A Chinese company has supplied the turbines to help build the first offshore wind farm in the Mediterranean Sea.
The wind power plant is based in the southern Italian city of Taranto, once known for environmental woes tied to one of Europe’s largest steel smelters.
The “Taranto Off-Shore Project,” includes 10 turbines producing 3 megawatts of power each, to be completed in part with Chinese equipment supplier Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd.
According to media reports, the participation of Ming Yang Smart Energy Group Ltd is important because previous supplier, German wind turbine manufacturer Senvion, was unable to supply the turbines the project needed.
The developer of the 30 MW project, Renexia, placed an order with MingYang at the beginning of 2021, switching from the initially planned Senvion 3.0M122 turbines.
This is the first time a Chinese OEM is supplying turbines for the European offshore wind market.
WWF-Italia’s renewable energy analyst Massimiliano Varriale, said the windfarm will eventually produce at least 17,000 megawatts of power nationally. The project is scheduled to be put into operation in 2022, with Renexia hopeful it will be operational by May.
Varriale said the project is significant as part of a broader trend that could help shape Italian public opinion that has sometimes been skeptical of wind power, while also reducing the need for dirtier fuels.
The plant built on the heel of Italy’s boot-shaped peninsula is expected to provide electrical power to around 18,500 families with near-zero greenhouse gas emissions.
Source: Xinhua, 2022-03-16. https://english.news.cn/…/58ee4b19c9114918bd9d35…/c.html
Additional material:
- http://www.xinhuanet.com/…/38107a5a046c44c88584e…/c.html
- https://www.offshorewind.biz/…/mingyang-turbines-for…/
- https://www.france24.com/…/20220316-the-med-gets-first…
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