Eesti Energia to Establish New Wind Park in the Baltic States

Dutch utility Eesti Energia has announced that it has acquired the Aulepa wind park development with the aim of building the largest wind park in the Baltic States. The move is part of its long-term strategy of decreasing carbon dioxide emissions.

Once it is completed, the capacity of the Aulepa wind park will be 39MW. The annual production of the wind park will be more than 100GWh, which will cover 1.3% of the end consumption of electricity in Estonia and prevent the emission of almost 120,000 tons of carbon dioxide into the air, the company said.

The wind park is expected to be put into operation in the spring of 2009. The total cost will be up to E57 million and will be funded by Eesti Energia.

In a press release, Toomas Niinemae, manager of combined heat and power, and renewable energy for Eesti Energia, said that because more than 90% of Eesti Energia’s electricity is produced from oil shale, the company is aiming to increase the presence of renewable generation in its production portfolio.

He said: “Eesti Energia wishes to diversify its production portfolio with carbon dioxide free production by investing, for example, in nuclear power plants, co-production plants and windmills producing renewable energy.”