we already know from Vestas’ turbines in general, we expect the V112-3.0 MW to be chosen for even more sites in Italy going forward,” says Juan Araluce, Acting President, Vestas Mediterranean and Chief Sales Officer, Vestas Wind Systems A/S.

Rainer Karan, General Manager, Vestas Italia, states: “It’s always a reward for us to be chosen for the first time as supplier for a wind power plant and we look forward to a successful partnership with Whysol Investments. We are ready to deliver highly efficient turbines and strong service capabilities which will ensure a strong business case, as well as more clean energy for the Apulia region and electricity for more than 85,000 inhabitants.”

This wind power plant will produce approx 100 GWh per year, which corresponds to an annual saving of almost 40,000 tons of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, it will provide enough electricity to cover the residential electricity consumption of more than 85,000 people in Italy.

About the V112-3.0 MW

The V112-3.0 MW turbine is the result of Vestas’ more than 30 years of knowledge and passion for wind power and the experience that comes from installing more than 53 GW of cumulative installed capacity worldwide, 65 per cent more megawatts than our closest competitor.

Vestas’ focus on constant innovation and on applying new technological solutions results in increased performance in our wind turbines and a lower cost of energy – ensuring a top-quality business case that generates a solid return on investment for our customers.

The V112-3.0 MW has undergone exhaustive testing to optimise the performance of all components and minimise turbine downtime for servicing. A new blade profile, nacelle design and cooling system deliver optimised operation, while the new generator and full-scale converter technology deliver high, stable plant output complying with most stringent grid requirements worldwide.

The V112-3.0 MW also demonstrates Vestas’ focus on providing solutions for the entire global wind energy sector: a turbine that offers a better way to harness the world’s ample supplies of low and medium winds and provides excellent grid support contributing to higher grid stability. The V112-3.0 MW is designed to make it easier to transport and install at sites where installations of a wind farm presents significant challenges.

Vestas has received an order for 13 V112-3.0 MW wind turbines for Italy.

As of 30 June 2012, Vestas has delivered 101 V112-3.0 MW all over the world representing a cumulative capacity of 303 MW, and it has received more than 3 GW of firm orders for this model.

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. The Italian sales unit is also responsible for the business development activities in the markets of Switzerland, 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 currently has two production facilities for blades and nacelles in Taranto.

http://www.vestas.com