The main goal was to implement a pilot project of wind energy utilization in Slovakia. The municipality of Cerová village and the Slovenské elektrárne a. s. electric utility initiated this project. Since 2000, Cerová village and Green Energy Slovakia Ltd. have been responsible for the implementation. The first wind park of Slovakia is located on the Vápenková rock, above Cerová village, on the side called Rozbehy. The short history of the project:

• 1999-2000: wind energy potential measurements (speed and direction)
• 2000: evaluation of the measurements; preparation and elaboration of a feasibility study; initial steps for obtaining landuse and building permission, funds from PHARE (programme for trans-border cooperation between Austria and Slovakia) and subsidies from the Slovakian state budget
• 2001: the building permission was issued
• 2001-2002: selection of the technology supplier
• 2002-2003: construction
• 2003: supply and assembly of the technology
• October 2003: start of the test operation

TECHNOLOGY

The wind park consists of four Vestas V47/660 turbines of height of 76 m. The fiberglass rotors have a diameter of 47 m. The total installed capacity of the turbines is 4x660 kW. The project was managed by Green Energy Slovakia Ltd. located in Bratislava, and the assembly work has been carried out by Aufwind Schmack Regensburg, a German company. Since the start of the operation, the turbines have generated more than 14 000 000 kWh electric power altogether (1 744 374 kWh in 2003, 5 518 240 kWh in 2004,
5 187 935 kWh in 2005), exceeding the original expectations by 15%. The power production in 2006 will presumably be lower than in the preceding years, mainly due to changing climate conditions. The average capacity factor of the wind park is above 20%.

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ECONOMIC ASPECTS

The total investment costs amounted to EUR 3 000 000. The project was co-financed by EU sources (PHARE program) and the state budget of the Slovak Republic. The remaining amount (EUR 675 000, 22.5%) was provided by the local municipality. The expected life time of the wind park was 25 years. Taking the former feed-in tariff (1.50 SKK/kWh or 3.94 Euro cent/kWh, as of 1 August 2006) into account, the originally calculated payback period of the total investment, including funds from the EU, was 15-17 years.

The decree of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries dated from 30 June 2005 increased the feed-in tariffs for all renewable energy sources for the year 2006. The feed-in tariff for wind turbines which started operation before 1 January 2005 was increased to 2.50 SKK/kWh (6.56 Euro cent/kWh as of 1 August 2006), so the expected payback period might be shortened.

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SOCIAL EFFECTS

Since the start of the project, the wind park has been positively perceived by the citizens of the village. During the construction phase 10 temporary jobs were created. After the installation has been put into operation, a half-time worker is needed for control, data collection and communication with the distributor and the grid operator within the warranty period. After the warranty period expires, one full-time workplace will be created.

Since its completion, the wind park attracts approx. 200-300 tourists to Cerová every day. The wind park is often visited by technicians, experts and representatives of other Slovak municipalities also.

The implementers of the project and the mayor of Cerová have presented this pilot project at many technical conferences, workshops and seminars. The project was widely promoted in the Slovakian printed and electronic media.

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ENVIROMENTAL EFFECTS

The project had three main goals:

• presenting a good model for wind energy utilization
• reducing CO₂ emissions
• generating green energy, green electricity

The annual savings of CO₂ was 4 800 tons/year for the period 2003-2005.

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DIFFICULTIES, PROBLEMS

The main problem regarding investment planning in the field of RES is that the Regulatory Office for Network Industries can only guarantee the feed-in tariffs for at most 4-5 years. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to adopt an Act on renewable energy sources or an Act on support of electricity generated by renewable energy sources that would guarantee the feed-in tariff for a period of 15-20 years, which is necessary for accountable planning.

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FOLLOW UP

In April 2006 Green Energy Slovakia presented the study of a new wind park in Cerová (Cerová II., locality Kopánky) with a total installed capacity of 4 MW (two VESTAS V80 turbines, 2 MW each) and expected annual electricity production of 8 500 000 kWh. On the basis of earlier experience, this project is expected to start in the second half of 2007.

Green Energy Slovakia Ltd. hence forth will perform its own wind speed and direction measurements at various locations in Slovakia, and has presented 13 new wind energy utilization projects altogether, including Cerová II.

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FURTHER INFORMATION

Green Energy Slovakia s. r. o. (Ltd.)
Šancová 4
811 04 Pozsony
Slovakia

Tel: +421 2 524 95 522
Fax: +421 2 524 95 523 - +421 2 524 95 523
E-mail: greenenergy@greenenergy.sk
Web: www.greenenergy.sk

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