Portuguese market showing continuing signs of serious lift-off

Portugal's wind market continues to show serious signs of lift-off. Just over 708 MW is now building across Portugal and since January 110 MW has come online, reports Porto University's technology institute, Insituto da Engenharia Mecanica e Gestao Industrial (INEGI). Until the start of this year just 300 MW of wind plant had been installed in Portugal -- and it took nearly a decade to achieve that. German turbine manufacturer Enercon, which has supplied 40% of turbines currently online in Portugal, is now losing its market lead to Vestas of Denmark. New contracts and letters of intent will nudge Vestas' share up from 26% to 27%, one point above Enercon, according to INEGI. Under the same criteria, Germany's Nordex holds 12% of the projected market, while Spain's Gamesa Eólica has also made a sudden appearance among the main players, supplying turbines to projects being developed by sister company Gamesa Energía and by Portuguese developer Tecneira. GE Energy follows with 9% of development. Portugal's leading developer is Enersis, which owns 38% of projects online and licensed development. Enersis' closest competitor is Enervova, the renewables arm of utility monopoly Electricidade de Portugal, with 13%. Vestas' leap ahead is mainly due to two contracts from Enersis, which earlier this year opted for the Danish manufacturer's 3 MW machine for its Pampillosa da Serra (96 MW) and Candeeiros (78 MW) developments.