Romanian grid project paves way for wind-energy growth

A new 300-megawatt (MW) grid-connection agreement is expected to help play a major role in the expansion of wind power in Romania.

The agreement between Romania’s grid operator Transelectrica, and a joint venture between GE and German wind farm developer Prowind GmbH, is expected to pave the way for Prowind, a renewable energy provider, to build four wind farms in northeastern Romania.

The pact covers the connection of the joint venture’s wind farms to a new Transelectrica substation being built near the small town of Banca. The four projects are located in the hills of Vaslui County, a sparsely populated agricultural area of northeastern Romania. Windelcon, a Romanian wind project development company, is conducting the local development efforts.

GE plans to supply a total of 120 of its 2.5-100 class turbines for the four wind farms. The final schedule for shipment, installation and commercial operation has not yet been determined, but shipments could begin in the second half of 2012.The projects are in line with Romania’s plans to produce 24 percent of its energy from renewable sources by the year 2020. The European Commission recently approved Romania’s plan to provide incentives for an increased use of renewable energy. With some of the strongest wind conditions in Europe, Romania has the potential to harness enough wind power to meet the electricity needs of one-quarter of the country’s 8 million households.