As a first step, onshore wind farms with an investment volume of 1 billion Euros will be realized throughout other European Countries
With wpd being the leading planner and operator of wind energy and the Stadtwerke München (SWM) pushing their expansion strategies in the wind sector, these two companies are pooling their know-how and financial strength. The Joint target: to increase of wind power production in other European countries. To achieve this goal SWM hold a 33 % stake in the wpd affiliate wpd europe GmbH. This joint venture encompasses wpd’s international onshore wind activities in Europe and Canada; however, developments in Germany, South America, Asia and in the offshore segment, are not part of the cooperation.
Specifically, the partners are planning the construction of wind farms in twelve European countries and in Canada. In this regards, wpd europe possesses a project pipeline of over 4,200 MW in different planning stages. wpd has already built and is operating circa 160 MW in six European countries. wpd europe currently holds wind turbines with a total output of 70 MW in Belgium, France, Italy, Croatia and Portugal, of which SWM holds a 33 % share as well.
The joint target now is to implement the planned projects, to operate the new turbines and furthermore, to acquire and realise a multitude of future projects in Europe.
Dr. Kurt Mühlhäuser, head of SWM’s management, has stated that: “I am happy that we were able to win wpd, the leading European wind energy enterprise, as a partner. We have already had a very successful cooperation in the past. In 2009, SWM acquired five wind farms in Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt, and, together with HEAG Südhessische Energie AG (HSE) and Mainova AG, nine wind farms in the Havelland Region in Brandenburg from wpd. This new cooperation which we just entered into is for us an important element in the scope of our expansion campaign for renewable energies: Up to 2025, we intend to produce such an amount of green energy from our own turbines that we shall be able to satisfy the total energy consumption of Munich. Munich shall be the first city of over 1 million inhabitants to reach this aim! We are optimistic that we will achieve this ambitious target through the potential offered by this onshore cooperation. Until 2020, we are expecting an additional volume of some 1.2 billion kilowatt hours.”
With the investment in the European-wide active project development company, SWM is deliberately going upstream and is furthermore emphasizing, “that an energy policy, which puts 100% of its bets on renewable energies” says Dr. Mühlhäuser, “must be European”. For that aim it is necessary to choose and to use the most suited sites in Europe – both energetically and economically. “In general, wind has the most potential in Europe within the field of renewable energies. At present, onshore wind energy is the most cost-efficient energy which needs the least subsidies and which in the foreseeable future will be more cost-effective than fossil energies.” On top of the commitment of project developers and utilities firms such as wpd and SWM, legislators, both on a national and on the European scale – are under obligation to create the essential framework conditions, which are both economically and ecologically sensible from the viewpoint of the citizens and companies, to achieve the target goals and thus to satisfy the power supply mainly from renewable energies.
“Independent of our autonomous business sectors wind onshore Germany and wind offshore, we have been looking for a long-term joint venture partner for wpd europe for the long range expansion of the European pipeline. In SWM, we found this partner and we are looking forward to cooperating in this strengthened business sector,” says Dr. Hartmut Brösamle, CEO of wpd AG. We see ourselves well positioned by this cooperation. Management remains with wpd and the notable capital increase will allow for the realization and implementation of the wind farms. Furthermore, we are free for the additional increase of the project pipeline in these countries as well as for talks with other co-investors,” says wpd CEO Dr. Gernot Blanke outlining the scope of wpd’s actions.
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Stadtwerke München (SWM)
Stadtwerke München (SWM) are among the largest power and infrastructure companies in Germany. SWM stand for secure and resource-saving supply of the Bavarian metropolis with power and drinking water fresh from the source. They are operating some of the most modern baths and ensure environmental-friendly mobility with underground trains, busses and streetcars. The SWM group employs a staff of some 7,500 persons. In the business year 2010, group turnover amounted to some 3.8 billion Euro.
For further information, please refer to: www.swm.de
wpd
wpd is a worldwide developer and operator of windfarms operating in 20 countries worldwide. In total, the company has carried out projects with around 1,400 turbines and an output of 2.1 GW. Currently wpd is planning projects with 7,000 MW in total. More over, the group is one of Europe’s leading offshore developer with a pipeline of 10,000 MW.