Dentro de su actividad en Europa, Gamesa ha alcanzado dos nuevas alianzas plurianuales con las sociedades Generación Eólica Internacional y Eólica Bulgaria, sociedades del Grupo ENHOL, para el suministro de un total de 90 aerogeneradores para el mercado polaco y búlgaro, lo que supondrá una potencia total de 180 MW. Esta operación alcanzará una cantidad total de más de 201 millones de euros. En el caso de Bulgaria supone el suministro, instalación y puesta en marcha de 30 aerogeneradores Gamesa G90-2.0MW así como su operación y mantenimiento para su instalación en el parque eólico búlgaro de Suvorovo en 2010. Asimismo, el contrato contempla la instalación en una segunda fase de otros 100 MW adicionales para el mercado búlgaro.
La empresa india Suzlon ha abierto oficina en Bulgaria, signo evidente del atractivo del país para las grandes empresas de energía eólica.
Gradimir Grigórov es el coordinador del primer proyecto importante para la construcción de un parque eólico en Bulgaria, que es uno de los más altos en Europa. Esta emplazado al pie de la cima Murgash en la cordillera de los Balcanes, a unos 1.700 metros de altitud sobre el nivel del mar. La empresa que se propone invertir en este proyecto unos 80 a 85 millones de euros para construir 44 generadores eólicos cuya potencia sumará 100 megavatios, es la Ecosource Energy.
La instalación de los generadores eólicos empezó a comienzos de 2007, y que la inversión se verá reembolsada al cabo de unos 8 a 10 años.
Hasta ahora en Bulgaria see han instalado solo algunas turbinas eólicas aisladas y de pequeña potencia. La primera persona que optó por apostar seriamente en la energía eólica fue Plamen Stoyánov, propietario de las firmas Ecosource Engeneering y Ecosource Energy, partidario, además, de las tecnologías no contaminantes y amigables para el entorno natural.
"Un proyecto ecológico de escalas tan importantes es un verdadero desafío para ese empresario nacional, dice Gradimir Grigórov. Tras haber ratificado el Convenio para el Clima, Bulgaria debe ajustar a las normas mundiales su generación de energía, y aumentar drásticamente la generación de energía eléctrica a partir de fuentes renovables. Los estudios que hemos hecho de la intensidad y la continuidad de las corrientes aéreas en esa zona, hemos visto que allí existen buenas condiciones para realizar nuestro proyecto. Bulgaria cuenta con potencial energético para construir en el futuro también algunos parques eólicos más pequeños, en las localidades de Kavarna (en el noreste del país) y en diferentes puntos de la costa del Mar Negro. El mapa de la distribución de los vientos en Bulgaria demuestra que existen otras zonas más en que se podrían emplazar turbinas eólicas. Confiamos que los proyectos eólicos tienen mucho futuro en Bulgaria".
Según la legislación búlgara, la Compañía Nacional de Electricidad está obligada a comprar toda la energía generada por a partir de fuentes alternativas. O sea que el futuro parque eólico tiene garantizado el mercado para la energía eléctrica que generará, y lo tiene garantizado a un precio preferencial cuya finalidad es impulsar la difusión de las fuentes de energía alternativas en Bulgaria.
Otra circunstancia favorable es el hecho de que las futuras turbinas eólicas, emplazadas al pie de la cima Murgash, no entrarán en conflicto con las aves de la zona, ni con las organizaciones ecologistas que se dedican a su protección. La razón es muy simple:
"En primer lugar, son pocas las aves que habitan a 1.700 metros sobre el nivel del mar, dice el coordinador del proyecto. Hemos analizado la trayectoria migratoria de las aves y hemos detectado que no coincide con los territorios en que serán emplazados los generadores. O sea que en este sentido no tenemos problemas de momento, y creo que tampoco los tendremos en el futuro".
Los daños que las turbinas eólicas podrían causar a las aves son el motivo por el que hace unos años fue paralizado un proyecto de la empresa japonesa Mizui que se proponía construir un parque eólico por valor de 12 millones de euros en proximidad a la ciudad portuaria de Burgás, en la costa búlgara del Mar Negro.
Las cadenas montañosas de gran altitud y la costa del mar son los sitios en que potencialmente se podrían construir turbinas eólicas. Lamentablemente justo sobre la costa búlgara del Mar Negro pasan las rutas de las aves migratorias conocidas desde la antigüedad: Via Pontica y Via Aristotelis.
Los planes de construir centrales eólicas en las zonas de Balchik y el cabo Kaliakra, siempre en la costa búlgara del Mar Negro, chocan contra la resistencia de los protectores de las aves que afirman que las hélices de las turbinas eólicas podrían amenazar la vida de más de medio millón de aves migratorias de toda Europa, y a comienzos de marzo expertos de la Sociedad Búlgara de protección de las Aves plantearon este problema en Bruselas a los representantes de la Dirección General de Medio Ambiente de la Comisión Europea.
Otro proyecto es de la compañía estadounidense AES, que invertirá 300 millones de euros en la construcción de un parque para la generación de energía eólica en Bulgaria junto con la sociedad búlgaro-alemana Geo Power. El parque eólico estará ubicado cerca de la ciudad de Kavarna, en la costa del mar Negro, y su capacidad de generación de energía será de 200 megavatios.
Se prevé que la producción anual de energía supere los 450 gigavatios/hora y con la puesta en marcha del parque se ahorren más de 500.000 toneladas de emisiones de carbón al año. El parque constará de 53 generadores eólicos y su construcción está prevista entre 2008 y 2009.
La compañía cuenta con análisis y mediciones hechos durante tres años sobre el potencial eólico del territorio para este proyecto que confirman los pronósticos y garantizan el pleno funcionamiento de los generadores eólicos. El proyecto en Bulgaria forma parte de la estrategia de AES, que se propone desarrollar proyectos de energía eólica en Europa.
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Bulgarian-Spanish co to build wind park in Varna area
Bulgarian-Spanish company Eolica Bulgaria said it will invest 175 mln levs in a 60MW wind farm near the village of Suvorovo, in the coastal Varna region. The wind resource of the Suvorovo area has been favorably assessed by Spain’s National Renewable Energies Center.
The installation of the park’s 30 wind turbine towers will begin 2009 and should be completed by early 2010. The investor is interested in manufacturing components for the wind park equipment in Bulgaria. The VMZ defence company in Sopot is one of the potential local suppliers.
The Suvorovo project does not encroach on any sites protected under the Natura 2000 program and will have no negative environmental impact, said the authors of the project. Eolica Bulgaria has signed a preliminary agreement to sell the electricity output to Bulgaria’s national power grid operator NEK
General Electric to Build Wind Energy Park in Bulgaria’s Mirkovo
General Electric (GE) has expressed strong interest in developing wind energy parks in Bulgaria, specifically in the Mirkovo municipality in the Sofia region, the Bulgarian Energy Ministry press center reported Tuesday.
The Bulgarian Economy and Energy Minister Petar Dimitrov met with the Project Manager of GE Energy Infrastructure – Energy, George Bises to discuss GE investment plans in Mirkovo.
The GE Manger stated upon the meeting’s conclusion that his company had identified the Mirkovo area as extremely suitable regarding production of wind energy.
GE experts have visited Bulgaria twice in 2008 to conduct preliminary research of the area. The results revealed the possibility of building a wind park with power between 150 and 500 MW. The research is continuing through 2009.
The Mirkovo Mayor, Tsvetanka Yotina, who also attended the meeting, stated that the GE experts have chosen terrains including municipal lands as well as lands that are State property. Yotina has requested that the State provides the land for the park.
The research data shows that the investment is going to be in the amount of EUR 200 M to EUR 800 M.
GE must apply for a class "A" investor certificate in order to receive support from the State per the Investment Encouragement Act, the Bulgarian Energy Minister Dimitrov pointed out.
Bulgarian-Austrian Company to Build Wind Energy Park on Northern Black Sea Coast
The Bulgarian-Austrian consortium "Wind Energy" presented on Thursday a project for the construction of a wind energy park near the northern Black Sea town of Shabla.
The news was announced by the Shabla City Hall press center. The project was presented before the Shabla mayor, his team and the local municipal councilmen.
The project to build 125 wind generators fully complies with European standards. The total investment amount is estimated at EUR 300 M. The investors are further prepared to build on their own expense an energy distribution center in order to include the wind park in the country’s energy distribution system.
During the presentation, representatives of the joined stock company, including two Bulgarian and two Austrian companies, explained that the consortium would be registered with the local Court in Shabla, meaning their taxes would go into the municipality’s budget.
The investors would offer other assistance to the municipality for the realization of different local projects and activities. They would also use only local businesses and employ local workers.
Vetrocom Begin Bulgaria Wind Park Construction
Alpiq subsidiary Vetrocom Ltd. has begun construction of the 50-MW Vetrocom Wind Farm in Bulgaria’s Kazanlak.
Vetrocom Limited, a subsidiary of the Swiss energy group Alpiq Holding Ltd, is set to invest close to EUR 80 M over two years in a wind farm near the Bulgarian town of Kazanlak, energycurrent.com reported Wednesday.
The project has created 100 permanent and temporary jobs. The Bulgarian wind farm investment is part of Alpiq’s strategy to increase the share of renewable energy in its energy production.
The wind farm, with total capacity of 50MW, will be equipped with 20, 25MW wind turbines from the German manufacturer Fuhrländer. The facility should launch operations at the end of 2010.
Alpiq, established in early 2009 through the merger of Atel and EOS, employs over 10 000 people in 29 countries in Europe. The company specializes in electricity generation and transmission, sales, trading and energy services.
Wind Energy Generators in Northeast Bulgaria Tested
The only wind energy generators station in Bulgarian located close to the Kaliakra Black Sea Cape, which is a popular tourist destination, is currently undergoing a three-day testing.
The 36 wind energy generators in the Kavarna Municipality have a total electricity producing capacity of 35 MW, which according to German E.ON company owning the facilities, is not enough to power even a town like Kavarna with a population of 12 000, ndt1.com reported.
Some 80 more wind power generators have been installed in Bulgaria’s northeast Dobrich District, and the other planned investments are expected to bring to the total capacity to 600-700 MW, according to Bulgaria’s National Electric Company NEK.
Because of the planned investments, NEK is also planning to build two additional electricity transfer lines in the region.
The most attractive places for the creation of wind power generating stations are the municipalities of Dobrich, Shabla, Kavarna, and Balchik in northeast Bulgaria, and Sliven, Aytos, and Yambol in the southeast part of the country.
Bulgarian Company Winslow Group Invests EUR 100 M in Renewable Energy
The Bulgarian investment company with UK capital, Winslow Group, will invest over EUR 100 M in renewable energy projects, the company’s press office announced, cited by the Pari Daily.
These will be the first energy protects of the company, and they will be managed by its energy division, Winslow Energy.
One of the projects is for a photovoltaic power plant in Bulgaria’s General Toshevo Municipality. The plant is supposed to be completed by 2010. It will be located on an area of 54 decares, and will be constructed with thin-layered photovoltaic panels, set at 36 degrees. The company announced that the administrative part of the project was already done.
Winslow Group plans to build two wind-energy parks. They will be built near the villages of Boyana and Yagnilo, both located in the Varna District. Currently Winslow is negotiating cooperation with leading international company for the projects. Construction is planned for 2013-2014.
Winslow Group is a Bulgarian construction company with mainly British capital, and is dealing with residential and vacation resorts projects. It also invests in agricultural projects.
German Company N-Vision Invests EUR 300 in Bulgaria Wind Power Parks
The German company N-Vision Energy is going to invest about EUR 300 M in the construction of two wind power parks in Bulgaria.
The wind parks with a total capacity of 241 MW are supposed to be completed by 2011, the Pari Daily reported. However, N-Vision energy still has not announced where in Bulgaria exactly the wind parks will be located.
About 75% of the planned investment of EUR 300 M are to come from bank credits.
The news about the projected N-Vision Energy investments in Bulgaria comes several days after on Tuesday another German company, Enertrag, announced it was planning to invest EUR 1 B in three wind power stations close to the city of Dobrich in Northeast Bulgaria.
Bulgaria Anti-Trust Committee Approves Purchase of Two Wind Parks
Bulgaria’s Committee for the Protection of Competition approved Wednesday the purchase of the two wind parks at the northeast town of Kavarna by the Austrian company Reiffeisen Energy & Environment GmbH.
According to the ruling of the Committee, the concentration of the two winds parks into the hands of one company would have an insignificant effect on the wind energy market, and would harm the competition in the sector.
The REE company is part of the Reiffeisen Bank economic group, which specializes in the development of energy production including from renewable energy sources.
With its acquisition of the Wind Park Kavarna West Ltd, and Wind Park Kavarna East Ltd, the Austrian firm wants to establish itself in the Bulgarian energy market.
Bulgaria to Have 170 MW of Wind Power Generators by End of 2008
By the end of 2008 the capacity of the installed wind power generators in Bulgaria is going to reach 170 MW.
The news was announced by the Chair of the Association of Producers of Ecological Energy Velizar Kiryakov as cited by the Pari Daily during Friday’s first national meeting of the producers of wind generators and the investors in wind energy production.
The current wind power generating capacity in Bulgaria stands at 110 MW but Kiryakov predicted that by the end of 2010 it would reach between 400 MW and 500 MW.
The photovoltaic energy generators are expected to have a power-generating capacity of 5-6 MW by that time.
Meanwhile, the National Electric Company NEK announced that new investments of about BGN 300 M would needed to include the wind and solar power producers into the country’s electricity distribution network.
Greek Company to Build 400MW Wind Farm in Bulgaria
Greek company Alpha Grissin Infotech expects to start the construction of up to 400 MW of wind farms in Bulgaria by the end of 2008, company CEO Vasilios Grisin has announced.
The cost of the project is estimated at about EUR 440 M.
Renewable energy is one of the key business areas of the company as in 2007 Alpha Grissin Infotech established together with German Deutsche Bank the renewable energy company Deutsche Aeolia.
Alpha Grissin Infotech is already active on the Bulgarian market with a portfolio of residential and office buildings with combined floorage of 145 000 sq m.
Possible impacts of planned wind farms in Bulgaria on migratory species
On the request of BirdLife International, the Standing Committee (StC) of the Bern Convention opened a so-called case file (Recommendation no. 117 (2005)) against the Government of Bulgaria concerning the construction of wind farms in the vicinity of Balchik and Kaliakra along the Black Sea coast.
Governments confronted with such case files are expected to fully implement the recommendations made by the StC and to inform the StC of the progress made. Bulgaria’s report to the StC in 2006 raised serious concerns. The StC decided to send an appraisal mission consisting of representatives of the Bern Convention Secretariat and an independent expert. On behalf of the CMS Family, Bert Lenten, the Executive Secretary of AEWA, participated in this mission which took place from 20-22 June 2007.
The Executive Secretary expressed his concerns on these developments: "During this visit we had several meetings with representatives of the Ministry of Environment of Bulgaria, of Energy Companies and NGOs to discuss the possible impact of the planned wind farms on migratory birds and their habitats. Most of these wind farms will be located in the Via Pontica. The latter is a major flyway along the Black Sea Coast particularly for waterbirds and birds of prey". At the same time Bert Lenten made it quite clear that the CMS Family, as part of the United Nations supports the idea to increase the production and use of this renewable energy; however these developments should not have a detrimental impact on migratory species and their habitats.
Later this year the independent expert will report back to the Bureau of the Bern Convention about his findings. It is expected that the issue will be tabled again at the next StC meeting, taking place at end of this year.
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