The European Investment Bank (EIB) is providing Windkraft Simonsfeld with 63 million euros for the construction and operation of two wind farms. This can supply almost 11,000 households with electricity. EVN increases the performance of the wind turbines with updates.
28.06.2020 07.26
Online since today, 7.26 h
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In 2021, Windkraft Simonsfeld plans to build 14 new wind turbines in the Prinzendorf III wind farm (Gänserndorf district) and Powi V between Poysdorf and Wilfersdorf (Mistelbach district). The cost is 84 million euros. The company receives support from the EIB for the second time. “As an EU climate bank, it is clearly committed to the Paris climate targets and the consistent expansion of a sustainable energy supply,” says Alexander Hochauer, managing director of Windkraft Simonsfeld AG.
The majority of the money is provided by the EIB through guarantees from the “Juncker Fund”, which is intended to increase the competitiveness of the European economy and create jobs. “The promotion of a sustainable and secure energy supply is one of the key political goals and is a priority area of financing for the EU climate bank,” said Vice President Andrew McDowell, who is responsible for the business of the EU Bank in Austria.
According to McDowell, the “Prinzendorf III” and “Powi V” wind farms are clear evidence “that Austria is taking the turn to renewable energies seriously.” In addition, such investments are crucial to achieve the goals of the “European Green Deal” and by 2050 Producing climate neutrality, adds EU Economic Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni. Windkraft Simonsfeld currently operates 84 wind turbines in Austria and two in Bulgaria. In the previous year, the systems produced around 577 million kilowatts – a consumption of 144,400 households.
Pinwheel update brings additional green electricity
EVN, on the other hand, increases performance with an update of the wind turbines. Three new turbines were supposed to be built in the “Schildberg” wind farm – two in Böheimkirchen, one in St. Pölten. The project, for which, according to EVN, all permits have been available since 2017, has recently stood still due to empty funding pots – in contrast to technical progress.
“There are now plants that can produce much more ecological electricity than those that we originally planned in the project,” says EVN spokesman Stefan Zach. Therefore, EVN decided to give the project an “update” before it was implemented. The planned systems are now to be replaced by the latest generation. Instead of around 7,700 households as originally planned, around 9,400 households can then be supplied with electricity.
The modernized “Schildberg” project has now been submitted to the authority. As soon as all documents are complete, they will be published publicly. Then the approval authority has a decision to make. “If everything goes well, we would like to start construction later this year and put the wind farm into operation at the end of 2021,” says Zach.
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