Wind energy in Montenegro

After the presentation of regional conference "Sustainable energy management in public buildings, from politics to local action", he recalled that for the construction of wind farm on Krnovo bid submitted: consortium of Ivicom consulting and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the company Eira Madrid, while for Mozura in Ulcinj bid submitted a consortium of Fersa (Spain) and Celebic (Montenegro).

"Work on Krnovo could get a consortium in which operates the Japanese company, and it is almost certain that wind power plant near Ulcinj will build Fersa", Canovic said.

For Ulcinj localty are planned wind power plants installed capacity to 46 megawatts, and on Krnovo up to 50 megawatts by wind turbines.

He estimated that part of the public does not realize that the deficit of electric energy in Montenegro can not be resolved through a small power stations or those that use energy in the wind or sun.

"When we use all the little plants, we would get only 400 gigavat hours," Canovic said.

He said that the planned production of hydropowerplants in the Moraca is 725 hours, but that consumption will rise more thousand gigavat hours by 2025. "Only when construction of power plants on Komarnica, Moraca, Maoce the second block of thermal power plants are finished, and with energy efficiency measures, we could export electricity," CanoviC said.

According to the Ministry of Economy, since 1999 until now for the import of electricity Montenegro spent over 600 million euros, or 1000 euro per capita.

Canovic rejected allegations that energy efficiency can save more energy than would be obtained by buidling hydropower plants on Moraca. Source: MIPA

Gamesa wins contract to deliver 90 generators for power plant in Albania

The Spanish Gamesa company announced it that has entered into an agreement with the Austrian Company Andritz Hydro for the delivery of 90 units of last generation permanent magnets generators for the power plant Ashta in Drin River (Albania) to be operated by Austrian Utility Verbund.

In this plant, designed according to the innovative Hydromatrix technology developed by Andritz Hydro, green energy is obtained by means of hydraulic turbines submerged in water, making use of an existing civil structure, hence minimizing the environmental impact, and allowing a more efficient use of natural resources.

The 48-MW Ashta hydropower plant is scheduled to begin operation in 2012. The project costs 160 million euro (USD227 million) having a forecasted annual energy generation of 230 GWh.

Gamesa is a company specialized in developing technologies and R&D for energy sustainability, mainly wind power. It is a leader in Spain and is positioned among the world’s wind turbine manufacturers.

By Socrates Papaioannou, www.balkans.com