The list of new wind farms includes projects developed by Energias de Portugal (EDP) and Spanish Iberdrola, worth over EUR200 million, according to ZF estimates.
After Energias de Portugal finalized in 2011 works on three wind farms in the Dobrogea area (SE Romania) – a 9-MW farm in Pestera and two 69-MW projects in Cernavoda, the Portuguese group says it will finalize two more investments in February.
“In February we should complete works on two more wind farms, a 24-MW one in Vutcani, Vaslui county and a 33-MW one in Sarichioi, Tulcea county,” said Razvan Ionescu, senior asset manager of EDP Renewables, the renewable energy division of Energias de Portugal.
According to available information, the investment in wind farms are estimated at between EUR1.5 and EUR1.7 million per each MW, so the new projects of the Portuguese group could be worth around EUR85.5 million.
Iberdrola also close to completion
Apart from Energias de Portugal, another major investor has announced it will get a wind farm going this year. Spain’s Iberdrola, world leader in renewable energy, could complete in March works on its first investment in Romania, an 80-MW wind farm in Mihai Viteazu, Constanta county (SE Romania).
“Of the 2-MW 40 turbines that the project entails, 20 are already installed. The station is ready too and we think by the end of March we will have the full 80-MW capacity installed,” said Adrian Goicea, country manager of Iberdrola Romania.
Apart from the 80-MW project in Mihai Viteazu, the main investment of the Spanish company is a 600-MW wind farm in Cogealac, also in the Dobrogea area.
“Here we have a small formality to deal with, but this year we will start construction. This is an extensive project and works could last for two years,” Goicea also said.
According to data of Transelectrica, the national energy transmission company, at the beginning of this year the overall installed production capacity of wind farms amounted to around 1,000 MW, with the list of major investors including CEZ (the Czech Republic), Enel (Italy), as well as EDP.
Wind chase continues
This year, new wind farms could be added, with an overall capacity ranging between 800 MW and 1,000 MW, based on estimate of the Romanian Wind Energy Association.
The growing appetite for investments follows the approval of the green energy support, implemented since November, after three years’ delays.
In Romania, as in all EU member countries that promoted renewable energy, governments came with support schemes, since green energy projects are more costly than conventional ones. Since targets have been set for the share of renewable energy in total production by 2020, countries have had to promote certain support schemes for investors in the field.
In the case of Romania, they involve granting green certificates and mandatory quotas.
How the green energy support scheme works
All producers of green energy receive a number of green certificates for each MWh delivered into the system. The price of such a certificate ranges between EUR27 and EUR55.
These certificates are bought by energy suppliers, such as Electrica, which are required to have a certain quota of green energy in the basket they deliver to clients.
The number of green certificates bought shows whether or not the quota was met.
Green energy producers can sell their energy on the market at a price dictated by supply and demand.
Whereas up until November 2011, each producer of green energy received one certificate irrespective of the technology used, since the support scheme is effective, wind energy investors will receive two certificates for each MWh produced.
The support scheme applies over a 15-year period, but only for projects that become operational by 2016.
(English version by Daniela Stoican)