DEVELOPMENT IN THURINGIA

The east German state of Thüringia saw its eighteenth and nineteenth wind turbines -- both 225 kW machines from Danish company Micon -- installed at Frauenpriessnitz near Camburg by Phoenix Windkraft of Jena and Ingenieurbüro Fries, German agent for Micon. The electricity is fed into the grid of utility Thüringia Energie, not known as a strong fan of wind energy. Development in Thüringia has followed the classic line of development for inland areas without much wind. The more wind turbines installed, the more interest shown and the more purchases made. "It's simple; a single turbine installed sets an example and will breed more," says Dieter Fries. "But if the breeding programme is to continue successfully we must have improved turbines which can operate without state aid -- at least at very good inland sites -- within three years."