Estonian wind power sector faces rapid growth

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The wind power market is growing rapidly in Estonia. Estimates by specialists suggest that the overall wind power capacity in the country will be reaching 150 MW within the next two years.

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"The most obvious reason for this growth is the feed-in-tariff for wind power, which was introduced in 1998 and recently raised to 7,4 cents per kilowatt hour", said Martin Kruus, General Manager at the Estonian renewable energy development company, Nelja Energia in connection to NEFCO's press conference in Helsinki on Thursday.

Last year NEFCO increased its total investment in the Norwegian holding company, Vardar Eurus AS, to about € 10 million. Vardar Eurus has two wind mill parks in Estonia with an overall capacity of 46 MW. Additionally two wind mill parks in Lithuania are being constructed in cooperation with the Estonian partner, Freenergy, adding another 14 MW. Nelja Energia is responsible for the management of all these wind mill parks.

Martin Kruus, Nelja Energia

Martin Kruus, Nelja Energia

The Estonian wind power parks currently stand for only one per cent of Estonian electricity consumption. However, estimates provided by the Estonian Wind Power Association suggest that new wind power projects with an overall capacity of 400 megawatts are being planned in Estonia.

According to statistics from the Global Wind Energy Council, the global wind energy sector is expected to grow with 28 per cent per year. The wind energy sector currently employs around 200,000 people around the world and the annual turnover in 2006 was estimated to 18 billion Euros.

For more information, please contact:
Martin Kruus, Nelja Energia, + 372 5019866
Solveig Nordström, Vice President, +358 50 590 0428
Mikael Sjövall, Communications Manager, +358 50 3535 045


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