The wind power plants covered in these contracts represent half of ERG Renew’s wind installed capacity. The wind power plants produce approximately 572,000 MWh per year, which is enough to meet the residential electricity consumption of more than 500,000 persons in Italy and save the environment from about 222,000 tons of CO2 on an annual basis. Installed between 2002 and 2011, these power plants are located in several provinces of the Campania and Apulia regions.
Consisting of scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, the 15-year service contracts introduce an energy-based guarantee, which ensures the turbines are fully operational when the wind is blowing. Thus, Vestas guarantees the customer an energy output both for each site covered and for the entire fleet – by minimising the wind power plants’ lost production.
The contracts will allow ERG Renew to achieve three key targets: reduce the cost of energy, maximise wind power plant production and secure an enhanced service and maintenance through Vestas’ strong predictive, preventive and reactive service capabilities.
“We are pleased to strengthen our long and well-established partnership with ERG Renew S.p.A. and honoured by the trust the company showed in us by signing these ten service agreements,” says Rainer Karan, General Manager, Vestas Italia. “At Vestas, a close regular dialogue with our customers is fundamental. This signature confirms our excellent relationship with ERG Renew S.p.A, as well as our ability to offer operation and maintenance solutions which respond to our customers’ needs and maximise their return on their wind investments.”
Juan Araluce, Chief Sales Officer, Vestas Wind System A/S, and Acting President, Vestas Mediterranean comments: “We are proud of signing these service agreements. They are an evidence of Vestas’ strong service capabilities, cutting edge technology and the ability to provide customers with the highest business case certainty”.
ERG Renew S.p.A. is an ERG Group subsidiary operating in Italy and France in the sector of the generation of electricity from renewable sources with 548 MW of wind power generating capacity in operation as of 31 December 2011. The company is also active in the development of new initiatives in Eastern Europe through LUKERG Renew, an equal-share joint venture between ERG Renew and LUKOIL which is initially focusing on the Bulgarian and Romanian markets. LUKERG Renew acquired recently 10 per cent share of the Bulgarian wind market through the purchase of a 40 MW wind power plant.
Every single day, Vestas wind turbines deliver clean energy that supports the global fight against climate change. Wind power from Vestas’ more than 46,000 wind turbines currently reduces carbon emissions by approximately 55 million tons of CO2 every year, while at the same time building energy security and independence. Today, Vestas has installed turbines in 69 countries, and for our own operations alone we provide jobs for over 20,000 passionate people at our service and project sites, research facilities, factories and offices all over the world.
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. This 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 has two production facilities for blades and nacelles for the V52 and the V90 in Taranto.
Having delivered 2,664 MW in Italy as of 31 December 2011, and with a well-structured service and maintenance organisation, Vestas is the most experienced partner within the wind energy industry in Italy.
By José Santamarta, www.vestas.com
