On the Catalonia waiting list -- Nordex and Terranova 78 MW

Spanish wind energy developer Terranova Energy and German-Danish wind turbine manufacturer Nordex -- via its development partner Ecovent Catalunya -- are now on the shortlist to develop wind plant in Catalonia. Applications for administrative approval, Autorización Administrativa, of their development plans have been published in the official regional bulletin. Although the projects of both companies could still run into lengthy delays, they are set to join another 20 developments at the head of the list to start building once the regional government finally releases its new wind plan (Windpower Monthly, June 2000).

Terranova's ESP 4,000 million (EUR 24 million) P.E. Tortosa project will be built on the windy river Ebro delta and be made up of 44, 660 kW machines from MADE, the turbine manufacturing arm of utility Endesa. Although the 29.04 MW Tortosa project is still pending a building license, Terranova director Michael Stenderup is confident that "the development's favourable reception by local environmentalists and landowners" will help it over this last hurdle. The project does not fall within any of the province's areas of special natural interest and a lease agreement has already been made between Terranova and the 49 private land owners, whose property makes up 90% of the entire proposed site.

Nordex's Norbert Dwenger is more tight-lipped regarding the finer details of the company's 48.1 MW joint venture in the neighbouring Más de Lledo area. He confirms, however, that Nordex has undertaken an obligation to build a turbine assembly plant in the Tortosa district to supply all 37, N-60/62 1.3 MW machines for the ESP 7,500 million (EUR 45.1 million) development. Dwenger says the assembly unit will also supply other wind projects in the region and that Nordex has already sealed numerous pre-contracts with other developers. So far, Nordex only has one 15 MW plant up and running in Spain, in Aragón region, though Dwenger says the company expects to jointly develop 150 MW with Ecovent Catalunya by the end of 2001.