NEWS

MEXICO: Iberdrola’s wind farm La Ventosa is registered at the UN as a Clean Development Mechanism.

The wind farm La Ventosa, in México, is already registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) for a period of 7 years, extendable to 21 years, since January 1st, 2008.

The wind farm La Ventosa, whose entry into operation is scheduled for the first half of the year 2008, will provide 80 MW of installed power. It will be located in the state of Oaxaca and will reduce annual emissions of CO2 in 185,000 tons.

This facility is an addition to another CDM promoted by the group Iberdrola in Guatemala and which already has the blessing of the United Nations. This is the Las Vacas hydroelectric plant, which consists of 45 MW of capacity and was launched in May 2002.

Iberdrola is also reviewing other projects including the wind farm Rio do Fogo, in Brazil, of 50 MW of power and is already operational, and the hydraulic central El Recreo, Guatemala, still under construction.

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ARGENTINA: Impsa Group obtains a loan worth 212 million dollars.

The group of industrial engineering, Impsa, said that its subsidiaries in Brazil obtained a loan for 375.8 million reals (about 212 million dollars) for the purchase and installation of 66 wind turbines for wind farms.

The companies that took loans are Praias de Parajuru, Praia do Morgado and Volta do Rio, which will acquire generators of 1.5 megawatts each in Wind Power Energy, also a subsidiary company of Impsa.

The first wind power plant will begin generating electricity by the end of the third quarter of 2008, the second during the last quarter of 2008 and the third will provide energy to the network at the end of this quarter.

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CUBA: Cuba will build a new wind farm during the year 2008.

Cuba will begin the construction of a new wind farm this year, the fourth of its kind on the island, which will provide energy to the National Electric System starting on 2009.

The farm will be located in the coastal town of Corralillo, in the central province of Villa Clara, and joins to the existing ones in the town of Turiaguanó, in the province of Ciego de Avila, to the Island of Youth and the draft still running on Gibara, in the eastern province of Holguin.

The wind turbines will be similar to those of Gibara, with Spanish and Chinese technology, and have the greatest generating capacity in the country, with ten megawatts, exceeding that of Gibara (5.1), Isla de la Juventud (1.65) and Turiaguanó (0.45).

The launch of the park Corralillo increases the generating capacity on the island with this type of energy to 17 megawatts.

Studies indicate that Cuba could have between 1,200 and 3,500 megawatts of wind energy.

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The permits phase for the wind energy project in Guayanilla is now advanced.

The Preliminary Declaration of Environmental Impact (DIA) of the project was approved and recently, what is known as the Final-DIA was settled.

This project, proposed for the area of Punta Verraco in Guayanilla, has been rejected by the mayor of that town, Edgardo Harlequin, the Committee for the Rescue of the Good Atmosphere, among other environmental organizations and professionals who believe that the mills would threaten wildlife there.

These groups have reiterated that they are not against the development of renewable energies, but these wind farms should be installed in places where they do not affect the natural environment.

In Punta Verraco would be installed, a maximum of 27 turbines that should generate an average of 40 megawatts daily, which could supply an estimated demand of 23000 families.

For the construction of this wind farm, the company Windmar, proponent of the project, would invest about $ 50 million dollars.

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Recently, the funding for the construction of Santa Fe wind farm was approved; it will be built in Veraguas, at a cost of 150 million dollars.

Funded by the Societé Generale Corporate & Investment Banking, the system will produce 81 megawatts, a considerable amount when compared with the Bay Mines, which are currently producing a total of 269 megawatts.

The project must begin generating power during the year 2009, which will produce several hundred workers who will be hired for construction.

Previously, Roberto Moreno, president of the Santa Fe Energy Company, had commented that he was boosting a wind energy project, which was planned to be built in some mountains, which are not those of Veraguas.

He added that the funding would be secured at the time that studies and designs are finished.

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The six turbines in the wind farm Gibara, in the province of Holguin, in northeastern Cuba, are already installed and will soon begin the launch of this site, which will generate 5.1 MW.

At the moment it is worked on the electrical systems of machines, liaison with the control room and the line of six thousand miles and 33 kilovolt power that will lead to the substation and connects to the national grid.

During the next days it will be ready to start its operation.

This will be one of the first wind farms in the country which will begin delivering electricity to the distribution system.

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LAWEA HIGHLIGHTS

In order to be able to enjoy the benefit of discount prices for the exhibition space at WIND EXPO LAWEA 2008, we suggest that you book your stand as soon as possible filling the application available at www.windexpo.org.

The first deadline for discount prices is January 15th. If you want to reserve your booth at WIND EXPO LAWEA 2008 with the special fees, send us now the signed contract.


Call for papers for WIND EXPO LAWEA 2008 now open!

The call for papers for WIND EXPO LAWEA 2008 is now open. The authors of the best works will be specially invited as speakers in the conferences, and other selected papers will have a space in the posters section.

The deadline for abstract submission is March 14th.

More information: http://www.windexpo.org/ing/conferencias_trabajos.html

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