Nordex UK obtains orders for 52.5 MW

21 N90/2500 turbines for SWS Energy and GDF SUEZ

Hamburg.- As of spring this year, Nordex will be delivering a total of 21 N90/2500 High-Speed turbines for the wind farms “Inchincoosh” (Ireland) and “Craigengelt” (Scotland). For “Inchincoosh” Nordex’s largest Irish customer, the project developer SWS Energy, has ordered 32.5 MW. The project “Craigengelt” wind farm was acquired by the global energy company GDF SUEZ in autumn 2008. Nordex is to install 20 MW there. Both orders also include five-year Service Agreements.



The “Inchincoosh” wind farm is to be built in the County Kerry in the south-west of Ireland, near to the town of Kilgarven and the border to County Cork. This project is an extension of the existing “Kilgarven” wind farm. The turbines are to be erected at altitudes of between 240 and 400 metres, making optimal use of the prevailing wind speeds, which average 8.6 m/s at this location. The annual yield is expected to come to 100 gigawatt hours.



“Inchincoosh” is already the second wind farm that Nordex has erected for SWS Energy. The first project, “Knockawarriga”, has been online with 22.5 MW since July 2008 and is located in the County Limerick. Here Nordex installed the first N90/2500 turbines on the emerald isle. The successful handling of this project made it possible for Nordex to immediately obtain a firm follow-up order from SWS.



“Craigengelt” is the first wind farm project by GDF SUEZ in Great Britain. Nordex is erecting the turbines on the open upland moor directly adjacent to the “Earlsburn” wind farm, which is operational with 15 machines of the N80/2500 series. The site is near the city of Stirling, to the North of Glasgow. Here the wind speed averages 8 m/s and the annual yield is expected to come to 65 gigawatt hours.



GDF is not one of Nordex’s new customers either: this wind farm operator previously placed an order with Nordex for the delivery and erection of 30 N100/2500 turbines for a large French project next year.



“The fact that SWS Energy and GDF Suez have called in turbines at this time shows that solid projects are financed in economically difficult times. We project a good capacity factor of more than 35 percent at the two sites. Furthermore, the markets offer attractive purchase prices for renewable energy”, says Carsten Pedersen, COO Sales and Marketing at Nordex AG.