Verbund secures wind energy project in Bulgaria
By entering into a wind energy project with an installed capacity of 16 MW, VERBUND-Austrian Renewable Power GmbH has gained access to the Bulgarian market.
The wind farm site is located on the Black Sea Coast in Bulgaria. The project which is currently under construction is anticipated to feed into the grid by the end of the year. The expected annual electricity generation of around 50 GWh will supply approximately 14,000 households with environmentally friendly electricity.
Bulgaria: A boom in wind energy projects
The Bulgarian wind market is one of the most dynamic in South East Europe and has great development potential. Bulgaria offers the best prerequisites for the utilization and expansion of renewable energies, in particular of wind energy. By 2020, Bulgaria has to cover 16 percent (2005: 9.4 percent) of its energy consumption with renewable sources to be in line with EU requirements. A huge increase in wind energy projects can currently be recognized in Bulgaria, reflecting the excellent wind conditions on the Black Sea Coast and the good general framework. Since 2008, the country has seen a rapid growth in wind energy: Only 60 MW of wind capacity was installed in 2007 - a figure that was almost tripled (to approx. 160 MW) by the end of 2008.
Verbund: A clear commitment to environmentally friendly electricity generation
The sustainability principle is given prime importance at Verbund: thus, 88 percent of the electricity produced in 2008 came from renewable hydropower. However, as a first step, Verbund has also set itself the goal of making 400 MW of electrical output available from additional renewable energy sources above and beyond that of Austrian hydropower - this underlines the environment and climate friendly direction of the company strategy. The organizational anchorage of this sustainable orientation has been safeguarded by the founding of VERBUND-Austrian Renewable Power GmbH in 2007.
Key data on the wind power project in Bulgaria
Location: Bulgaria, Black Sea Coast
Equipment: 8 wind turbines (2 MW each)
Total capacity: 16 MW
Expected annual electricity output: around 50 GWh (electricity for approx. 14,000 households)