The winds off the Baltic Sea offer a hearty force for wind power.
Estonia has used this to the country’s advantage.
The Estonian Wind Power Association stated that wind energy is the leading renewable power source there.
And the nation is hungry to add to their current 149 megawatts of wind power.
General Electric Co (NYSE: GE) has announced a deal with two Estonian companies, to which it will provide 18 of its 2.5-100 wind turbines.
These turbines, producing 2.5 megawatts of power each, are reliable, efficient, and easy to maintain, according to Stephan Ritter, the general manager of GE Renewable Energy Europe.
And they will go to powering Estonia’s new Paldiski Wind Farm.
Located on the Parki peninsula near the Estonian city of Paldiski, the Paldiski Wind Farm will be operated by Eesti Energia AS and Nelja Energia OU.
Each of the two companies will receive 9 of the 2.5MW turbines, totaling the output of the wind farm at 45MW.
These 45MW will go to a national goal of increased renewables and to Eesti Energia’s goal of reducing CO2 emissions.
The deal will include a 10-year full service agreement with GE, an agreement that promises operation maintenance and support.
This agreement, according to the Wall Street Journal’s “Market Watch”, “includes advanced anomaly detection, unplanned maintenance and an availability guarantee.”
The turbines are expected to be shipped in the spring of 2012. The operation will be up and running before that year is out.
These 45MW are just a small contribution to the 570MW in wind energy projects that have been in the planning stages in Estonia within the past year.
The output of these projects will nearly quadruple Estonia’s total energy from wind.
Shares of General Electric were down 0.8% on Monday afternoon.
That’s all for now,
Brianna
