Key contract with leading Japanese utility confirms success
of Alstoms wind technology in Japan
Key contract with leading Japanese utility confirms success
of Alstoms wind technology in Japan
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Alstom has been appointed by The Tokyo Electric Power
Company (TEPCO) as the exclusive supplier for the new Higashi
Izu wind farm in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, representing
Alstom’s first contract in the Japanese wind power market
since acquiring Ecotècnia* in October 2007. This adds to
the four wind farms using Alstom’s technology already in
operation in Japan.
Under the terms of the contract, Alstom will
supply, install and commission the wind farm’s eleven Eco
74 wind turbines. The wind farm will have a total approximate
electrical output of 18 MW and will be commissioned in October
2011.
The contract highlights Alstom’s
expertise in customizing its design to conform to the strict
Japanese Building Standards Law, which includes resistance
requirements against earthquakes and air turbulence.
“We are delighted to have been appointed
as the exclusive supplier for Higashi Izu, TEPCO’s first
wind farm project,” said Alfonso Faubel, Vice President,
Wind. “This demonstrates the confidence of the Japanese
wind industry in our technology.”
Japan, with a population of 127 million, has
limited energy reserves. To secure its energy supply, the country
relies on a wide range of fuel imports, including natural gas,
coal, oil, and nuclear fuels. Some two thirds of Japan’s
energy output is generated by thermal power plants, about a
quarter from nuclear, a further 8% by hydropower, and the rest by
a variety of renewable energy sources. Over the past five years,
Japan’s wind capacity has grown at an average of 250 MW per
year. The Japanese government is planning to increase the
installed base from its current 1,9GW level to 3 GW by 2010.
Editor’s Notes
*Alstom Ecotècnia designs, assembles and installs a
wide range of onshore wind turbines spanning 1.67 MW to 3 MW. The
company has taken a significant part of the development of the
Spanish wind power market, which is ranked second in Europe, and
currently generates about 50% of its sales from other European
countries. To date, the company has installed or is installing
more than 1,600 wind turbines in 88 wind farms, corresponding to
a total capacity of approximately 1,800 MW (about 2% of the base
installed worldwide). Alstom Ecotècnia is also active in the
field of solar panels, playing an important role in the Spanish
market.