Zond builds Northern Ireland's sixth wind farm

Work is underway on building Northern Ireland's sixth wind farm under the province's first round of renewables support. Zond UK Ltd -- the British arm of Zond Corporation of America -- is installing ten of its Z-40 turbines at Owenreagh in County Tyrone in the first European demonstration of its new 500 kW machine. According to Zond's Bill Richmond, the site should be operational at the end of January 1997. The project is the last of six wind schemes with power purchase contracts from Northern Ireland's first Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation to go ahead, bringing wind output in the province to 30 MW. When built it will mark a 100% completion rate for contracted wind energy projects in Northern Ireland -- a feat unique in the UK.