Iberdrola to install technical upgrade by Gamesa to increase wind turbine output at 54 wind farms
Iberdrola has entered into an agreement with Gamesa to install the Energy Thrust technical upgrade at 54 wind farms with an aggregate capacity of over 1,600 MW. This will increase efficiency at the facilities and enhance production ratios.The company will be rolling out this solution at wind farms located in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Hungary, Romania, Greece and Cyprus and equipped with Gamesa wind turbines with a unit capacity of 2 MW.The Energy Thrust system will enable Iberdrola to increase the average output of its wind turbines, as it means the turbines can adapt perfectly to specific site conditions. This boosts the amount of energy uploaded to the grid regardless of wind conditions, while also increasing machine efficiency and performance.
Iberdrola is therefore reinforcing its commitment to Spanish suppliers such as Gamesa in this case, while boosting the country’s economy by driving innovation, quality and job creation and maintenance.The company appreciates the effort made by Spanish companies and is committed to joint progress and the successful completion of all the plans it undertakes in the energy sector.As well as signing this contract, Iberdrola collaborates with Gamesa on a regular basis for the operation and maintenance of a significant number of its wind farms.
Ongoing commitment to renewables
Fifteen years ago now, Iberdrola decided to commit to the emerging wind power sector. This gave the company a headstart in facing the major challenges affecting the energy sector today: more energy is needed and it has to be cleaner and more sustainable. This is the direction in which Iberdrola plans to continue making progress between now and 2020, according to the Strategic Outlook recently presented in London.Of the €24 billion that the company will be investing over the next five years, €12.7 have been earmarked for clean energy projects that will add a further 6,900 MW to its capacity.
Within this segment, Iberdrola plans to move forward in offshore wind generation. The group is at the forefront of this technology after commissioning the West of Duddon Sands wind farm (389 MW) in the North Sea in late 2014.Iberdrola currently has over 1,000 new MW in offshore wind power under construction, with initiatives such as the Wikinger wind farm in the Baltic Sea, which will have a capacity of 350 MW and require the investment of €1.35 billion, or the East Anglia One facility in the North Sea, which will have a capacity of 714 MW and require a €2 billion investment.
