Vestas Wins New Contracts In Scotland & Australia
Danish wind turbine manufacturer Vestas has secured two new contracts, one in the Shetland Islands and another in Australia. The Viking Wind Farm in the Shetland Islands will be the largest onshore wind facility in the UK and will feature 103 Vestas V117-4.2 MW turbines in 4.3 MW Power Optimized Mode, a model known for its ability to withstand extreme wind conditions, according to Energy Voice. Combined, the turbines are expected to generate a maximum output of 443 MW of electricity.
The Viking Wind Farm is being developed by SSE Renewables, which is investing £580 million in the project. The Viking Wind Farm is expected to be completed in 2024 and provide nearly 2 terawatts of electricity a year. That’s enough to power half a million homes and reduce carbon emissions by half a million tons each year.
Paul Cooley, director of capital projects at SSE Renewables, says “The optimized V117-4.2MW machines provide the durability and performance that we require to ensure that Viking delivers to its full potential. Viking will be the largest onshore wind farm in the UK by output and will bring significant economic opportunities to Shetland and beyond including the ambition by Vestas to establish a Shetland-based service team providing high quality employment and apprentice opportunities.” Servicing wind turbines has become an important part of Vestas’ overall business model. It intends to establish a Shetland-based “service organisation” to provide employment and apprenticeships to locals.
New Turbines For South Australia
Vestas will also supply 24 V136-3.45 MW turbines delivered in 3.6 MW power optimized mode to developer Nexif Energy to power an 86 MW expansion of its Lincoln Gap wind farm in South Australia. That plan also calls for Vestas to service the turbines for 20 years.
The Lincoln Gap wind farm, located near Port Augusta, South Australia, is currently equipped with 126 MW of Senvion turbines which are serviced by Vestas. The new turbines are expected to arrive on site early next year and begin operations late next summer. This latest expansion is the second stage of the Lincoln Gap project. Nexif Energy is planning a third stage which will boost total generating capacity to 252 MW and include a battery storage system.
Renewable energy is enjoying an increase in interest as nations plan to make carbon reduction a central part of their recovery plans following the COVID-19 pandemic. Vestas is well positioned to take advantage of that shift in policy goals.
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